NPP outlines guidelines for parliamentary primaries in ‘orphan constituencies’

The orphan constituencies consist of where the party did not have sitting Members of Parliament.
Mr John Boadu, NPP General Secretary, in a statement, said the guidelines were approved at the party’s National Steering Committee meeting held on Thursday, July 11.
The statement stated that the National Steering Committee’s initiative was consequent to the directives of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, which met on July 1, 2019, pursuant to Article 12 and 13 of the party’s constitution.
According to the timetable, the party would open nominations for the orphan constituencies from July 20 and close on August 3 whilst elections would be conducted on September 28 across the country.
The statement added that aspiring parliamentary candidate were to procure nomination forms after the payment of non-refundable application fee of GH¢2,000 and filing fee of GH?20,000 in banker’s draft in favour of the NPP National Headquarters, Accra.
According to the statement, for purposes of encouraging more women, youth and physically challenged persons to aspire to higher political office, such prospective aspiring parliamentary candidates would enjoy a rebate of 50 per cent on the filing fees.
“This means they will be required to pay a non-refundable filing fee of GH?10,000,” the statement said.
The statement urged candidates to submit nomination forms to the Constituency Parliamentary Elections Committee for endorsement and certification, and then to the Regional Secretariat for endorsement and certification.
The Regional Secretariat shall thereupon be required to submit all such forms to the National Secretariat for final endorsement and certification by the general secretary, the statement said.
“Should an aspirant suffer any obstruction in the final filing process at the constituency level, he or she may file at the Regional Secretariat or National Secretariat at the office of the General Secretary.
“The Constituency Secretary shall publish, at the close of nomination, list of all applicants who have successfully filed their nominations to contest in the primaries,” the statement explained.
According to the statement, vetting of aspirants was slated from August 10 to 15 and the vetting report submitted to NEC through the general secretary not later than August18.
The National Parliamentary Appeals Committee shall receive petitions from disgruntled or disqualified aspiring candidates from August 20 to August 23 and notice of polls shall be published on August 31.
The statement said only members of the constituency and regional executive committee shall be permitted to observe the vetting session, and an aspirant who would be dissatisfied with the vetting process and outcome thereof may petition the National Appeals Committee for redress.
 The statement stated that to avoid any doubt, no aspirant should proceed to court in respect of any matter regarding the election unless and until he/she had fully exhausted the internal redress procedures and mechanisms to resolve disputes in accordance with Article 4(8)(4) of the party’s constitution.
The photo album/register, which was used to elect the constituency executives in the February 2018 election, shall be the same album that will be made available to all and the Electoral Commission for the conduct of the parliamentary primaries.
 The statement added that any delegate who intended to appoint a proxy should apply to the National Secretariat two weeks before the conduct of the parliamentary primaries.
The statement warned that any aspirant who flouts any of the guidelines and modalities or conducts him/herself in a manner that would bring the party’s name into disrepute would be deemed to have breached Article 4(7) of the NPP constitution and would, accordingly, be sanctioned, which included being disqualified from contesting in the primaries.
NEC, through the National Steering Committee, has appointed the following persons as NEC representatives and, for that matter, chairpersons of the NPVC for the 16 regions:
 
i. Greater Accra Region –Nii Adu Mantey
ii. Ashanti Region – Rita Asobayire
iii. Western Region – Sammi Awuku
iv. Northern Region – Evans Nimako
v. Eastern Region –O.B Amoah
vi. Volta Region – F.F Antoh (Chairman) and Brigadier J. Odei
vii. North East Region – Emmanuel Attafour Danso
viii. Ahafo Region – Henry Nana Boakye 
ix. Upper West Region – Omari Wadie
x. Bono Region – Henry Nana Boakye
xi. Western North Region – Kwadjo Afari
xii. Upper East Region – Nii Laryea Squire (Chairman) and Kwayaja Nganiba Joseph 
xiii. Oti Region – Dr Clifford Braimah
xiv. Bono-East Region – Nana Obiri Boahen
xv. Savanna Region- Kofi Marfo
xvi. Central Region – Ofori Asiamah

The National Parliamentary Appeals Committee comprises the following members:

i. Peter Mac Manu – Chairperson 
ii. Evans Nimako – Secretary 
iii. Addo Kufour – Member
iv. Madam Elizabeth Ohene – Member
v. Cecelia Abena Dapaah – Member
vi. S.K. Boafo – Member
vii. Lawyer Gary Nimako – Member
viii. Lawyer Emmanuel Darko – Member 
ix. Lawyer Joyce Opoku-Boateng – Member