Western Region NDC in disarray over use of new office

The Western Regional branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is in total disarray following a purported decision by some regional executives of the party not to operate from a new office complex that has been purchased for the party.

The about GH¢1.2 million three-storey office complex which is near completion and located at Chapel Hill is to serve as the new regional office of the NDC and would replace the old office of the party located at Sekondi.

DAILY GUIDE learnt that the new office complex has two conference rooms and about 18 offices. The building, situated in the Chapel Hill residential area, is still undergoing some minor renovation.

DAILY GUIDE gathered that the three-storey office complex was purchased by the Regional Chairman of the NDC, Michael Aidoo, also called Big Aidoo, a road contractor.

The regional party chairman has indicated that the purchase of the new office was in fulfillment of a promise he made to the party faithful when he was campaigning for the position.

However, DAILY GUIDE has gathered that there is a deep rift between the regional executives following the decision by some of them not to use the new office.

According to political pundits, if immediate steps are not taken to settle the internal wrangling in the party in the region, it is likely the NDC will lose more seats in the region come the next general elections.

The aggrieved regional executives are raising concerns about how Big Aidoo was able to generate such a huge sum of money to purchase the office complex.

They have, therefore, vowed never to step foot in the said building, accusing the regional chairman of not being transparent and taking a unilateral decision in the acquisition of the building.

A reliable source within the NDC told DAILY GUIDE that the regional executives who have vowed not to move into the new office are those who supported the former NDC Western Regional Chairman, Nana Kojo Toku, at the party’s last regional delegates’ congress where the latter lost his regional chairmanship position to Mr Aidoo.

Since then, this group of executives popularly known as the ‘Nana Toku Camp’ has ceased to be on good terms with Mr Aidoo and his loyalists.

There is another group called the ‘Big Aidoo Camp’ which has also vowed to deal with any executive or member of the party who seeks to frustrate the regional chairman from executing his mandate.

The regional executives are insisting that the regional chairman must come clear on how the building was purchased.

The regional secretary of the party, Joseph Nelson, on countless occasions had enquired how much the building cost, who are the so-called friends who supported the chairman to buy it and how much the friends contributed.

He had also raised concerns as to whose name was on the ownership document of the building, “is it the NDC or Big Aidoo?” he asked.

According to him, the chairman should have consulted other executives of the party before buying the building even if it was a gift from him (the chairman) to the party as is being claimed.

“My position is clear- until the chairman sits down with some of us and explain these issues, some of us are not ready to move in there,” he stressed.

Mr Aidoo has explained that he bought the one-storey office complex out of his own coffers with support of some friends as a gift to the NDC Western regional branch.

Speaking on the issue on Takoradi-based Kyzz FM, Big Aidoo explained that the location of the old party office was not conducive for meetings and other activities of the party.

“Because of this, the regional executives of the NDC used to have party meetings at the Regional Coordinating Council in Sekondi,” he revealed.

He continued, “So I decided to get a new office for the party in fulfillment of my promise to the party.”

Mr Aidoo, therefore, described the alleged decision by some of the executives not to use the office as baseless but meant to undermine him.

“This is a building I bought with my own money with the help of some few friends. Not a single cedi is from the party so what are they talking about?”

“Getting a regional office for the party was one of my major campaign promises when I was seeking the mandate to become the regional chairman and I am committed to fulfilling that,” he stressed.

He explained that the old regional office building was in a dilapidated state and, therefore, there was the need to get a new office.

Mr Aidoo stated that he is not bothered if some few executives are not willing to move into the new building, stating that the party would continue to hold its meetings in the new facility.