Incumbent General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, has received huge endorsement from top party guns in his bid to be re-elected as the General Secretary of the party.
Party stalwarts including the National Chairman, Freddie Blay, Fred Oware, National Organiser Sammy Awuku, Women Organiser Obaatanpa Kate Gyamfua, former Communications Director of the party Nana Akomea, former Speaker of Parliament Mike Oquaye, and Regional Chairmen among others, yesterday thronged John Boadu’s campaign launch to offer their support for his bid.
These personalities expressed great satisfaction at the work John Boadu did for the party to ensure victory for the NPP in two successive elections.
They indicated that John Boadu is coming into the race with arguably, an unrivalled track-record and stupendous political experience from the grass root to the high echelon of the party, making him the best candidate to address the concerns of the party’s grass root and others along the chain.
Taking his time to address the gathering, John Boadu averred that besides, to be able to help “Break the 8”, someone like himself was needed to steer the administration of the party for that purpose.
He averred that he is contesting the elections if nominations are open because in view of the indispensable contribution of the grassroots to the NPP’s historic 2016 electoral triumph and the need to constantly satisfy them, he is resolved at strengthening and empowering the party grassroot for victory 2022 and beyond.
He said: “John Boadu’s campaign also largely focuses on resourcing party structures and executives at all levels including the construction of permanent party offices and furnishing same with computers, provision of job opportunities for party members, making resources available and on monthly basis to the constituencies for the running of constituency offices, establishing a party ideological school or training institute, setting up a functional situation room at the party headquarters for the purpose of receiving and addressing complaints of party grass root through the relevant individuals and institutions”.
He indicated that the decision to elect leaders of the party would have a direct impact on the party’s electoral fortunes during the 2024 general elections and whether the party can fulfil its appointment with destiny to break the 8.
John Boadu mentioned that his vast experiences afford him the opportunity to pull the party along for the better.
“Today, I can say with all humility that I am the only officer in the history of the NPP who has served the party in an executive position at every level of the party. Therefore, when I made 18 promises to you in 2018, it was not based merely on the desire to win but on the vast experience I had gathered from the many years I had served the party,” he said.
Touching on some of his achievements as General Secretary, John Boadu noted that, “When I promised to ensure that the party pays monthly subventions to all the 275 constituencies and 16 regions of the country, it was because I drew from the challenges I faced as a constituency secretary in Ablekuma with regards to financing the activities of the Party.
“By the grace of God, I have fulfilled this promise, becoming the first General Secretary to fulfill Article 11 of the Party’s Constitution that directs that regional and constituency secretaries are paid monthly allowances. It is worth noting that, we were the first and only political party in Ghana to implement this. Also, I promised to recognize the old party loyalists by regularly providing financial support to recommended elders in each constituency; a promise that has been fulfilled but needs to be reviewed which I’m committed to doing,” he noted.
He also promised to set-up a unit at the party headquarters to liaise with Ministries, Departments and Agencies on existing job vacancies which qualified members could take advantage of. Again, we have delivered on this promise which he fulfilled.
He said: “We promised to revive the “adopt polling station, constituency” concept, and we have done it. We promised to assist young entrepreneurs in the party, and we have done it and continue to do it. We promised to facilitate the procurement of vehicles for each constituency; each region and some identifiable structures of the Party. We have done that as well. We promised to set up an ideological school and we have done it. A Governing Council is in place which is chaired by Rt. Hon Prof Mike Aeron Ocquaye. The School infrastructure is in place. Lesson content has been developed. Official inauguration to be done after these internal elections.”
John Boadu also said, he promised to urge the National Council to set up conflict resolution committees at all party levels to quickly resolve local and regional conflicts which they did, stressing that all these achievements were made possible because of the support and cooperation he received from all his colleague national officers, led by the National Chairman, Hon Freddy Blay; 1st National Vice Chairperson, Madam Rita Talata; 2nd National Vice Chair, FF Antoh; 3rd National Vice Chair, Omari Wadie; National Treasurer, Amankwa Yeboah; National Organizer, Sammi Awuku; National Youth Organizer, Nana Boakye; National Nasara Coordinator, Abdul Aziz Futah; National Women Organizer, Kate Gyamfua.
“Having come this far with the Party, and having laid this solid foundation in preparation towards the 2024 General Elections, it is imperative for the Party to allow those of us who have led this reorganization process and more, to complete what we have successfully started, and deliver the much-needed victory in 2024. Certainly, this is not the time to bring an entirely new and relatively inexperienced team to lead the Party in what promises to be the most difficult General Elections to be contested by the Party, as we seek to break the 8, which no political party has been able to do in this Fourth Republic,” he said.
He called on party members to rally behind him and offer their support to retain his position as General Secretary of great party. “Repose the trust and confidence in me, as you have always done, and join me to make history for our party. Indeed, together, we can make history of breaking the eight to continue to deliver prosperity to our people and country,” he noted.
