The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will tomorrow hold its normal National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Accra to deliberate on party issues.
Although on the advertised agenda there is nothing about the General Secretary, Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie’s brush with the Supreme Court, the issue will come up for discussion. Issues to be deliberated on include the celebration of the party’s 21st anniversary.
A National Vice-Chairman, Mr Fred Oware, in an interview with the Daily Graphic noted that ‘although the issue of Sir John was not on the agenda, it will be discussed, but take note that the meeting was not called because of him’.
He stated that the scheduled NEC meeting was planned two weeks before the Supreme Court convicted the party’s General Secretary, Mr Owusu Afriyie for contempt.
He noted that although on the advertised agenda, there was nothing about the General Secretary’s brush with the Supreme Court, the issue would be discussed.
Mr Owusu Afriyie, who is popularly referred to as Sir John, was last week convicted of criminal contempt by the nine-member panel of the Supreme Court adjudicating the 2012 presidential election petition and sentenced to a Gh¢5,000 fine or in default serve a six-month jail term. He also signed a bond to be of good behaviour.
Mr Oware’s comment came after it was reported that some leading members of the party, especially Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, had suggested that Sir John must be made to step down as the party’s General Secretary for dragging the name of the NPP in the mud.
Former President John Agyekum Kufuor had also stated that the NEC of the party would meet this week to consider whether or not to punish Mr Afriyie.
The former President said the NEC would deliberate on the conduct of Sir John and based on the position taken by the majority, decide whether to let him step down or keep his position as the party’s general secretary.
He described the punishment handed his party’s general secretary as appropriate, adding that Sir John deserved to be reprimanded for making unguarded comments relating to the hearing of the petition.
In a related development, as part of its activities to celebrate 21 years of contributing to Ghana’s multi-party democracy, tomorrow, August 22, 2013, the party will commemorate the anniversary with some activities.
A statement signed by the National Chairman, Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, said on August 22, 2013, the party would hold a flag-raising ceremony at 8:30a.m. at the National Headquarters in Asylum Down, Accra.
It said on the same day, there would be a lecture on ‘The NPP and the Danquah, Dombo, Busia Tradition’s contribution to the establishment and deepening of the democratic culture and practice in Ghana’ at the Osu Presbyterian Church Hall, at 5:30p.m. It will be addressed by Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye, former Deputy Speaker of Parliament and former Member of Parliament, for Dome Kwabenya.
According to Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey, there would also be an awards ceremony immediately after the lecture.
By Donald Ato Dapatem/Daily Graphic/Ghana
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