CONVENTION PEOPLES PARTY (GHANA) NEWS FILE

Patriots Of Ghana call for truce in the CPP


Accra, Jan. 30, GNA - Mr Eric Benyarko, National Chairman of "The Patriots," a pressure group in the Convention People's Party (CPP), on Tuesday appealed to protagonists engaged in the recent rumpus within the Party to stop the media war with immediate effect.

The National Executive Committee, and the three Members of Parliament must implore on their various supporters and media collaborators to stop the press war as it was affecting the growth of the Party, he said.

Mr Benyarko in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra urged the three Parliamentarians - Mr Freddie Blay, Second Deputy Speaker and MP for Ellembele, Dr Paa Kwasi Nduom, MP for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem and Minister of State in Charge of Public Sector Reforms and Mr Kojo Armah, MP for Evalue-Gwira - to withdraw their letter calling on the Leadership to resign and the Central Committee also to withdraw its letter to the Disciplinary Committee recommending the dismissal of the MPs as first steps towards reconciliation.

The factions should have a roundtable to deal with the matter internally without attracting the bad publicity, "this is not a win or loss case because bad publicity affects the fortunes of a party in an elections, he said.

Mr Benyarko urged all to adhere to and follow the provisions the Party's Constitution and the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. He said: "Any time you use an illegality to change an order, you spend more time and resources trying legitimise the change. "The CPP has no time, resources and energy to fight a protracted dispute either internally or eternally at the law courts, we need stability and sanity internally to fight our opponents." The Chairman of The Patriots also challenged the Leadership of the Party to come out immediately with re-organisational plan to revamp it throughout the country.

"The unity talks should not stall our organisational programme," he said, and urged the National Executive Committee to make the Party relevant in modern day politics.

Mr Benyarko reiterated a call to the Council of Elders to step in to find an amicable settlement. "The state of the Party now requires the fullest cooperation of all members, including the members of the National Executive Committee, Parliamentarians and the rank and file of the Party," he stressed.

He said the differences within the Party must be resolved within the Party using the relevant organs and structures prescribed by the Party's constitution.

"It is highly unacceptable for bodies or groups within the Party to trade accusations in the public domain when acceptable methods are available to be exploited, Mr Benyarko said.

He said the Patriots were committed to building a strong and united CPP capable of winning Election 2008. "The most essential prerequisite to win the elections in 2008, however, is to rebuild the Party structures and make them functional."
Source:
GNA

Patriots Of Ghana call for truce in the CPP

Accra, Jan. 30, GNA - Mr Eric Benyarko, National Chairman of "The Patriots," a pressure group in the Convention People's Party (CPP), on Tuesday appealed to protagonists engaged in the recent rumpus within the Party to stop the media war with immediate effect.

The National Executive Committee, and the three Members of Parliament must implore on their various supporters and media collaborators to stop the press war as it was affecting the growth of the Party, he said.

Mr Benyarko in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra urged the three Parliamentarians - Mr Freddie Blay, Second Deputy Speaker and MP for Ellembele, Dr Paa Kwasi Nduom, MP for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem and Minister of State in Charge of Public Sector Reforms and Mr Kojo Armah, MP for Evalue-Gwira - to withdraw their letter calling on the Leadership to resign and the Central Committee also to withdraw its letter to the Disciplinary Committee recommending the dismissal of the MPs as first steps towards reconciliation.

The factions should have a roundtable to deal with the matter internally without attracting the bad publicity, "this is not a win or loss case because bad publicity affects the fortunes of a party in an elections, he said.

Mr Benyarko urged all to adhere to and follow the provisions the Party's Constitution and the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. He said: "Any time you use an illegality to change an order, you spend more time and resources trying legitimise the change. "The CPP has no time, resources and energy to fight a protracted dispute either internally or eternally at the law courts, we need stability and sanity internally to fight our opponents." The Chairman of The Patriots also challenged the Leadership of the Party to come out immediately with re-organisational plan to revamp it throughout the country.

"The unity talks should not stall our organisational programme," he said, and urged the National Executive Committee to make the Party relevant in modern day politics.

Mr Benyarko reiterated a call to the Council of Elders to step in to find an amicable settlement. "The state of the Party now requires the fullest cooperation of all members, including the members of the National Executive Committee, Parliamentarians and the rank and file of the Party," he stressed.

He said the differences within the Party must be resolved within the Party using the relevant organs and structures prescribed by the Party's constitution.

"It is highly unacceptable for bodies or groups within the Party to trade accusations in the public domain when acceptable methods are available to be exploited, Mr Benyarko said.

