The chairmen and general secretaries of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the People’s National Convention (PNC) have been co-opted to be part of the unity committee of the two parties to speed up the processes leading to the unification of the parties.
Originally, because the unity committee did not include them, decisions taken by the committee had to be submitted to the respective parties’ executives for scrutinity and dissemination to the rank and file, which caused delays.
Mr Bernard Mornah, General Secretary of the PNC, who disclosed this in a telephone interview, said now that the two executives of the parties were included directly in the committee, the key objective of the two parties uniting their efforts for the 2016 elections would be speeded up.
He said the two parties had come to a common agreement that both parties would proceed to organise their congresses to affirm decisions reached at the unity talks.
Mr Mornah said proposals had already been sent to the Electoral Commission on their pending unity talks and the way forward in case of an agreement so that the party symbols of the two parties could not be used for at least 10 years after the unity talks to ensure total compliance of the decisions of the unity talks.
Elections
Mr Mornah said by the constitution of PNC, the party was expected to complete their internal elections and congress by the close of 2015.
He said the party therefore would hold early 2015 constituency and regional elections and by December 2015 hold their national delegates conference.
He noted that this would allow the party to have a whole year at its disposal to campaign for the 2016 elections.
The general secretary said the party used the period in between elections to build and strengthen party work at the polling station levels as well as to enhance membership drive.
He said the party was also educating members on the ideology of the party as well as helping to formulate policy direction for the country.
National Economic Forum
On the National Economic Forum, Mr Mornah said it was worth the resources and time since it brought to light the real problems of the country for redress.
He explained that the forum ought to be held regularly to review the ideas generated for implementation.
Even though the National Development Planning Commission failed to organise the forum, Mr Mornah said it was a good initiative for the government to organise it.
Going forward, Mr Mornah expressed the hope that the NDPC would take up the organisation of the forum and sustain it.