NPP to hold elections in the six new regions

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Wednesday announced that it would hold an extraordinary regional delegates conference and special regional executive committee meetings to fill vacant regional executive positions.

The decision, it said, was necessitated by the recent creation of six new regions namely; Oti Region, Western North Region, Bono East Region, Ahafo Region, Savanna Region and North East Region.

Mr John Boadu, the General Secretary of NPP, who made the announcement at a media engagement in Accra, said extraordinary regional delegates conferences would be held on Saturday, May 18, in all the newly created regions.

Outlining the guidelines and modalities, he stated that nomination shall open on Tuesday, April 23, and close on Friday, April 26, from the respective Regional Elections Committees.

Applicants wishing to contest in the Regional Executive Elections, Mr Boadu said, shall pay a non-refundable nomination fee of GHC1,000.00 for the Chairperson position and GHC500.00 for other positions.

He said vetting for the regional conferences would take place from April 29 to 30, and vetting report would be ready on Thursday, May 2.

Disqualified aspirants, Mr Boadu said could petition the National Secretariat for redress by Friday, May 3, and final decision on such petitions would be communicated by Monday, May 6.

The General Secretary said Polling Station, Electoral Area Coordinator, Constituency or National Officer, MMDCE, MP, Minister or Deputy Minister of State were not eligible to contest the election or to be appointed to the position of Regional Officers.

On the Special Regional Executive Committee Meetings, he said, it would be held under the supervision of a National Representative on May, 3 in the Bono Region, May 4, in the Northern Region, May 5, in the Western Region and the Volta Region.

He explained that the party was organising the Special Regional Executive Committee Meetings under article 9 of the Party’s constitution at the “traditional regions”.

“Any vacancy, which may occur for whatever reason in the membership of the Regional Executive Committee, shall be filled…by the election of the Regional Executive Committee of another officer to hold such office,” he said.

“In the case of any other officer, the Regional Executive Committee shall appoint someone to act. Any person elected or appointed to fill a vacancy shall vacate his or her office at the same time as the other Regional officers at the end of the term of four (4) years.”

The positions to be contested for are; Regional Chairman, Regional Second Vice Chairman, Regional Secretary, Regional Organizer, Regional Youth Organizer and Regional Women Organizer.

He said all standing committees of the National Council and Ad-hoc Committees were duly formed and approved at the last National Council meeting which was held on March 12, would be inaugurated on May 24.

Mr Boadu appealed to all stakeholders, especially the would-be candidates for the various positions in the extraordinary delegates conference and their supporters to respect the rules of engagement.