Weija NPP elects officers

Page 15, Dec 15, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

THE Weija Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has elected Mr Albert Ekow Sam as its new chairman at the constituency’s delegates’ congress.
Mr Sam polled 434 votes to beat the incumbent, Mr Issah Tashiru, who managed to poll 196 votes while two other contenders, Mr Elvis Ben Nana Kwasi Ofori and Mr Boakye Yiadom had 19 and 68 votes respectively.
The atmosphere at the hall was a charged one as delegates waited for hours while officials of the Electoral Commission conducted the election which lasted for more than nine hours.
Amid singing and drumming, supporters extolled the virtues of their preferred candidates.
And when the officials finally announced the results, the delegates burst into singing, dancing and drumming and carried the victorious candidates on their shoulders and smeared them with powder.
Mr Victor Owusu was elected the First Vice Chairman with 425 votes beating Mr Kwaku Otchere who had 185 votes and Mr Francis Kingsley Baah, who obtained 108 votes.
Mr Joseph Nyarni was elected the Second Vice Chairman while Mr Mohammed Bashiru was elected the constituency secretary with 391 votes beating Nana Sarkodie who had 252 votes and Mr Dan Ofori Preko, who obtained only 39 votes. The position of assistant secretary was won by Nana Akyaa Afriyie.
Mr Alex Kwabena Bortey was elected as the organiser while Mr James Adu Boahen won the Youth Organiser’s position.
The position of Women’s Organiser ended in a deadlock as two candidates, Miss Alice Ofori-Atta and Miss Roselyn Danquah tied with each other having 232 votes. Two other contenders, Ms Vera Boama and Kate Senkyire had 199 and 55 votes respectively.
Speaking to newsmen after the declaration of the election, Mr Sam called on members of the NPP throughout the country to bury their differences and place the interest of the party above their parochial interests.
“Let us work as a team as we did in 2000 since without that we cannot achieve our aim of unseating the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2012 elections”, he said.
Addressing the delegates earlier, the Member of Parliament for the area, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey also stressed on unity among the rank and file of the party adding that Ghanaians had already realised their mistake by entrusting the destiny of the country into the hands of the NDC.
“What we need to do therefore is to close our ranks recapture power to redeem the people from their current predicament as a result of the NDC’s misrule”, she said.
She noted that although the NDC would try to throw dust in the eyes of the people, “what we need to do is be focused and united in order to forge ahead for victory”.