NDC chairmen hold first national meeting

The National Forum of the National Democratic Congress Constituency Chairmen (NAFOCOC) on Saturday held its first national general meeting in Accra.

The forum, which brought together constituency chairmen of the party across the country, with the exception of the Greater Accra Region, was on the theme: “Promoting the welfare and sustenance of political activists for accelerated peace and development”.

Conspicuously absent from the function were the current functional national executive committee of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), regional chairmen and Senior Ministers of State.

Mr Stephen Edward Moore, National coordinator of NAFOCOC and Mfantsiman constituency chairman, said the group was just an association of constitutionally elected chairmen, who have come together as a family to bond for the effective implementation of common programmes that would enhance the growth of the party.

He said NAFOCOC sought to ensure the welfare of constituency executives and also to uphold the peace, stability and unity of the nation.

He said the forum of NDC chairmen would focus on how to contribute and effectively collaborate with the peace initiatives of various organizations to ensure that the nation becomes more strengthened and united after the delivery of the judgement by the Supreme Court in the 2012 presidential election petition.

“As we come from all corners of this country, it is our belief that any initiative by us would be felt at the grassroots,” Mr Moore stated.

Madam Mavis Amah Frimpong, Deputy Eastern Regional Minister urged NDC activists to desist from rejecting the President's nominees for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives.

She said research has shown that in districts where the nominees were rejected, there were divisions among constituency executives, which does not promote development, adding that, before a person is nominated, a careful study is done to ascertain his or her competence level.

The Deputy Minister said NAFOCOC was not a pressure group within the party but rather a forum that sought to improve the welfare of constituency executives.

Mr Emmanuel Aboagye Didieye, Member of Parliament (MP) for Afraim Plains North and the brain behind NAFOCOC, urged party loyalists not to celebrate their victory after the Supreme Court’s ruling on August 29, in order to safeguard the peace and unity of the nation.

Mr Didieye, a former constituency chairman and the youngest MP in the current Parliament, assured that NAFOCOC sought to promote the wellbeing of both present and past constituency executives of the party.

To recognize his contributions towards the formation of NAFOCOC, the group presented him with a kente cloth.

Other speakers were Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah, MP for Ho West and Mr Albert Kwesi Zigah, former MP of Ketu South.

A 13 member interim national NAFOCO executives were presented to the public.

The participating regions presented their reports and a solidarity message was delivered by the United Cadre Front.