NPP-USA Dallas Chapter Gets Going

People in Texas dream big even with modest beginnings. Barely three months ago there was no NPP Chapter to speak of in Dallas, Texas. The increasing number of Ghanaians in the jewel of the South meant that sooner or later this was going to change. So it was that in September 2006 some pioneers of the NPP – Danquah/Busia persuasion summoned Jermaine Nkrumah, a former NPP North America Executive, to swear in an Executive Committee for the Dallas- Fort Worth Chapter of NPP-USA. The new leaders set themselves an achievable goal of building a committed membership of sixty in short order; and grow this steadily to make their Texas-size presence felt among the “Kukrudites” near and far (a term coined by Dr. Arthur Kennedy, a 2008 Presidential aspirant)

Determined not to be a footnote in the new dynamism sweeping through NPP-USA, the leaders in Dallas/Fort Worth invited the National Chairman, Mr. Kofi A. Boateng to visit and share his vision with them. Steering the laudable activities in Dallas/ Fort Worth are: Mr. Samuel Mensah, the Chairman of NPP-USA DFW Chapter; Mr. Rex Opoku, Vice Chair; Mr. Ohene Frimpong, PRO; Mr. James Asare, Treasurer; and Ms. Christy Dadson-McNair, Women’s Organizer.

In his welcome address, Mr. Samuel Mensah traced the history of the New Patriotic Party from the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), the Northern People’s Party (NPP), the United Party (UP), the Progress Party (PP), and the Popular Front Party (PFP) to the current New Patriotic Party (NPP). He invoked the names of Dr. JB Danquah, SD Domboh, Jato Kaleo, Imoro Igala, Dr. Kofi A. Busia, Victor Owusu, Prof. Adu Boahen and of course Ghana’s current President J.A. Kufuor. By this Mr. Mensah showed that despite the erroneous and unfortunate categorization of the New Patriotic Party as an “Asantefuo” Party, nothing can be further from the truth for there is no other political party in Ghana, or in Africa for that matter, that can claim its origins and stalwarts from the north, south, east and west of its geographic landscape. The DFW Chapter aims to continue this long tradition of inclusion and is open for business to serve and welcome all customers who are sincere about the continuous improvement of Ghana in all spheres of her life.

The NPP-USA Chairman, Mr. Kofi A. Boateng endorsed Mr. Mensah’s narration and continued to exhort the members and leaders of the DFW Chapter not to look back but forward; not to be discouraged but motivated by the rare opportunity to serve and render a meaningful contribution to mother Ghana and to the improvement of the lives of Ghana’s Diaspora. PEOPLE and MONEY open the doors to the political theatre and these should form the strong pillars upon which they build the DFW Chapter. Leadership is a call to serve and those so privileged will find themselves lonely at times. If they measure success the response of the people to their messages then they can find the inner drive to go on one more day. A million are reached by passing one first. They should believe that the cause is right for the time has come for the Ghana Diaspora to be taken seriously as a defined stakeholder in Ghana’s present and future. Without unity, our noble dreams will be thwarted and without committed and sacrificing leaders, the message will not be heard, Mr. Boateng said. He added that every effort would be made to ensure that Ghanaians in the Diaspora vote in 2008 to make ROPAA real and NPP-USA will be at the table with significant dollars and paid-up members come election time 2008. To the delight of the attentive audience, he revealed that he has a firm commitment from the Chairman of NPP in Ghana, Mr. Peter Mac Manu that any individual member of NPP-USA who is certified to have contributed his/her share will be given the appropriate recognition upon their visit to Ghana. A new chapter has been opened. Let us write the story with ourselves as the characters and Ghana the beneficiary of the royalties. There are plenty of pages for each one from anywhere starting from Dallas-Fort Worth, Mr. Boateng concluded.