An 11-member Interim CPP Central Region Steering Committee formed

Accra, Jan. 13, GNA – The Central Regional branch of Convention People’s Party (CPP) on Friday formed an 11-member Interim Regional Steering Committee to fill the leadership vacuum created by the defection of some regional executives to the Progressive People’s Party (PPP).

A statement signed by Mr Kwasi Okofo Addae, Interim Central Regional First Vice Chairman and Spokesman copied to Ghana News Agency in Accra, said the Steering Committee was mandated to prepare and organise the CPP grassroots membership towards fresh elections in the Constituencies and at the Regional level.

It asked the Steering Committee to work in consultation with the CPP National Leadership.

The statement said the en block defection of the Central Regional Executive Committee, except one, “did not surprise most members of CPP in the Central Region”.

It recounted a situation which actually led to a court action to proscribe the defected members from the CPP and disqualify Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom’s Movement for Justice Regional Executive Committee doubling as CPP Regional Steering Committee from organizing and supervising the Constituency and Regional level elections. The statement noted that unfortunately through the manipulation of some former National Leaders, the case was withdrawn and purportedly settled out of court.

“Sadly the case was not satisfactorily settled by the former Council of Elders, and decisions taken were largely in the interest of Dr Nduom. “The Constituency and Regional elections were accordingly organised in a rush with the result that almost all the Kwesi Nduom Movement candidates were either returned unopposed or elected by acclamation. “It is the same persons who have now defected from the CPP to join the Progressive People’s Party”.

The statement said there were now agitations from all the 19 Constituencies in the Central Region for fresh elections to lead eventually to a new Regional Congress.

"This situation has necessitated the formation of the Interim Regional Steering Committee for Central Region," it added.