Freddie Blay
The National Executive Committee of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has declared the remaining days in the month of September for mass membership registration and updating of existing names in the party’s polling stations register.
General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu, who disclosed this at a press conference last Friday, said the core requirement is for the individuals to promote and defend the good name of the NPP at all times and be loyal and truthful to the party and its policies.
Member’s Role
“When you write your name, you will become an ambassador of the party, living and breathing the best of the NPP,” he added.
Mr. Boadu stated that such persons would have to share with their families, neighbours, friends and co-workers, what they see, feel and hear about the things the NPP is doing for the country.
“You will talk about the new road in your area, your child in SHS, your nephew employed as a nurse, your uncle selling his produce to the new 1D1F factory in your village,” he said, adding any member of the party would share his or her experiences from enjoying regular electricity, the easy renewal of your NHIS card and driving licence.
“You will talk about your new job with the Ambulance Service and how the digital address system makes it easy to help people. You will project the NPP everywhere you go. Then you will feel the satisfaction of being part of a party that cares deeply about people.”
Accordingly, he said members of the party at all levels were therefore requested to update their membership of the party by visiting their respective polling stations to get their details captured in the polling station register.
“Persons wishing to join the party are equally requested to also visit their polling stations and provide their relevant details to be captured in the new polling station register,” he noted.
President & Vice
Mr. Boadu said President Akufo-Addo would, in this 20-day mass registration period, visit his polling station at Abuakwa South in the Eastern Region to update his membership in the new register and added that “Vice President Dr. Bawumia will also go to his polling station in Walewale to update his membership of the party.”
National Officers of the party, Ministers of State and all government appointees who are party members will all participate in this mass registration exercise by visiting their respective polling stations to get their details captured in the new register, he added.
“In accordance with Article 3(10) of the party constitution, the membership register shall be kept at the polling station levels. The register shall be updated every six months,” he asserted, and said the registers shall be in the custody of polling station executives, who shall avail themselves at a publicised venue in and around the polling station and within the electoral area during the 20-day period of the mass registration from September 10 to 30, 2021.
The exercise at the polling stations shall be supervised by the respective Polling Executives, Electoral Area Coordinators, Constituency Executives, Regional Executives and the National Executive Officers.
“Ahead of this exercise, the party has already distributed polling station registers to all the 38,000+ polling stations in the country,” the NPP General Secretary pointed out, adding that “For emphasis, the party wishes to state emphatically that no prospective registrant shall be denied the opportunity to get his/her details captured in the polling register.”
Executive Clarification
“This registration exercise has nothing to do with polling station elections slated for January 2022. The party will, at the appropriate time, come out with separate rules and regulations for the conduct of the said elections,” Mr. Boadu said.
He explained that “this is just a mobilisation exercise for the over 6.7 million Ghanaians who voted for us in the last elections as well as persons who are impressed and satisfied with our policies, and accordingly wish to identify with the NPP.”
“The party has equally printed and submitted constituency registers to all the 275 constituencies of the country. It is expected that at the end of the mass registration period, the data contained in the polling station registers of a particular constituency will be transferred into the constituency register by the constituency secretariat,” he said.
Equally, entries made in the polling station registers will be transferred to the constituency registers from time to time, he stated and added that in the same vein, regional registers would be compiled from the entries in constituency registers at regular intervals.
“This membership registration forms part of the party’s restructuring and reorganisation efforts towards breaking the eight-year governance cycle and thus ensuring a resounding victory for the party in 2024,” John Boadu affirmed.
“It is therefore anticipated that members of the party will accord this important exercise their maximum cooperation and support,” he continued.
Regional Conferences
The NPP General Secretary revealed that the party had scheduled October to hold its Regional Annual Delegates Conferences in all the 16 regions in accordance with Article 9 of the party’s constitution, saying, “Just like the just ended Constituency Annual Delegates Conferences, the Regional Conferences will also be held in strict compliance with COVID-19 health protocols.”
He said the National Executive Committee approved the following dates and zonal arrangements for the regional annual delegates’ conference, and said the Savannah Region would have its conference in Damango on Friday, October 1, 2021, Upper West Region in Wa on Saturday, October 2, 2021, and Upper East Region in Bolgatanga on Sunday, October 3, 2021.
The North East Region would hold its conference at Nalerigu on Monday, October 4, 2021, Northern Region at Yendi & Tolon on Monday, October 4 and Tuesday, October 5, 2021, while the Bono East’s one would be held at Atebubu on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.
For Ahafo Region, the conference would be held at Goaso Pastoral Centre on Thursday, October 7, 2021, according to the NPP Chief Scribe, and added that the Bono Region’s one would come off in Sunyani on Friday, October 8, 2021.
The Ashanti Regional conference would take place in Obuasi West/Bekwai, Abuakwa, Ejisu, Kodie on Saturday, October 9 to Sunday, Oct 10, 2021, whilst the Western North Region would be held at Wiawso on Monday, October 11, 2021.
The Western Region’s own will come off in Takoradi and Tarkwa on Tuesday, October 12, 2021, Greater Accra in Tema at the WAEC hall and in Accra at GNAT Hall on Thursday, October 14 to Friday, October 15, 2021.
The Eastern Region’s conference will come off at Nkawkaw, Bunso, and in Koforidua on Saturday, October 16 to Sunday, October 17, 2021, while Oti Region’s conference will be held at Dambai on Monday, October 18, 2021.
The Volta Regional conference will be held at Hohoe and Sogakope on Tuesday, October 19 to Wednesday, October 20, 2021 whereas the Central Regional conference will take place in Cape Coast and at Kasoa on Sunday, October 24 to Monday, October 25, 2021.
By Ernest Kofi Adu