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The chief patron of the Patriotic Ambassadors Movement (PAM), a research volunteer group under the Youth wing of the NPP which ensures grassroots’ participation and involvement in party activities and research, has recommended for the consideration of the hierarchy of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to ensure that the incumbent Ashanti regional chairman, is disqualified from contesting in the impending elections.
Oheneba Kofi Adum Bawuah, who has declared his intention to contest the regional chairmanship race and bring positive change in the region says it would be in the interest of the incumbent chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako alias Chairman Wontumi to resign honourably to avoid a humiliating defeat and ridicule thereafter as well as save the party from going into the opposition from apathy if he continues to impose himself on the delegates.
The Ashanti NPP Regional chairman aspirant said Chairman Wontumi has no moral right to contest the elections after he had failed to prosecute his own “Agenda 47/47” and subsequently reneged on his promise to resign if he failed in this bid and thus imposing himself on the party.
According to him, Chairman Wontumi had been so lucky to have had eight years in office yet he failed to champion the aspirations of the people in the Ashanti region except pursuing his personal interest including riding in luxurious cars and making unnecessary noise.
“A two term tenure as chairman is enough especially when he (Wontumi) has outlived his usefulness” he said and indicated that it would be prudent in his own interest to do the needful and bow out honourably.
Talking to the media on the sidelines of the recent Ashanti regional NPP Annual Congress at Akyawkrom near Ejisu recently, Oheneba Bawuah suggested that “The NPP as a party should not allow him (Wontumi) to contest to avoid disunity in the party for failing to redeem his Agenda 47/47. Party followers are peeved so he must resign by January, next year before the elections”.
He explained his stance that allowing the incumbent to pick nomination forms to contest would mean encouraging him to destroy the party in the face of the wrath of followers who are peeved by his conduct. “I will be disappointed in the NPP if he is not restrained from contesting”, Mr. Bawuah indicated.
The Ashanti NPP Regional chairman aspirant has therefore cautioned the delegates not to make the mistake of allowing themselves to be influenced by monetary gains to sway the ultimate choice of a good and effective leader.
Mr. Bawuah blamed the woes of the party in the region partly to the conduct of delegates when it comes to electing persons to lead the party to achieve results.
He reminded them of the need to objectively interrogate the background and choice of the right persons to lead the party and stressed that it is time delegates vote for a proactive leadership who would work for the general development of the region infrastructure wise to befit it (Ashanti) as the stronghold of the party.
The founding member attributed the slow pace of development in the region to the ineffectiveness of the leadership and promised a paradigm shift to ensure effective party structures and participation of its followers for the growth of the party in the region.
He said even though the region has contributed about 40% of the national cake, the Ashanti region is still feeling the brunt of unemployment among others, which situation, he said, must change with an effective leadership in the impending elections.
The postive change crussader stressed that Kumasi needs interchanges to facilitate free flow of traffic to enhance socio-economic activities and not outmoded roundabouts in its road networks stressing that it would be suicidal on the part of the delegates to choose wrong leaders for the region especially when development is lagging compared to other parts of the country in the face of its electoral contributions.
“The region has contributed so much to the success and electoral fortunes of the party since 1992 yet nothing is happening here (Ashanti region)”, the former NPP USA founding member noted.
