Rescind decision of appointing communication officers from branches to national - NDC Communicators

The Regional and Constituency Communication officers across the country in the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have called on the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to as a matter of urgency rescind its decision of appointing Communication Officers from branch level to the national level.

It has been reported that during the last meeting by the NEC held on Tuesday, from next four years the party will not elect its Communication Officers from branch level to national level but will resort to appointment.

This forms part of their constitutional amendment done every four years during a National Congress.

These Communication Officers have described the decision as irrelevant and unmerited.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has scheduled its National Delegates Congress for November 17, 2018, at the Trade Fair Center.

In a statement jointly signed by all the ten Regional Communication Officers and copied to GhanaWeb indicated "We do not know why the NDC Executives always blindly follow the steps of the NPP, because NPP appoints their communication officers does that mean we should also do same?"

They added, "The NDC had a provision in its previous Constitution for ward/zonal coordinators which the NPP did not have. The NDC blindly copied the NPP by removing that provision and when the NPP brought the ward/zonal system into their constitution the NDC have gone ahead to copy them. This simply implies what we think as bad political strategy the NPP thinks otherwise".

They expressed worry "The party neglected the communication department when we were in government, while many NEC members were serving in government we were a back stage doing all the sacrificial job, Do they know the level of sacrifices we have put together for the communication outfit to be at this level of vibrancy?"

"We ask, where were those experts who called for this unfortunate decision by NEC, when we were revamping the communication organ of the party after our lost in 2016?", they asked.

They, therefore, opined that these decision taking by the NEC would affect the goals of their party.

"The Ten Regional Communication Officers and Deputies, the 275 Constituency commun Officers and Deputies believe the decision by NEC will go a long way to affect the very goals of our party hence express our displeasure at this decision", they stated.

They are by this release calling on their NEC to rescind their decision immediately to prevent commotions in the party.

"We are therefore calling on NEC to immediately rescind their decision to prevent any commotions in the party because we are willing to go any length to resist this decision", they warned.

They added that until this decision is rescinded, all communication works at the branch level, constituency level, regional level and national level should stop immediately.

"Until that the decision is rescinded we urge all communication officers from Branches to Regional levels to immediately leave the communication job for the NEC representative who went to make that bogus decision", they cautioned.

These aggrieved Communicators have hinted of officially boycotting all communication works across the country beginning from Wednesday, November 19, 2018 to express their disappointment over this decision.

"To express our displeasure, all communication officer of the party from the branch level, Constituency, Regional to the National level are boycotting our duty till further notice starting Wednesday 19th November 2018 after congress on Saturday", they hinted.

Confirming this press statement, the Deputy Regional Communication Officer of Brong Ahafo Region, Eric Adjei admitted that the statement is authentic and was jointly signed by all elected Communication Officers across the ten Regions in this country.

He stated, "The day of the congress all 570 NDC communication officers across the country will be protesting against the decision at our fourth coming congress slated at the trade fair to resist this insensitive decision".

Below is the full statement

NDC REGIONAL AND CONSTITUENCY COMMUNICATION OFFICERS KICK AGAINST NEC'S DECISION TO APPOINT COMMUNICATION OFFICERS FROM BRANCH TO NATIONAL LEVEL

Our attention have been drawn to an underground attempt by the National Executive Committee of NDC to appoint communication officers beginning from our next congress in the next four years.

We the undersigned will wish to express our disgust and displeasure to this unmerited, irrelevant and capricious decision by NEC.

We do not know why the NDC Executives always blindly follow the steps of the NPP, because NPP appoints their communication officers does that mean we should also do same?

The NDC had a provision in its previous Constitution forward/zonal coordinators which the NPP did not have. The NDC blindly copied the NPP by removing that provision and when the NPP brought the ward/zonal system into their constitution the NDC have gone ahead to copy them. This simply implies what we think as bad political strategy the NPP thinks otherwise.

We are just being tossed back and forth by our leaders.

The party neglected the communication department when we were in government, while many NEC members were serving in government we were a back stage doing all the sacrificial job, Do they know the level of sacrifices we have put together for the communication outfit to be at this level of vibrancy?

Has the party find out Why the NPP communication department can't match our communication team now? this is as result of dedication, hardwork and sacrifice.

We ask, where were those experts who called for this unfortunate decision by NEC, when we were revamping the communication organ of the party after our lost in 2016?

The party has disrespected our office for too long, while some secretaries undermine our outfit some organisers want to take our position as official mouthpiece of the party.

We have been very tolerant for tool long and we think it is time to let the party know our misgivings.

The party has disrespected us for too long and we believe if urgent steps are not taken the party will disrespect us the more.

It is ironical the Kwesi Botwey committee recommended strengthening of the grassroot but here we as a party trying to weaken it.

The Ten Regional Communication Officers and Deputies, the 275 Constituency commun Officers and Deputies believe the decision by NEC will go a long way to affect the very goals of our party hence express our displeasure at this decision.

We are therefore calling on NEC to immediately rescind their decision to prevent any commotions in the party because we are willing to go any length to resist this decision.

Until that the decision is rescinded we urge all communication officers from Branches to Regional levels to immediately leave the communication job for the NEC representative who went to make that bogus decision.

To express our displeasure, all communication officer of the party from the branch level, Constituency, Regional to the National level are boycotting our duty till further notice starting Wednesday 19th November 2018 after congress on come Saturday.

The day of the congress all 570 NDC communication officers across the country will be protesting against the decision at our fourth coming congress slated at the trade fair to resist this insensitive decision.

In view of this, we have all resolved to come to the Congress grounds with placards and red arm bands to demonstrate our displeasure.

We want to put on record the party never engage us to find out our views about the constitutional amendments, never did they also inform us why the change. We wrote to the Constitutional Review Committee out of respect but the response we heard from NEC was that we are not experts.

We want to put on record, most Regional Communication Officers and Constituency Communication Officers are people with masters and first degrees.

We humbly call on Former President Rawlings and Former President Mahama to intervene in this matter. Since 1992 the position of propaganda/ communication has been elective, we win elections and loose some so is the NPP who only appoint its members.

We insist the new amendment will not inure to the benefit of the party hence the old order must stay.

Thank You

Signed!

Regional communication officers and Deputies

1. Brong Aharfo Region

2. Northern Region

3. Western Region

4. Central Region

5. Eastern Region

6. Greater Accra Region

7. Volta Region

8. Upper East Region

9. Upper West Region

10. Ashanti Region