Tarkwa: The New Patriotic Party (NPP) elders in the Tarkwa Nsuaem constituency have called on the regional and national leadership of the party to ensure strict adherence to the guidelines governing the ongoing registration exercise and subsequent internal elections.
According to Ghana News Agency, the elders emphasized that no individual, irrespective of their past position or influence, should have the authority to impose procedures that contradict the official party guidelines. During a press conference in Tarkwa, where the elders were dressed in red and black attire with red armbands, Mr. Kofi Asaah Narkaah, a former constituency secretary, addressed the group's concerns.
Mr. Narkaah highlighted the group's apprehensions regarding the ongoing membership registration exercise and preparations for electing polling station executives. He noted that many elders had dedicated decades of sacrifice, commitment, and personal resources to building and sustaining the NPP in the Tarkwa Nsuaem constituency. He lamented the party's steady decline in a constituency that was once a stronghold for the NPP, attributing this to a departure from the party's principles of internal democracy, fairness, unity, and respect for the grassroots.
The former constituency secretary pointed out that recent electoral outcomes had shown a worrying downward trend, with the party almost losing the parliamentary seat in 2020 and, for the first time in the Fourth Republic, losing both the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2024. This decline was not isolated but rather reflected a shift away from the NPP's foundational principles.
Mr. Narkaah expressed concerns about the sidelining of loyal party members and the weakening of grassroots structures, which have led to frustration and disillusionment among committed members. He stated that the elders felt compelled to speak out due to a sense of responsibility to the sacrifices made over the years.
He recalled that following the electoral defeat, the National Executive Committee and the National Council issued guidelines to govern the registration of party members and conduct internal elections starting from the polling station level. These guidelines aimed to restore credibility, transparency, and grassroots participation within the party. However, developments in the Tarkwa Nsuaem constituency were raising serious concerns.
Mr. Narkaah noted that in several electoral areas, the dates, venues, and times for polling station meetings had not been properly announced, contrary to party guidelines. Reports indicated that official membership registers had not been handed over to rightful coordinators and chairmen, with some distributed from private residences, allegedly due to personal alignments within the party.
He particularly stressed the troubling comments attributed to Mr. George Mireku Duker, the former Member of Parliament, which seemed to contradict the official guidelines. The elders, having invested years of effort into building the NPP in the constituency, could not remain passive in the face of actions that weakened the party.
Mr. Narkaah urged the Constituency Executive Committee to assert its authority and ensure party processes remained within constitutionally mandated structures. He appealed to all NPP members in Tarkwa Nsuaem, including those discouraged, to participate in the ongoing registration and organizational processes, warning that abstention would exacerbate the party's challenges.
He reiterated the elders' commitment to protecting the principles, unity, and future of the NPP in Tarkwa Nsuaem, emphasizing that the decisions made now would determine whether the party rebuilds or deepens division and decline.