Concerned Youth of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Oforikrom constituency of Ashanti Region have expressed dissatisfaction over the retaining of polling station executives in the constituency.
According to irate youth, the NPP committee responsible for the management of the ongoing polling station elections has taken a decision to retain all old Polling Station Executives. This means that there is not going to be contest or elections at the polling stations where an old executive picked an application form. The decision if implemented would be a recipe for chaos and cause a lot of disaffection at the base of the party.
They believe the move is an upfront to the constitution and the democratic principles that has held the party together this far.
Read full statement below
STATEMENT BY CONCERNED YOUTH OF OFORIKROM NPP ON THE
ONGOING POLLING STATION AND ELECTORAL AREA ELECTIONS
The ongoing national polling station and electoral area elections is one of the routine activities that deepens the democratic status of our party. This very same activity is also aimed at strengthening the base or grassroots of our party.
Therefore, any mismanagement of these elections goes to affect the very heart of the party since its consequence that includes disaffection and apathy hinder the mobilization drive of the party.
In our constituency the effects and consequences would be more severe that one would think of.
We want to take this opportunity to commend the elections committee for their hard work so far. In fact, no person who showed up to pick an application form was denied as it happened in some constituencies.
We also observed that the process has been fairly transparent so far, from picking of forms, submission and sorting.
It is at the back of the good work done so far that we the concern youth of Oforikrom Constituency NPP want to bring to the attention of the elections committee and the media some issues that is likely to erase all the good works done so far.
BACKGROUND
We the concerned youth of Oforikrom Constituency NPP are learning that the committee that is responsible for the management of the elections has taken a decision to retain all old Polling Station Executives. This would mean that there is not going to be contest or elections at polling stations where an old executive picked an application form.
This decision if implemented would be a recipe for chaos and cause a lot of disaffection at the base of the party. This is because it is clearly an upfront to the constitution of our party and the democratic principles that has held our party together this far.
Moreover we know for a fact that some 216 old polling station executives no longer reside in the constituency and even the region.
We also know of some old polling station executives whose forms were filled and submitted in absentia.
We also know for a fact that there are some old polling station executives who were basically dormant and did not participate in any party activities during their tenure as polling station executives, these polling station executives only show up during internal elections (coordinators elections, constituency officers’ elections and parliamentary primaries) therefore being described as election materials.
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, it will be very detrimental to the mobilization drive to break the 8 if these entire categories of old polling station executives are retained at the expense of vibrant and active party persons who have shown interest to become polling station executives.
NEWLY CREATED POLLING STATIONS
Ladies and gentlemen of the press, we are also learning that the electoral area coordinators are given the opportunity to select persons to become polling station executives in these newly created polling stations.
Again, we say that move is unconstitutional and not fair as the coordinators can be bias and capricious in that process.
PLEA
Based on the above issues raised, the following are our plea,
1. The elections committee should review their decision on the mass retaining of old polling station executives
2. No electoral area coordinator should be given the leverage to select who becomes a polling station executive in the newly created polling stations and that must be open to contest.
3. There shouldn’t be mass disqualification of all new applicants seeking to become polling station executives.
It is our hope that the election committee will respond to these our plea immediately to avert any possible chaos or tensions and continue to enjoy the commendations they have received so far.
M r. George -0243472195 Hon. Abraham Antwi – 0244716696
(Convener) (Chairman of Election Committee)
Abdul K.M. Lamin-0244229317 Mr. Anthony Amankwaah-0249922877
( Convener ) (Constituency Chairman)
E ric Kofi Amponsah -0559788442 Mr. Baaba Awudu-0244135635
( Convener ) (Constituency Organizer/Research Officer)
Source: Oyerepafmonline.com
