Members of of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Volta region are gearing for their annual Conference slated for Saturday, April 21, 2018 at Hohoe.
A major agenda at this year’s conference will be the election of new Regional executive officers to steer the affairs of party in the political world bank of the biggest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Among them are five contenders for the Regional Chairmanship slot, which include, a former regional manager of defunct Ghana Telecom and a party patron, Mr Douglas Kirk Wagba, current regional organiser, Mr Makafui Kofi Woanyah, a financier of the party, Mr David Agubiga, a private legal practitioner, Mr Ken Anku, and a veteran party strategist, Rev. Johnson Avuletey.
The vice chairpersons’ slot has two persons vying for the first vice Chairman, and five contestants for Second Vice Chairman position, which includes Mr. Albert Bediako of the Ho Technical University.
Incumbent Regional secretary, Joseph Homenya is being contested by two other, including Enoch Amegbletor, the current deputy Regional Communication director of the NPP for the Regional chief scribe slot.
Also, the incumbent Regional Treasurer, Mr. Joseph Denteh is being challenged by one other for the post, whiles, four candidates, including Emmanuel Korsi Bodja and the Regional director of NADMO, Divine Bosson are battling for the Regional Organizer slot.
The current deputy Regional women Organizer, Hannah Ashade, is vying for the substantive Women organizer position with two others, as the Nasara Coordinator contest is between avid party communicator, Zain Suleman and three other aspirants.
However, the Regional Youth Organizer slot is for the grab of a sole candidate, King David Ninkab Nkabonam through a Yes or No endorse of the party delegates.
Campaign
With the election just in sight, all 32 aspirants have deployed various campaign strategies across the 26 constituencies in the region, so as to get the nod of the about 350 delegates come Saturday.
VoltaOnlinegh.com sources within the camps of some key contestants, such the incumbent Secretary, Joseph Homenya and Treasurer, Joseph Denteh, are very confident of retaining their seats, due to their instrumentality in the execution of the ‘NPP’s Agenda 3/30 and Operation Eagle eye’ in the region during the 2016 elections, which saw some appreciable gains in the party’s popular votes and the snatching of a parliamentary seat, in the opposition NDC stronghold.
Nonetheless, Enoch Amegbletor, a contender for the Regional Secretary slot, is also hopeful of pulling a surprise at the polls. He believes his years of service to the party as communicator has resonated with the party grassroot to reward him with the Chief scribe job.
On his part, Mr. Albert Bediako, a contender for 2nd Vice chairmanship slot, is optimistic of wading off stiff competition from other contenders, who are mostly former constituency chairmen to emerge victorious.
The onetime banker, turn lecturer, believes the current dynamics in politicking, do not only require career politicians to steer the affairs of parties but also needs the vital contribution of intellectuals including academics like himself to reposition and market the NPP in particular for continuous electoral victories.
He is therefore hopeful the party delegates will elect him and other visionaries, to work hand-in-hand to gain for political grounds for the party in the region, whiles at the same time serving the best interest of the rank and file of the NPP.
Regarding the Regional Organizer job, political pundits pitch as a two horse race between Mr. Emmanuel Korsi Bodja and the NADMO director, Mr. Divine Bosson. Both candidates tout themselves as grassroot person who have always worked with the party’s rank and file across the various constituencies.
For Bodja, his duty as the director of elections for the NPP 2016 campaign, placed him in a better position to lead the mobilization and coordination of the party’s structures for an effective electioneering campaign and victory.
Nonetheless, Mr. Bosson is said to be leaving no stone unturned as he deploys his ‘Submarine strategies’ to outwit other contenders at the polls.
With the curtains gradually drawing down on the campaigns, the delegates of the NPP are now faced with a daunting task to elect the best of the the candidates to efficiently runs the affairs of the elephant party in the volta region, come Saturday.
By: Lambert Coffie/VoltaOnlinegh.com