The president knows too well who can help the party and government to succeed

The Upper West Region witnessed an ugly spectacle of a media encounter at which a certain supposed youth group from the Wa Municipality staged a press conference to ostensibly kick against any intended decision by the President to re-nominate the incumbent Upper West Regional Minister, Hon Dr Hafiz Bin Salih for approval as Minister for the Upper West Region.

Their contention amongst other things is that the Hon Regional Minister failed to offer the needed support to the party in the run-up to the 2020 elections resulting in the loss of some seats in the region and the inability of the party to meet its target of winning a minimum of eight seats out of the eleven seats available in the region.

The further alleged that the minister has failed to forge a good working relationship with the Regional Chairman of the party causing disunity in the party in the Upper West Region. The group which is largely associated to the NPP Parliamentary Candidate for the Wa Central Constituency in the just-ended elections- Hajia Humu Awudu also explicitly accused the Regional Minister of being part of a group within the party in the Wa Central Constituency who worked against the NPP Parliamentary Candidate, Hajia Humu Awudu.

I dare say that all the allegations against the Regional Minister are unfounded. Hon Dr Hafiz Bin Salih associated and worked for the NPP when it was not safe and attractive to belong to the NPP in the Upper West Region. It is through the sacrifices of individuals like Hon Dr Hafiz Bin Salih that the NPP has become attractive in the region. However, a prophet is without honour in his hometown; that is the typical case of Hon Dr Hafiz Bin Salih.

It is unfortunate that our dear Upper West Region is gaining notoriety for political vandalism and violence arising from the appointment of persons deemed unfit to occupy the offices for which they have been so appointed. As a member of the NPP and an ardent supporter and lover of the President, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, I have absolute trust and confidence in his overall decision-making before and after becoming President.

The President undoubtedly has garnered immeasurable experience and leadership skills spanning decades of his involvement in political activism and the fight for the rule of law and defence of human rights. I have, therefore, never doubted the appropriateness of his choices as far as issues such as the appointment of ministers are concerned.

As such, I find it absolutely weird that a group of young men most of whom could probably learn under the feet of Hon Dr Hafiz Bin Salih could be under some unknown influences to try to denigrate and run down this dye in the wool party 'footsoldier' who has seen it all and given his all as far as nurturing and growing the NPP is concerned.

The Hon Dr Hafiz Bin Salih has been a pillar of the NPP in the Upper West Region as a strong, solid and noticeable voice in the defence and projection of the NPP in the media landscape in the Upper West Region and beyond. His mastery of the tradition and record of the New Patriotic Party coupled with his melodious voice and impeccable grammar has made him a household name in the Upper West Region.

His love and commitment to the NPP has endeared him so much to the NPP fraternity in the Upper West Region through which admiration he has been elected as the Upper West Regional Youth Organizer, 2ND Vice Regional Chairman, 1ST Vice Regional Chairman and Acting Regional Secretary of the Party. This record is no mean achievement for him to be accused of having the courage and evil mindset to work against the interest of the party he has toiled for all his political life starting from his polytechnic days in Tamale where he has been singled out as a founding member of the Tertiary Institutions Branch of the party alongside Hon Asenso Boakye.

In fact, Hon Dr Hafiz Bin Salih as Regional Minister graced the campaigns across all eleven constituencies in the region campaigning vigorously and canvassing for votes for the party Parliamentary Candidates and H.E President Nana Akufo Addo. He appealed to the conscience of the good people of Ghana standing on the impeccable achievement record of the NPP government within their first term in office.

It is a truism that we cannot still come to terms with the unexpected turn of events in the December 2020 polls where the party lost a considerable number of seats to the opposition NDC. It is therefore important that party conducts thorough research into this unexpected performance of the party to bring to the fore the circumstances under which the party capitulated to bring an end to these unguarded and misleading accusations of party executives and appointees like Hon Dr Hafiz Bin Salih who has worked his socks off in the supreme interest of the NPP.

By any stretch of the imagination and without any iota of doubt, the Upper West Region cannot be asking for another person to occupy the position of a Regional Minister when the Hon Hafiz Bin Salih is available and ready to serve his country and his people. This young man is imbued with the vision and ideology of the New Patriotic Party, and he has lived through the party and practically eats, drinks and sleeps the NPP.

Let the youth of the NPP in the Wa Central Constituency be reminded that the NPP is rife and popular in the other ten constituencies who are not ready to allow the Wa Central Constituency to single-handedly mislead the people of Ghana on who can best serve the region as a Regional Minister. However, I am aware that some party bigwigs are behind these supposed youth groups calling on Mr President not to nominate Hon Dr Hafiz Bin Salih.

Their strategy is to move from one constituency to the other to rant some youth to do their bidding. This will not help the unity and growth of NPP in the region. Time will soon expose such persons.

You don't give a dog a bad name because you want to hang it. How can Hon Dr Hafiz Bin Salih be responsible for the poor performance of NPP in the December 2020 election in the Upper West Region when the party have Regional Executives whose responsibility it is to manage the affairs of the party in the region? Would we have given credit to Hon Dr Hafiz Bin Salih if the NPP had won majority seats in the region? Let's call a spade a spade.

…… signed……..

MUJEEB-RAHAMAN ABUBAKAR

(FORMER WA CENTRAL CONSTITUENCY SECRETARY – NPP)

0209062740