CPP congress in danger: party is broke

Accra, Aug. 18, GNA - The Convention People's Party's (CPP) third National Delegated Congress slated tentatively for September ending is in danger as the party cannot raise funds to organize it, eminent members of the Central Committee told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra on Saturday.
"The party barons and godfathers have failed to roll in the needed funds for congress.most of them are mainly interested in controlling the party machine rather than ensuring that we organize to elect the most popular candidates for Elections 2008," they stated.
He explained that the party needed thousands of the new Ghana cedis to pay for the congress venue, logistics, accommodation and feeding for the over 2,000 delegates, transportation and other contingency services. But unfortunately, leading political figures within the party especially those who had declared their presidential ambitions are rather using their resources to project themselves across the length and breadth of the country, whiles the party famish to death, the National Executive source lamented.
They disclosed that the party is far behind scheduled of a Central Committee decision adopted at its meeting held in Accra on Friday, June 15, which directed that ward and constituency elections were to be organized from June 15 to the first week in July.
Regional elections between mid-July to July 31; National Executive Council Meeting in mid August and opening of nominations for Presidential aspirants National Executive Officers for the Party from July 16 to August 6.
The Central Committee had set vetting of Presidential Aspirants and National Executive Officers from August 10 to 14 and the congress for August 31 to September 1, but we had to postpone it mainly due the financial problems.
"Our situation is compounded by the emergency of financial power blocs who are propounding two schools of thoughts.one believe in a delayed congress to give the new faces on the presidential track more room to organize and campaign effectively.
"Whiles the second group support the September congress, which proponents believe would favour one particular presidential aspirant and defeat the call for creating a level playing field for all the candidates to market themselves," they stated.
He said in spite of these obstacles, the Central Committee is committed to upholding the party's principles."we would prevent our electoral processes to be corrupt, which might produce a leader, who may lack the legitimacy, respect or moral authority to lead our nation." The Central Committee sources appealed to the Presidential Aspirants to demonstrate their commitment to leading the party by supporting efforts to build the structures - holding of constituency congress, regional elections and the national congress.
They commended leading members who had expressed the desire to contest for the presidential slot for elections 2008 - Mr George Opersika Aggudey a businessman, Dr Kwaku Osafo, an Economist; Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, former Minister of Private Sector Reforms; Professor Agyeman Badu Akorsah, former head of the Ghana Health Service and Mr Bright Akwetey, a lawyer.
They also commended scores of leading members who are interested in the National Executive post, adding, "we need the resources, capacity and capabilities of all Nkrumaists to enter the crucial Elections 2008 with full force." 18 Aug. 07