NPP issues ‘warning’ to party stalwarts after Alan’s purchase of forms for aspiring polling station executives

The leadership of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said it has taken note of reports that some leading personalities of the party have procured application forms for aspiring polling station executives.

This comes after Trade Minister Mr Alan Kyerematen has reportedly paid for nomination forms for all aspiring polling station executives across the country.

Mr Kyeremateng is reported to have funded the entire nomination forms in all 275 constituencies to facilitate the ongoing polling station level election process within the elephant family.

To lessen the burden on the grassroots leaders, the party stalwart sent out moneys to the various constituencies to cover the cost which otherwise would have been borne by the very grassroots members of the party.

In the case of orphan constituencies Mr Alan Kyerematen paid for both the nomination forms and the cost of the passport pictures of the aspiring polling station executives.

But, at a press conference in Accra on Monday February 21, the National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Freddie Blay advised that any such matters relating to financial support in this process must be channeled through the National Party Secretariat for uniformity, fairness and accountability.

“Further to this, it is also reported that some leading personalities have procured application forms for aspiring polling station executives. The party wish to advise that any such matters relating to financial support in this process must be channeled through the National Party Secretariat for uniformity, fairness and accountability,” Mr Blay said.

Below is his full statement he presented at the press conference…

EMERGENCY PRESS STATEMENT BY THE PARTY BY THE NATIONAL CHAIRMAN

Good evening ladies and gentlemen of the media. You are once again welcome to the headquarters of the New Patriotic Party.
We invited you here today to speak to some issues in the ongoing Polling Station Executives and Electoral Area Coordinators Elections of our Party.

First and foremost, the process of election of Polling Station Executives commenced from Saturday, February 19, 2022 with Opening of Nominations and Closing on Monday, February 21, 2022. Per an earlier release by the General Secretary, vetting of prospective aspirants will be from Tuesday, February 22, 2022 and ends on Thursday, February 24, 2022. Subsequent to this will be the conduct of the Polling Station Election from Friday, February 25, 2022 and ends on Saturday, March 5, 2022.

The Party has been monitoring this process keenly since it stated. Notwithstanding all the adequate preparations to ensure a smooth process in this election, there has been reports of pockets of incidence happening in some of the constituencies. A few are Kade Constituency, Manhyia North, Bosome Freho, Ninmgo Prampram amongst others.

There are also videos of disturbances being circulated on social media platforms as a result of purported instances where party people have been denied access to buying of the polling station application forms.

The party wish to emphasize that it has made available, adequate nominations forms to the Polling Stations/ Electoral Area Elections Committees, which are the mandated Committees for the conduct of the Polling Stations and Electoral Areas Elections in the 38,622 Polling Stations across the country.

The National Leadership of the Party, is per this press conference, directing all Polling Stations/ Electoral Area Elections Committees to make available the application forms to all eligible party members who wish to partake in this polling station elections. It is also assuring all eligible members that the party will take steps to ensure that application forms are made available to them.

With immediate effect, the party is also dispatching officers to reported areas of disturbances for fact-finding and investigations, and where necessary, disciplinary sanctions will be applied.

Further to this, it is also reported that some leading personalities have procured application forms for aspiring polling station executives. The party wish to advise that any such matters relating to financial support in this process must be channeled through the National Party Secretariat for uniformity, fairness and accountability.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Press, on this note, the National Party has decided to extend the sale of the Polling Station Application Forms by one day, that is, tomorrow, Tuesday, February 22, 2022. It is also by this press conference directing all Polling Station and Electoral Area Elections Committees to comply with the new extension.

Thank you for your attention.

Long live the NPP
Long live Mother Ghana

—Signed—
Hon. Freddie Blay
National Chairman, NPP