Stephen Akwetey deserves Regional Chairman

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) will in October go to the polls to elect regional and national executives. Crucial amongst the many elected position is the election of the party's regional chairman for the most ethnically and socially diverse region of Ghana, the Greater Accra region. History from past elections only confirm that, the Greater Accra region due to its geo-political position inhabits the most swing voters therefore remains a very crucial decider for Ghana's presidential elections. It is for this reason that, various political parties use the region to climax campaigns in the grandest of styles. With this in mind, the NDC TEIN group of Greater Accra have meticulously examined past and present activities of the many party officials seeking to be elected as party chairman for the Greater Accra region and have come to the conclusion that, with the crucial nature of the 2016 elections, the party needs a proven committed and hardworking chairman whose sole vision and objective is to make the NDC a formidable force in the region.

The Greater Accra TEIN group wish to throw its resolute support to Mr. Stephen Akwetey as he prepares to take over the leadership of the party in the region. The party under the leadership of the incumbent Mr. Ade Coker has willfully failed to address issues that could have promoted the growth of the party at the grassroot level due to his divided attention; serving the NDC and also seeking the interests of his chain of personal businesses. The current leadership of the NDC in the region fail to inspire any confidence to win the region for the NDC come 2016. We are therefore entreating all well-meaning partisans and well-wishers of the NDC to put their support towards the chairmanship ambition of Mr. Stephen Akwetey in order to ensure the party swipe the parliamentary and presidential votes in the region, come what may. It is regrettable to note that, even with the national Headquarters of the NDC situated in the region, the Greater Accra region when compared to other regions lacks opportunities for youth empowerment which could be attributed to the selfish and visionless leadership of the current regional chairman. The party has failed to make any meaningful strides in growing the membership base of the party in the region. All efforts and initiatives proposed to the current leadership to make the NDC and its organic arms more attractive in the region have all been disregarded by the current leadership leading to despondency among our followers. It is therefore critical for the NDC's chances in the 2016 election to elect a regional chairman that better understands the social democratic principles of the party in order to ignite and revitalize enthusiasm amongst the party followers and sympathizers in the region. Mr. Stephen Akwetey has proven himself well with the various entrepreneurial ventures that he has championed in the region to create job opportunities for the youth. We have examined the Hill Side Village project which is giving jobs, the launch of the Health and Education Fund for Greater Accra NDC which account has been opened with Unibank and other projects that his outfit is rendering to the people of Greater Accra and are convinced the former NDC cadet has the intuition, charisma and a vision that align with the vision and mission statement of the NDC. Having contributed to the formation of the NDC in 1992, and later serving as party Chairman for Krowor constituency, Mr. Stephen Akwetey is well vested in the core values of probity , accountability and social democracy, a benchmark of the NDC, and a set of principles that the current Chairman deliberately fail to uphold due to his private business interests. A chairmanship of Mr. Stephen Akwetey will also see the NDC return to its rightful owners as Mr. Ade Coker is seen by many as an outsider and an opportunist. The current wave of positive change that President Mahama has brought into the party needs the services of our most loyal and trusted party members to sustain and Mr. Akwetey stand tall among the rest of the candidates. His commitment to the course of the NDC in the region is second to none and has always identified with the various party branches and interest groups in the region even before declaring his intentions to lead the party in the region. It will be in the best interest of NDC and President Mahama leadership if others such as Henry Manly-Spain, Nii Tackie Commey and Daniel Amartey Mensah reconsider their chairmanship ambitions and to declare their support for Mr. Stephen Akwetey so the Greater Accra region has a better representation at the national level. The dream of the aforementioned individuals for a positive change in the region will certainly come to nothing if they fail to join forces with the proven and tested grassrooter like Stephen Akwetey to win the chairmanship and to bring positive reforms to the existing structures at the branch and regional levels. There is the need for the party to re-connect with the youth and the grassroot base which Mr. Ade Coker has undermined over the years leading to visible indications of apprehension and discontentment among party members in the region. We are of the highest optimism that, the support Mr. Akwetey enjoys among the party national executives and the presidency will surely enhance the effectiveness of his leadership as Chairman and to further consolidate the importance of the Greater Accra region to the overall success of the NDC and government. The Greater Accra TEIN group therefore urge all well-meaning party members and sympathizers to contribute their widows mite to support the regional chairmanship ambition of Mr. Stephen Akwetey for a more proactive and goal-oriented leadership that will seek the interest of the region at the national level.

Signed: Mohammed Ayariga- Secretary

Daniel Alarbi Director of Communication email: teingreateraccra@gmail.com