The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Upper West Region has sacked four executives in the Lawra Constituency, who they claim contributed to the defeat of their 2016 parliamentary candidate, Bede Ziedeng.
The four include the Constituency Secretary, Philip Bagyo, Women’s Organiser Hajia Bintu Alhasan, Deputy Youth Organiser Sampson Botee and the party’s Communication Director in the constituency.
According to the party, they were sacked because they supported the dismissed former Member of Parliament for the area, Sampson Abu, who contested as an independent candidate in the last parliamentary elections held on December 7, 2016.
The Lawra Constituency Chairman of the party, Joshua Lotaa, said the actions of the dismissed executives contributed to the defeat of the party’s parliamentary candidate Bede Ziedeng.
He noted that, the constituency secretary as well as his other executives, received money and logistics from the party to boost their campaign, yet failed to utilise the resources for the purpose for which they were given.
“The Secretary received resources as well as a brand new motorbike to do party work for the constituency, but he never campaigned for the party. All that he did was to campaign for the independent candidate.
“At the end of the day we lost the seat. So after the election during the review, everybody accused the secretary of breaching the party constituency for his action, same with his other colleagues – All of them received money for campaign,” he added.
In a separate statement from the Lawra NDC, the party has replaced the dismissed executives with Madam Mary Zimaal appointed as the Constituency Women Organiser to replace Hajia Bintu Alhassan whilst Madam Seraphina Banongwie has also been appointed Deputy Constituency Women Organiser to replace the late Agnes Sorinye.
It said Mr Yussif Zakaria has been appointed Deputy Constituency Youth Organiser in place of Mr. Sampson Botee, Mr Michael Tangkur has been elevated from Deputy Communications Officer to Constituency Communications Officer whilst Mr Muazu Adams has been appointed Deputy Constituency Communications Officer.
The statement said Mr Frederick Yirlabuor, Alhaji Baba Wawaa, Aloysious Daanoma, Clovis Saame, Nicholas Nangzie, and Faatol Dominic, have all been appointed as members of the Executive Committee of the party in accordance with Article 49 of the NDC constitution.
Following the NDC’s poor performance in the 2016 elections, the party formed a 13-member committee to investigate the cause of the party’s historic defeat.
The committee was tasked to submit its report within 90 days after its inauguration.
