'Girl Power' steals top spots in NPP USA elections

Obaa Yaa Frimpong and Dr. Tina Abrefa Gyan last weekend won the two top positions as Chairperson and First Vice respectively in the recent New Patriotic Party (NPP) USA elections held on Friday, March 16th, 2018. Online Voting ended on Friday, March 16 prior to the NPP USA Congress in Atlanta, Georgia.

'Girl power' is a slogan that encourages and celebrates women's empowerment, independence, and confidence, and with that in mind coupled with tenacity and confidence, Obaa Yaa Frempong captured the chairmanship position by a wide margin in the contest with 78 percent of the vote as against 22 percent for Dr. Anthony Adade, a Former Chairman of the Massachusetts branch of the NPP.

Tina Gyan, however, faced a tough competition from Dennis Oppong Kyekyeku and Capt. Ben Agyei-Odame (Rtd), a Nuclear Medicine Technologist. Tina won by 44 percent, she was followed closely by Dennis with 40 percent of the votes with Capt. Odame trailing with 16 percent. In her acceptance speech, Obaa Yaa promised to work hard to build on the existing structures of the party in the USA and implored all the members to join hands with a focus on ensuring brighter fortunes for the party.

Augustine Agbenaza went unopposed as he held on to his position as General Secretary. North Carolina based Emmanuel Darko won the position of National Treasurer in a hotly contested race by beating Dr. Kwesi Ayim-Darko and Abubakar Abdulai. The National Youth Organizer of the ruling NPP, Sammy Awuku, swore in the newly elected Executives of NPP USA with a charge to uphold and defend the tenets of the party.

Many dignitaries trooped into Atlanta to grace the 2018 NPP USA Congress of which included Mrs. Hawa Koomson - Minister for Special Initiatives, Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah - CEO of Covet, Hon. Charles Owiredu - Deputy Minister of Foreign affairs, Nana Adjei Yeboah - Student Loans CEO, Hassan Tampuli - CEO of National Petroleum Authority and Agnes Adu - CEO of Ghana Trade Fair Authority. Others were Gabby Otchere Darko - former CEO of the Danquah Institue, Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA) Joe Anokye, Edward Kofi Osei - Director of Tema Ports and the deputy minister of Interior Hon. Henry Quartey.

The Honorable Keynote Speaker of the Congress Mrs. Samira Bawumia, Ghana's Second Lady, assured the gathering that Ghana was moving in the right direction and enumerated series of campaign promises that have been fulfilled within one year of the Akufo-Addo administration. She expressed her profound gratitude to NPP USA for their contributions towards the party by way of financial and human resource development evident in a lot of members relocating to Ghana to take up positions in Government.

She said, “The Government places a significant premium on the contributions and expertise of the Diaspora towards national development. This is reflected in the many hands the President has invited from across the globe to help in the administration.”

The Second Lady also said the government has set up a diaspora relations office at the seat of the presidency to serve as a link between the diaspora and government. “This is a landmark achievement on the part of the Government of Ghana which has formalized the engagement of the Ghanaian diaspora for effective migration management and national development planning” she added.

Mrs. Samira Bawumia encouraged the gathering to take advantage of these opportunities and many projects in the offing to help bring and promote investment in Ghana since the Government has created an enabling environment for business to thrive.

The Congress was crowned with a dinner dance and cultural display by various groups and a special performance by legendary master drummer Okyeremah Asante. Frank Adjei-Mensah, a Ghanaian born US-based author presented copies of his latest publication, titled “NURTURING THE AMERICAN DREAM” to the second lady after which a lifetime achievement award was presented by NPP USA to Mrs. Samira Bawumia on behalf of Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo.

The 2018 NPP USA Congress happened at the Embassy Suites in Atlanta, Georgia over a period of two days.