The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has appealed to the National Democratic Congress party and its supporters to reconsider its decision to vote NO in the coming 17 December referendum, and rather vote YES for political parties to sponsor candidates at the local level.
“We will appeal to the NDC to put the national interest first. The NPP is fully behind the President’s programme and the people’s desire to democratize local governance and enhance accountability at that level”.This was disclosed at NPP press conference presented by the General Secretary of the party, Mr.John Boadu in Accra.Mr. Boadu disclosed that if the partisan advantage was their intention, President Akufo Addo and the party would not campaign for Yes Vote nut would go ahead with the constitutional powers given to him to nominate all Chief Executives of all the Assemblies. Government he indicated, intends to continue engaging the NDC and other stakeholders to get the exercise of strengthening governance at the grassroots fully back on track. Mr. John Boadu on behalf of the NPP party further call on all patriotic citizens, including followers of NDC and other parties, to do what is right and support the “YES” campaign to move the nation forward.“There is no inherent advantage for any party but for the Ghanaian people and the quality of leadership and public services they get from their local government. That is why we began on a platform of a consensus and it cannot be said that this entire Constitutional Reform exercise is to benefit one political party to the exclusion of others. Indeed, it is rather the current status quo which favours one political party or at best the two main political parties to the exclusion of all others.”
The NPP General Secretary, however, revealed that a “Yes” vote is not just an NPP agenda but a national agenda. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is advocating a ‘NO’ vote against the proposal to amend the constitution to allow political parties to participate in the District level elections.
According to the NDC, when District Assembly elections are made partisan, there will be party-motivated projects and programs such as ‘NDC Communal Labour Day’ and ‘NPP Communal Labour Day’, particularly in rural areas.NDC says, a YES vote, will open district assemblies and unit committees to “the needless NDC-NPP polarization.”
Source: Kwame Atuapim,sharpnewsgh.com