AS THE NEW Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Greater Accra Region officially inaugurates the newly elected executives today, this paper can report that a controversy has hit the party over the status of the regional office.
Accusations and counter accusations are flying among the party gurus resulting in a split of the regional executives. Some have accused the former regional chairman, now vying for the national chairmanship position, Mr. Sammy Crabbe, of deceiving the whole NPP, including former President John Agyekum Kufuor that he has acquired an office for the party. But Mr. Crabbe has swiftly refuted the allegations and dared his accusers to produce empirical evidence that he bought the office for the party.
According to him, he has not stated anywhere that he bought the office for the region and that his foundation rented the place and gave a portion for the party to use, of which a letter of acknowledgement was issued to that effect. "I have never said anywhere that I have bought the place for the party. I always say that the place was a long term lease," he said.
Mr. Crabbe told this paper that it was unfortunate that his detractors have developed a certain ploy to tag him with allegations which has no basis, saying "As a party member, my interest was to seek the welfare of the party, I am not in anyway interested in any scheme to create division and disunity among the party members."
To him, what bothers him for now is how to ensure that unity prevails within the party so that the party bounces back to power. "I challenge those who are saying that I have told President Kufuor that I bought the office for the party to provide evidence, or else shut up," he said.
In a letter dated 30th May, 2006, signed by the then Greater Accra Regional Secretary, Mr. Ben Brown, under the caption "Letter of Acknowledgment and Appreciation", copied to Crabbe Foundation, he stated "I write on behalf of the leadership as well as the entire members and supporters of the New Patriotic Party in the Greater Accra region to formally acknowledge the acceptance of a new office building, temporary acquired by the Crabbe Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization owned by Mr. Sammy Crabbe, and donated to the party at the last regional steering meeting for its administrative work.
"We collectively express our heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for this kind gesture from the Foundation, a gesture that will further enhance the administrative performance of the party in the region. We would, however, be extremely grateful if tenancy agreement and other related documents be made available to the party."
Meanwhile, this paper can report that things are falling apart within the rank and file of the main opposition party, to the extent that attempts to hold the centre seemed to be impossible. This paper gathered that the regional office of the party is totally in disarray, as they fight over the permanent place of office.
As a result, the Regional Chairman, Mr. Ishmael Ashittey, is operating from a parallel office, while his other regional executives are also operating from another office. Currently, Mr. Crabbe pays US$1,800 per month for the use of the office and the inability of the new chairman to raise funds to pay, has necessitated the moves to relocate the office to Kokomlemle.
A visit to the party's office last week revealed that most executives were seen at their various offices but the chairman was not in the office.
Mr. Adjei Sowah, the Regional Secretary, in a company of some of his executives including the Regional Women's Organizer, Treasurer and Financial Secretary confirmed in an interview that the rent of the office expired in May this year, and that there was no consensus for the party to relocate its office.
To other party members, the attempt by the Crabbe Foundation to ask the new executives to pay for the rent was uncalled for because Mr. Crabbe informed them that he had bought the place and, therefore, saw no wisdom to pay the rent.