He said the Patriots were committed to building a strong and united CPP capable of winning Election 2008. "The most essential prerequisite to win the elections in 2008, however, is to rebuild the Party structures and make them functional."
Source:
GNA

PNC, CPP Merger On Course - Bolga MP

Bolgatanga, Jan 30, GNA - The Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolgatanga Constituency, and leading Member of the People's National Convention (PNC), Mr David Apasera, has reiterated that the merger of the PNC and the Convention People's Party (CPP) is on course. Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Bolgatanga on Monday, the MP announced that the Central Committees of both parties had endorsed the merger idea, as well as the name and symbol of the newly merged party.

He indicated that both parties would go to Congress early this year to give the idea a final approval, after which a joint Congress would be held.

Asked about the fate of the Nkrumahists come the 2008 election, he indicated that, since the two parties were to be merged, they would oust the New Patriotic Party (NPP) from power, saying that, Ghanaians had so far tasted the NPP and National Democratic Congress ( NDC) administrations, "which has woefully failed them." He recalled that under the Nkrumah regime, there was nothing like unemployment, and that there were vibrant polices put in place that absorbed the unemployed, such as the Workers' Brigade, the establishment of the Tomato and Meat Factories in the Upper East and the food distribution outlets nationwide.

Mr Apasera said he wondered why the NPP Government was relying solely on the importation of rice, poultry and tomatoes, saying, the country could use its manpower for the production of those commodities, thereby, reducing unemployment.

He indicated that, if the Nkrumahist Party was voted into power it would ensure that the unemployment situation in the country was reduced to the barest minimum.

Mr Apasera appealed to Ghanaians to re-examine themselves and vote the emerging Nkrumahist party into power in 2008, to enable the party deliver them from their economic woes.
Source:
GNA

CPP’s Infamous Trio Invited For Questioning
Monday, 30 January 2006


The Disciplinary Committee of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) will tomorrow give audience to the three dismissed Members of Parliament (MP’s), Dr Kwesi Nduom, Mr Freddie Blay and Mr Kojo Armah for questioning.

Sources close to the party say that the three MPs have already been invited and it is most likely that they would show up at the party headquarters. The central committee of the party referred them to the Disciplinary Committee after a two-day meeting in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi.

Allegations against them include persistent acts of indiscipline; acts intended to bring the party into disrepute and violations of the party constitution. The three MPs are alleged to have attempted to stage a palace coup in the party without reference to procedures stipulated in the party constitution.

Mr Freddie Blay has openly stated that he and others are preparing to found a new political party. He has also announced his intention to resign from the CPP and to contest bye-elections reports the Insight newspaper.

Dr Nduom is believed to be at the centre of moves to launch a new political party. According to the Insight even though he has denied his involvement, some persons who attended meetings with him insist that he was part of a group planning to launch a new political party.

All three MPs openly campaigned against the CPP presidential candidate in the last elections and for the Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr J.A Kufuor. Party insiders say Mr Kojo Armah is most likely to get off with a reprimand in view of the fact that he is not involved in the formation of the new political party.
Article 77 of the CPP constitution confers the powers to impose sanctions on party members who violate the constitution. The sanctions include expulsion.
Source: The Insight

Two groups ask CPP leadership to resign

Accra, Jan. 30, GNA - The Tertiary Students Charter of the Convention People's Party (TESCHART) and the Tamale Youth Wing of the Party have in separate statements described the current Leadership of the Party as a failure and unable to help the youth in the Party to mobilise and advance their fortunes.

The students expressed its disagreement over the expulsion or possible expulsion of its three Members of Parliament.

A statement signed by Grancis Gyan Nwiah, Chairman of TESCHART in Accra on Monday, urged the present leadership under Dr Edmund Delle to step down honourably, "as Mr Mike Eghan has done."

The CPP Youth Group of Tamale in their statement signed by Mr Kwame Mutala and Mohammed Awal, Chairman and Secretary, respectively, also expressed displeasure at the act and conduct of the Central Committee towards the Party's three Members of Parliament.

"It is unfortunate that such an action is taken by this organ because the Party's constitution does not warrant them such a mandate, though Article 48 (a) of the Constitution places them as the supreme administrative organ."

The two bodies called for a vibrant leadership ready to do things that would raise the Party.

They also called for an early congress to elect a new crop of leadership capable of making the Party to win Election 2008.

"We want elections from the grassroots, preferably, unit, regional, constituency and national elections. The leadership of the Party should operate in consonance with the youth wing, especially the tertiary institution wing."

