Obetsebi-Lamptey retains NPP regional post

The Greater Accra Regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Saturday held its ninth delegates conference at Tema with Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister for Information and Presidential Affairs retaining his position as the regional chairman.

He polled 66 votes to beat Mr Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson, a businessman, who had 52 votes at the election, conducted by officials of the National Electoral Commission (NEC). With 88 votes, Mr Richard Solomon Oblitei kicked out Lt. Col. Addai Duah and Mr Amoah Awuah, who 17 and 13 votes respectively to take the post of the vice chairmanship, while the second vice chairman position went to Madam Vivian Adoley Garshong, who had 90 points to beat Mrs Mina Ofosu with 19 and

Mr Constantine Batholomew's eight points. Nii Ayite-Boafo, the incumbent secretary retained his post by 15 votes to stop Mr Yaw Amankwa, who had 51, while Mr Eric Kwatia won with 59 votes to remove four other contestants to take the Assistant Secretary post.

The contestants were Mr Benjamin Mintah, Mr Alex Quartey, Nii Teiko Caesar Hammond and Mr A.Kyei Baffour. Incumbent treasurer, Mr Kwasi Arthur polled 51 votes to silence three others, Mr Adu Gyamfi Peprah, Mr William Briandt and Mr Laryea. Mr Albert Afaglo struggled hard to wrest the organiser seat from Alhaji Mohammed Quaye and Mr Latif Tetteh Amanor, with Madam Vida Dugbartey winning the women's organiser post with 84 points to beat incumbent Madam Mariama Amui.

Six contestants lost the post of the youth organiser to Mr Yusif Ahmed who polled 56 votes. They were Mr Rrobert Kwame Dadzie, Mr William Akakpo, Nii Odai Lai Bruce, Nana Evans Amoakwa, Mr Jeremiah Botwe and Mr Francis Ampem-Darko Botwe.

The were sworn into office by Mr Dan Botwe, National Organiser of the party, who advised the executives who would be in office for a three-year term to work hard for the party to retain its incumbency in the 2004 presidential and parliamentary election.

He advised against complacency and called for unity to prevent infiltration and rather work harder to win more members into the party. In order to address pertinent issues confronting the party, Mr Botwe called for a mini congress to plan strategic action for the way forward. Earlier, Mr Haruna Esseku, National Chairman of the NPP entreated party members to exhaust all channels of resolving grievances before resorting to legal action and described members who have ignored the guidelines of the party's constitution and had taken legal action against some of the members as indiscipline.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey stated that the peaceful atmosphere under which the elections was conducted proves the party's democratic rule and said the petty disturbances among members is normal with every political party so "the NPP is not a violent party as people speculate". Among those present were Members of Parliament, Ministers of State and District Chief Executives.