NPP National Delegates Conference to kick-start on Friday

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) would hold its 2017 National Annual Delegates Conference from Friday, August 25 to Sunday, August 27, in Cape Coast in the Central Region under the theme: "NPP, Delivering on our Promises; our Roots, our Strength, our Future".

The conference is being held in pursuance of Article 9(1) of the Party’s Constitution, which states that "There shall be a National Annual Delegates Conference which shall be the supreme governing body of the Party".

In pursuant of the provisions of Article 6 and 7 of the Party’s Constitution, it had already organised constituency and regional delegates conferences in all the 275 constituencies across the country, which had paved the way for the organisation of the national delegates conference.

Mr John Boadu, the Acting General-Secretary of the Party, told the media in Accra, on Tuesday, that the National Council, the second highest decision making body of the Party, held a crunch meeting on Friday, August 18, and among other things, spelt out modalities and agreed on the activities to be observed at the gathering as well as the rules of engagement with recourse to the conference planning committee, chaired by Mr F. F. Antoh.

The relevant resolutions from that meeting includes: The conference would be held at the Medical School Auditorium of the University of Cape Coast in the Central Region.

Delegates to the conference, per the provision of Article 9(2)(ii) include members of the national council, members of the national executive committee, all members of the regional executive committee, all members of the constituency executive committee and 15 members from the national council of elders.

Others are; 12 delegates from every external branch as defined under section 8(2) of the Party’s Constitution, one TESCON representative from each recognised tertiary institution in the country, 15 patrons elected from among themselves, founding members across the country who are signatories to the registration documents of the Party at the Electoral Commission, all members of Parliament and all party members who are ministers, deputy ministers and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives.

In all, about 5,500 delegates are expected to attend the conference.
This year's conference coincides with the 25th Anniversary of the NPP and 70th Anniversary of the founding of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC).

It would afford them the opportunity to reflect on the core values underpinning the formation of the Party and assess the extent to which the Party had remained focused on these founding principles with the view to learning relevant lessons to guide them for the future.

The activities lined-up for the conference are as follows:
Day One: Friday, August 25-There shall be Muslim Prayers (Jummah) and some social events.

Day Two: Saturday, August 26-The main conference to be held at the Medical School Auditorium of the University of Cape Coast.

The meeting would deliberate and make appropriate resolutions on National Chairman’s report, National Treasurer’s Statement of Accounts, General Secretary’s report, deliberate on resolutions from all the 10 regions and also consider proposals for amendments to the Party’s Constitution which had been received and circulated to all stakeholders.

The meeting would end at 1600 hours then there would be a mammoth rally at the Victoria Park in Cape Coast, which would be addressed by the leadership of the Party, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, Ministers of State and other key government officials.

Day Three: Sunday, August 27-There would be a Thanksgiving Service at the Calvary Methodist Church, Cape Coast to wrap up the conference.

Meanwhile, the National Council reminded prospective aspirants for various party positions to avoid campaigning or exhibiting posters and banners at the conference, since the Party had not lifted the ban on campaign.

The Acting General-Secretary of the NPP said the Party reserved the right to reprimand or sanction anyone who flouts the directive.