TESCHART noted that the activities of the three Members in Parliament should be lauded to endear them to the hearts of the youth in the Party for others to join in.

"Although we are in agreement to the ideologies of Nkrumah, ... people do not just join organisation, there must be something which attracts them to the ideals. The "gang of three" so called in Parliament are the attractive force for the youth and many Ghanaians."
Source:
GNA

CPP pressure group urges Council of Elders to resolve differences

Accra, Jan. 25, GNA- The Patriots, a pressure group of the Convention People's Party (CPP), on Wednesday expressed grave concern about developments in the Party that seem to undermine unity and peace and urged the Council of Elders to step in and find an amicable settlement.

"The state of the Party now requires the fullest cooperation of all members, including the members of the National Executive Committee, Parliamentarians and the rank and file of the Party," the Patriots said in a statement released on Wednesday in Accra.

It also said: "In our considered opinion, differences within the Party must be resolved within the Party using the relevant organs and structures prescribed by the Party's constitution. It is highly unacceptable for bodies or groups within the Party to trade accusations in the public domain when acceptable methods are available to be exploited."

The group reminded officers and non-officers of the CPP that their actions must serve to promote unity and peace and not create disharmony, adding "the press war must cease forthwith."

The Patriots said they were committed to building a strong and united CPP capable of winning the 2008 Elections.

"The most essential prerequisite to win the elections in 2008, however, is to rebuild the party structures and make them functional." Months of strained ties between the national executives and the Party's three members of parliament (MPs) erupted once again last week, with the MPs asking for the resignation of the party's executives while the Central Committee has demanded their expulsion from the Party. The Central Committee has referred a motion it passed in Kumasi calling for the dismissal of the Party's three Parliamentarians to its Disciplinary Committee for the necessary action.

The Parliamentarians are: Mr Freddie Blay, Second Deputy Speaker and MP for Ellembele, Dr Paa Kwasi Nduom, MP for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem and Minister of State in Charge of Public Sector Reforms and Mr Kojo Armah, MP for Evalue-Gwira.

The MPs said an interim executive should be put in place to supervise the re-organisation of the party.

A statement signed by the three members and read by Dr Nduom said the leadership of the CPP had demonstrated their inability to lead the party to achieve the objective they themselves have loudly and proudly championed.

"We have observed with deep concern and disappointment the situation of lack of effective organisation and common purpose in the CPP."

"The fact of the matter is that there is a leadership crisis within the CPP, which has led to the party achieving disastrous result in the December 2004 elections."

In a reaction to the statement from the MPs, the CPP said at the meeting the Central Committee in Kumasi, members' attention was formally drawn to a press release from the three Parliamentarians calling for the resignation of the executives.

"After exhaustive discussions involving the review of the track record of the conduct of the Parliamentarians, members of the Central Committee were of the firm view that the three Parliamentarians deserved to be dismissed from the Party. A motion to that effect was overwhelmingly carried."

The Committee finally decided to refer the motion to the National Disciplinary Committee.

The statement said: "The CPP deems it a duty to the public that it took serious view of the various and cumulative acts of indiscipline, disloyalty, bringing the Party into disrepute, contempt and public ridicule and breaching provision of the Party's Constitution.

25 Jan. 06
Source:
GNA

Asoma Banda appeals for peace within CPP

Accra, Jan. 27, GNA - Alhaji Asoma Banda, Former Chairman of the Convention People's Party (CPP), has appealed to the leadership of the Party to find solution to problems arising out of a decision taken by the Central Committee of the Party against its three Members of Parliament.

"I urge the National Chairman and his Spokesmen as well as our Honourable Members of Parliament to ceasefire and freeze all actions contemplated including press statements to enable us settle the issues in a family way," he said.

A release issued by Alhaji Banda on Friday observed that events of the last few days indicated that the Central Committee of the CPP had met in Kumasi and taken certain decisions against the three CPP Members of Parliament.

The members are Mr Freddy Blay, First Deputy Speaker and Member of Parliament (MP) of Ellembelle; Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister of Public Sector Reform and MP for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrirem and Mr Kojo Armah, MP for Evalue-Gwira.

The release noted that various statements had been publicly made on the matter, which hinged on the expulsion of the three MPs form the Party, adding that one account announced their expulsion from the CPP while a later account said the matter of their dismissal had been referred to the Disciplinary Committee of the Party.

"Whatever decisions were taken in Kumasi and made public have created a crisis in the Party and caused avoidable tensions and embarrassment," the release said.

