Brong Ahafo prepares for NDC Congress

Sunyani (B/A), June 24, GNA - Four thousand people, comprising 3,000 delegates and 1,000 supporters, of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are expected to fill the Coronation Park in Sunyani for the party's two-day National Congress to elect a flagbearer for the 2012 general election.

The congress is slated for July 8 and 9.

Mr. Opoku Atuahene, Brong-Ahafo Regional Chairman of the Party who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Sunyani on Wednesday, said only accredited delegates, media personnel (both local and foreign), government and party officials would be allowed into the Coronation Park.

Non-accredited members, supporters, sympathisers and interested persons would be positioned at Twene-Amanfo Senior High School Park, near the venue, where giant screens would be mounted for them to observe proceedings at the congress.

He said the congress had been arranged in two phases with the first phase being on Friday July 8 for the arrival of delegates and officials, while phase two would follow on Saturday July 9 with the ceremonial programme taking off in the morning and the actual congress in the afternoon.

Mr. Atuahene said the party's local organizing committee, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and the National Security would handle the security aspect of the event. The Electoral Commission (EC) will be the sole determiner or supervisor of the much anticipated election of the flagbearership to be contested by President John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills and Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, a former First Lady.

On residential accommodation for delegates, government and party officials, as well as observers, the party's Regional Chairman indicated effective efforts had been made by the local organizing committees to ensure sanity prevailed and that enough accommodation had been secured for all accredited personnel.

He said unfortunately many of the hotels in Sunyani could not provide enough rooms and as a result some of the delegates and observers would be accommodated outside the region.

For instance, he said, delegates and observers from Greater Accra and Ashanti regions would be hosted in some hotels in Kumasi, those from Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions would be hosted in Techiman, while those from Central region would be in Berekum. Those from Volta, Western, Eastern and Brong-Ahafo regions would be in Sunyani, Mr. Atuahene said.

Mr Atuahene said the local organizing committee, headed by himself had also set up a sub-committee to be in-charge of feeding, conference secretariat, observers, welfare and other aspects. Similar committees had also been set up at the national headquarters of the party in Accra, he said, stressing all the committees were to liaise with the National Executive Council (NEC) with the General Secretary of the Party, Mr. Johnson Asiedu-Nketiah as the 93over-lord" of all the committees.

The regional chairman said some rehabilitation works were being carried out at the Coronation Park, including repairs, lighting, as well as ensuring additional temporary public places of convenience to cope with the expected teeming number of people to the congress. Mr. Atuahene explained that accommodating some of the delegates and officials outside Sunyani in particular and Brong-Ahafo in general did not mean there were no better hotel facilities in Sunyani. "Some of the hotels in Sunyani do not have enough rooms and beds to feed as many as 100 or more customers or clients at a go like what pertains in Accra, Kumasi and other cities, hence the committee responsible for accommodation thought it wise to stretch its tentacles to Ashanti region", he said, adding the arrangement was done by the local committee in consultation with NEC.

Mr. Atuahene however explained some of the hotels in trying to satisfy the party's demand for room allocations also made allowance for their regular customers or clients in order not to disappoint them.

"That is the essence of business and we have no qualms about their business administrative arrangement", he emphasized. Mr. Atuahene noted that although there was no official arrangement to contract anybody or group of people to sell food outside the Coronation Park for the two-day conference, the organizing committees in the same vein could not restrain food vendors from "doing brisk business" around the venue.

Meanwhile, during a visit to the Coronation Park on Thursday, the Ghana News Agency saw a number of workers busily working with mower machines to put the field in good shape for the 93D-Day". The party's rented regional offices near the Municipal hospital, the GNA observed, was also undergoing renovation works as painters were seen busily peeling off the walls for re-painting whilst the frontage was also being given a fitting face-lift. In view of the impending congress, the Regional Security Council at a meeting on Wednesday, June 15, resolved that a massive clean-up exercise be organized in Sunyani Municipality on Friday, July 1, to rid the city of filth.

Consequently a letter from the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) headed 93Clean-up exercise in the Sunyani Municipality" dated June 15, and signed by Mr. Simon Asare, Assistant Director 1 on behalf of the Regional Minister, requested all heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies and staff to fully participate in the exercise.

Meanwhile, the Brong Ahafo Regional Police Command has in collaboration with all other security agencies and National Security Council put in place adequate measures to ensure a very successful congress.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Robert Ayalingo, Brong Ahafo Regional Commander who gave the assurance in an interview with the He said a request for all the needed logistics had been forwarded to the Inspector-General of Police and the National Security Council, adding the police was in touch with the party's local planning committee to ensure all lapses and security issues at the Coronation Park 93are identified and covered up before the D-day". The regional commander noted that because people would be travelling to Sunyani, measures had been put in place at all routes leading to Sunyani to ensure the safety of travellers, adding there would be police patrols and escorts day and night at all hotels in Sunyani, Techiman , Wenchi, Berekum and other places where guests and delegates would be staying.

The patrol teams will move from Techiman towards the Northern region whilst another team will move from Kadelso up north to the south towards Techiman, he said, and gave the assurance that all roads leading to Sunyani would be secured.

He advised traders around the Coronation Park to keep away from the spot three days before the congress, as movements around the venue would be restricted. Metal detectors would be used to ensure the place is safe, he said.

DCOP Ayalingo appealed to guests and delegates with private cars to park at the Jubilee and Victoria parks and walk to the venue since there would not be sufficient space around the Coronation Park. He also advised commercial drivers to be of good behaviour towards guests and not to take undue advantage of the event to charge exorbitant fares and also to drive carefully by complying with the road safety regulations since the police would be conducting special exercises to ensure competent driving.

The regional police commander allayed the fears of residents, saying they should not panic on seeing the number of security personnel during the congress but rather to feel secured since the police would be there to maintain peace and only arrest trouble makers.