Jake And Adjiri Lock Horns Today

The Greater Accra Regional Branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has completed vetting the candidates who have filed their nominations to contest the various positions in the forthcoming Regional Delegates Conference scheduled to take place in Tema today.

A three-member committee chaired by Honorable Ben Anann, Presiding Member of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, has been constituted to vet the candidates and present a report with their recommendations to the Regional Executive Council. Other members of the committee are Madam Gifty Ayeh, Member of the National Media Commission who is also a member of the Ga District Assembly and Nene Abgozo, former parliamentary candidate of the NPP in the Kpone Katamanso Constituency.

Speaking in an interview with Metro Mail in Accra yesterday, Honorable Ben Anann said the terms of reference of the committee is to basically examine the credentials of the eligible candidates and submit a comprehensive report to the Regional Executive Committee to take action where necessary. He said they critically looked at factors such as the candidates' membership in the party, number of years, participation in the party's activities, criminal record as well as eligibility under the Constitution and the Representative of the Peoples Act. The Chairman said the move was in line with the party's democratic principles and desire to conduct trouble free elections, which would produce the most competent group of people to steer the affairs of the party in the region and prepare the party for the General Elections in 2004.

Thirty-eight candidates including five women have filed their papers to contest nine positions. All the incumbent officers including the Regional Chairman who is currently Minister for Information and Presidential Affairs, Mr. Jake Obestebi Lamptey are also in the race. The positions that are being contested for are the Regional Chairman, First Deputy Chairman and Second Deputy Chairman. The others are Regional Secretary, Deputy Secretary and Regional Treasurer. The rest are Regional Organizer, Regional Women Organizer and Regional Youth Organizer.

The Regional Chairman and the Women Organizers positions are the most keenly contested in the forthcoming elections. Observers have predicted a very close race between the old rivals, Mr. Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson and Mr. Jake Obestebi Lamptey. It's a two horse race between Madam Mariama Amui who is contesting for the third consecutive time and Mrs. Vida Dugbatey, a prominent member of the Party in Accra.

Meanwhile all is set for the smooth conduct of the elections tomorrow at the Ghana Publishing Yard in Tema as most of the candidates have been criss crossing the various constituencies in the region to meet delegates and sell their massage in the run up to the elections