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The Chief Executive of Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly, Kennedy Kankam, is suggesting to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to prevent government appointees from contesting in the party’s parliamentary primaries.
According to him, government appointees will have the upper hand over the incumbent MPs if allowed to contest due to their influences in the party.
The party in its statement barred national, regional, constituency executives and MMDCEs from contesting in constituencies where the party has sitting MPs. They have been asked to resign from their positions if they want to contest.
Speaking on the Eyewitness News with Umaru Sanda Amadu, a former MP for Nhyiaso, said influential party members should also be prevented from contesting in the parliamentary primaries and that the decision should not bind only party executives.
He mentioned that MMDCEs and party executives have less influence compared to CEOs, executive directors, members of boards and other government appointees.
“I’m in 100% support of the party’s directive, but what I’m pleading for is for expansion of those that have been barred from contesting. Nobody should get me wrong. The directive that MMDCEs are not supposed to contest, I don’t have problems with that. But the fact of the matter is that if you look at the explanations given to the officers of the party. They said that they don’t want them to disturb the MPs in their backyards while they are in Parliament. They want MPs to focus and all sorts of things.”
He asserted, “But limiting it to the MMDCEs and party executives alone, I’m sorry will not help us to achieve the explanations they are giving to us. That is where I’m trying to draw the party’s attention. They are saying that the MMDCEs have a lot of influence in the system and when they are left to contest, it will create a lot of problems. But looking at the ministers, deputies, CEOs, executive directors, members of Boards, and other government appointees, their influences are even more than that of MMDCEs and party executives”.
He further suggested to the party to expand the directive to cover ministers, deputies, CEOs and other government appointees as well.
“If the party really wants the MPs to have their peace of mind to work, then I think they [party] need to look at it again and expand it to cover ministers, deputies, CEOs and other government appointees,” Kennedy Kankam opined.
The former lawmaker reiterated that government appointees who have a lot of resources at their disposal will whip the sitting MPs with their monies during campaigns and might take over most of the seats.
He called for a level playing field for all party members.
“The influences some of these CEOs, ministers and deputies have, sitting MPs might finish all their lifetime savings if they try to contest them. There should be a playing field for all,” the MCE said.
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