It said it was necessary for all sides to exercise restraint while some elders of the Nkrumaist fraternity tried to find an amicable settlement. "I appeal to the Council of Elders to join me in finding a lasting solution to the problem and also creating a good working relationship between the Leadership of the Party and our representatives in Parliament."
Source:
GNA

CPP/PNC to hold merger congress


The Statesman can reveal that the two leaders of the two Nkrumaist parties have agreed on a maiden conference to vote on the new constitution for the merged party and elect its new national executives.

The date, yet to be put before their National Executive Committees, is to fixed for Tuesday March 7, however.

With the election of new executives for the merged entity on the agenda, the merger conference makes redundant calls by a section of the Convention People�s Party for the entire national executive of the party to resign before the end of their constitutional term in 2007.

Talks about a merger between the two Nkrumaist parties had been on the cards for a long time, and gained momentum after the abysmal performance of the two parties in the December 2004 general election.

However, officials of the two parties cold not agree on a number of important issues. What has been agreed is that the name of the new party shall be the Convention People�s Party.

Other issues, such as whether the cockerel should be on top of the coconut or under the shadow of coconut tree is to be left to the joint national delegates of the two parties to agree on at the maiden national congress of the merged party.

The initial proposal was for the two parties to put the results of the progressive unity talks to their respective national party congresses. But, the two parties are broke. Indeed, finding money to organise its national workshop at Kumasi last week was, �fraught with numerous difficulties,� says Dr Delle about the CPP.

Looking forward to the merger, he posed the question: �In the scenario, what will be the wisdom of the CPP and PNC before the merger organising separately to put functionaries into executive positions?�

He offered answers: �It would surely mean a waste of resources very scarce to the two parties.�

The proposed March united national congress should also silent the disgruntled voices in the camps, because while there are disagreements here and there, all genuine Nkrumaists appear unanimous on the need to unite.

This move, our sources say, is aimed to bring to an end the not-so substantial differences that have protracted the unity talks, and speed up the unification process in time for a presidential candidate to be elected later in the year. The current round of unity talks started in March 2005 and included the DPP and GCPP, parties that exist only in name and in the personalities of eccentric leaders. The draft constitution for the Nkrumaist unity, prepared in May 2005, agreed on three major sticking points. Besides the new party maintaining the CPP name, the party was to adopt the symbol of the People�s National Convention, the Coconut Tree. This has, however, not gone down well with CPP members, who are limiting their compromise to having the coconut tree and the cockerel as a twinned-symbol for the new CPP.

The party slogan was to symbolise this unity by combining the CPP�s �Forward Ever� with �Honest Service� of the PNC.

It has also come to light that two of the three CPP executive members delegated to lead the unity talks ended up acting as major stumbling blocks. General Secretray Nii Noi Dowuono, First National Vice Chairperson ARaba Bentsi-Enchil, and Mike Eghan who recently resigned his position as Second Vice Chairperson, returned to their party with the agreement to adopt the CPP name and the Coconut Tree symbol for the merged party. �Is it no surprise, comrades, that when on the 7th April, 2005, the Central Committee met to receive the report from the said 3-member delegation, and the agreement was put to vote, 15 members voted for the agreement and of the five members who voted against it included two of the said three-member delegation, namely Professor Nii Noi Dowunoo and Mike Eghan?� This was how Dr Delle put it to his party last week.

The two leaders of the two parties, Dr Delle and Dr Mahama, say they are fed-up with the gridlock. So they are now throwing the matter to the forum of joint delegates from the two parties to vote on.

After agreeing on this identity matter, the merger conference will be asked to vote on the draft constitution. This document will re-enforce the Nkrumaists� commitment to �social justice and equality as the basis for a united, productive and self-reliant society at home and internationally.� Next on the agenda is the voting for new national officers for the new CPP. The positions likely to be voted on are National Chairperson, Vice Chairpersons, General Secretary, National Organisational Secretary, and National Treasurer. Where there are more than two candidates and no candidate secures more than 50 percent, the two candidates with the highest number of votes will participate in a run-off election.

The race should now be on for those who believe they can run the CPP better to make their case with the existing delegates of the two parties for the proposed March national congress.

But, the most vociferous splinter groups of the CPP, the Parliamentary Action Group and the Patriots, are seen to be very light on the ground. Dr Delle describes them as �perpetual pessimists who have for all these years sat on the fence and are now waxing eloquent in public acrimony over lack of organisational activity to quench their thirst for woe-singing.� The thinking of the two leaders of the CPP and PNC is that, once the national officers are elected, the new executives can then organise the elections of subordinate executives at the regional, constituency and polling station levels. The decision to put the merger matter before a joint delegation of both parties may be challenged.

