Politics

Much awaited NPP Ash Confab to elect new executives ongoing under tight security

New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates in the Ashanti Region have gathered at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi to elect new executives to run the affairs of the party in the region for the next four years.

About 950 delegates are expected to cast their ballot to elect ten officers at various levels to man the party ahead of the 2024 general elections, reports Daniel Kenu and Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor from Kumasi.

PHOTO: Some delegates arriving the Baba Yara Stadium

The positions being contested are that of chairman, which has five contestants but has been reduced to a two-horse race between incumbent, Bernard Antwi Boasiako (Chairman Wontumi) and Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, populary referred to COKA.

Robert Asare Bediako former Asokwa Constituency Chairman, Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, former MP for Ejisu and Oheneba Adum Bawuah are the other contestants in the chairmanship race.

Apart from the Mampong Constituency, which will have no delegates voting at the conference because of a court case, the remaining 46 constituencies in the region will have 17 each delegates casting their ballots.

All members of the regional executive committee, the 44 members of parliament in the region, the regional representatives on the national executive committee, 10 members of the council of elders in the region and one TESCON representative from each of the recognised tertiary institutions in the region will be casting their ballot.

PHOTO: Members of Parliament for Manhyia South and Atwima Mponua, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh (NAPO) and Isaac Asiamah arriving at the conference grounds

Protest

Ahead of the conference, there has been an accusation of eliminating the names of certain delegates from the voters register. The TESCON members for instance have complained of having issues with people who are not students or have completed school and currently doing national service whose names have been inserted in the register as delegates, denying the current TESCON executive the opportunity to cast their ballot.

Aside the TESCON protest, Daniel Kenu reports that representatives from the regional council of elders also have issues with the names of delegates on the register as council of elders representatives.

PHOTO: Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah who is also the Chairman of the Election Committee of the party in the region and Nana Prempeh (right), Director General of NADMO and a rep from the Ejura Constituency at the conference grounds.

It is going to be hot, sunny and long day at the Ashanti Regional NPP conference to elect new executives. So delegates are filling up appropriately. PICTURES BY EMMANUEL BAAH.