The New Patriotic Party’s National Delegates’ Conference has been held to consider about 38 proposed amendments to the party’s Constitution, while considering a number of issues aimed at helping the NPP to win the 2024 presidential election.
More than 5000 delegates are in attendance with a high-profile delegation, including President Akufo-Addo, Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, NPP National Chairman Freddie Blay, the General Secretary, John Boadu and members of the National Executive Committee.
Speaking at the conference in Kumasi, Majority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah -Bonsu, said there is the need for introspection on how the party conducts its parliamentary primaries.
He suggested, “constituencies should be encouraged to endorse incumbents in order to avoid losing too many seats as witnessed in the 2020 elections.”
“We should recognise that the Parliamentary party today is at a critical juncture and if we don’t handle the process of choosing our Presidential Candidates well then we may end up losing more than one half of our sitting MP’s as we did in 2020.
In this regard, I would like to propose to the party that the Constituencies should be encouraged to the largest extent possible to adopt the incumbent members of the Parliament for the purpose of the next General elections as any free for all election that is not guided or guarded would take over our great party.
It is important to sound this early so that the necessary steps could be resorted to in other to salvage the course of the party.”
Fraternal messages
There were frateranal messages from some political parties who used the occasion to make some demands.
NDC
The NDC delegation, led by its Ashanti Regional Secretary, Kwame Zu, asked the ruling NPP to reconsider the imposition of taxes such as the 1.75% E-Levy which according to him, will be an extra burden on the poor.
CPP
General Secretary of the CPP, Nana Yaa Jantuah, asked government to return all assets of the CPP which were ceased after the 1966 coup including the building that currently houses the Ministry of Information which she said used to be the CPP’s Headquarters.
PNC
The PNC was not happy about the lack of consensus in Parliament and appealed to all MPs to consult each other.
PPP
PPP’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Simon Quansah, demanded the Office of the Special Prosecutor should be decoupled from the Attorney General.
