Two Ho Central Constituency NPP factions restrained

Ho, July 31, GNA - A Ho High Court on Thursday directed the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to constitute a nine-member Interim Committee to administer the affairs of the Party in the Ho Central Constituency.

This was after the Court had restrained two feuding groups from holding themselves out as Executives of the Party in the Constituency, until further notice.

Mr Justice Paul Gyaesayor, the Presiding Judge, also directed each of the factions to appoint a representative to assist in the taking of inventory of the Party's constituency office to pave the way for the interim body to assume duty.

He directed the General Secretary to submit a report on the implementation of the directives to the High Court within two weeks. Mr Justice Gyaesayor said the interest of the Party was above those of the factions and that the order was to uphold its greater interest. "The existence of the opposing Executives in the constituency is at variance with the political parties law and the Party's Constitution.

"It is necessary to restrain both factions in the interest of the Party to ensure peace in the Ho Central constituency and Ho town."

Mr Justice Gyaesayor said but for the legal vacation due to start soon the court should have heard evidence on oath from Mr Kwame Atta, the suspended Regional Secretary, for his role in the dispute.

He said the Court could, however, not defer its decision until that time, as that would hold back the Party's preparations to select a parliamentary candidate for the 2004 elections.

He asked the factions to return to court on October 13. The rumpus started early this year when a vote of no confidence was passed in the old Executive led by Mr Vans Seshie Torblu and a new Constituency Executive led by Mr Seth Anyadi was elected at a constituency delegates' conference on April 12.

On May 31 the Regional Executives presided over another delegates' conference and it elected an Executive led by Mr Torblu. The Anyadi-led faction filed a writ at the High Court seeking to restrain its opponents from holding themselves out as the Constituency Executives.

The Torblu-led faction also made a similar application to the court to restrain the Anyadi group.