One constitutional issue that may arise if the merger does not seek the approval of both parties according to their respective constitutions is likely to be the status of the five parliamentarians of the two parties. While the three CPP MPs may find it easier to argue that they are still CPP MPs, the same refuge may not be readily available for the two PNC MPs.

This can call for by-elections, as the Constitution is clear that an MP cannot change parties in the course of a parliament. An alternative may be to take the matter to the Supreme Court for proper interpretation since once the two parties have democratically agreed on the merger, it may be difficult to argue that the mischief that the constitutional provision was set to remedy (cross-carpeting) has been breached here.

Moreover, once the merger is achieved through the procedures laid down by both parties� constitutions, then Article 97(2) of the Constitution is categorical that a merger does not change the status of the MPs involved.

Last Thursday at Kumasi, Dr Delle told CPP members: �If the CPP and PNC eventually merge into one party, then the merger will mean members of the twi parties meshing and interlacing into one composite membership of one party.� Giving a hint on the curtailment of his term for the sake of the merger, he continued: �In the event, elections for all positions from the cell to the polling station level and up to the regional and to the national level would be undertaken by the composite membership under the directives and supervision of one national leadership.�

Source:
Statement

I support CPP's decision against three MPs - Bensti-Enchill

Accra, Jan. 26, GNA - Ms Araba Bensti-Enchill, First National Vice Chairman of the Convention People's Party (CPP), on Thursday pledged her full support for the disciplinary action recommended by the Central Committee against the three Members of Parliament of the Party. She said the three MPs had made public statements to the effect that the CPP leadership ought to remove itself or be removed even though their term of office expires in 2007.

A statement Ms Bensti-Enchill signed said: "Although I was not present at the Central Committee meeting which was held in Kumasi on Thursday January, 19 and Friday January 20, 2006, I am in full agreement with the decision to refer the three Members of Parliament of the Party to the Disciplinary Committee.

"I take a very serious view of the various acts of indiscipline, calculated to bring the Party into disrepute and ridicule its Leadership, which have been perpetrated by the three Members of Parliament ...."

Ms Bensti-Enchill said all three members of Parliament also openly campaigned against the Party's presidential candidate properly elected by the National Congress of the Party.

Months of strained ties between the National Executives and the three MPs erupted once again last week, with the MPs asking for the resignation of the Party's Executives.

The Central Committee has referred a motion it passed in Kumasi calling for the dismissal of the Party's three Parliamentarians to its Disciplinary Committee for the necessary action.

The Parliamentarians are: Mr Freddie Blay, Second Deputy Speaker and MP for Ellembele, Dr Paa Kwasi Nduom, MP for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem and Minister of State in Charge of Public Sector Reforms, and Mr Kojo Armah, MP for Evalue-Gwira.

The MPs said an interim executive should be put in place to supervise the re-organisation of the Party.

A statement signed by the three members and read by Dr Nduom said the Leadership of the CPP had demonstrated their inability to lead the Party to achieve the objective they themselves had loudly and proudly championed.

"We have observed with deep concern and disappointment the situation of lack of effective organisation and common purpose in the CPP.

"The fact of the matter is that there is a Leadership crisis within the CPP, which has led to the Party achieving disastrous result in the December 2004 Elections."

In a reaction to the statement from the MPs, the CPP said at the meeting of the Central Committee in Kumasi, members' attention was formally drawn to a press release from the three Parliamentarians calling for the resignation of the Executives.

"After exhaustive discussions involving the review of the track record of the conduct of the Parliamentarians, members of the Central Committee were of the firm view that the three Parliamentarians deserved to be dismissed from the Party. A motion to that effect was overwhelmingly carried."

The Committee finally decided to refer the motion to the National Disciplinary Committee.

The statement said: "The CPP deems it a duty to the public that it took serious view of the various and cumulative acts of indiscipline, disloyalty, bringing the Party into disrepute, contempt and public ridicule and breaching provision of the Party's Constitution."
Source:
GNA

CPP remains opposed to People’s Amendment Bill- Pratt

The Convention People Party (CPP) says it remains opposed to the passage of the Representation of the People’s amendment bill into law despite its absence from the recent press conference organised by the coalition of parties opposed to the bill.

Officials say the party’s position as expressed in statement issued by its party chairman Edmund Delle remains unchanged.

Chairman of the CPP’s publicity Committee, Kwesi Pratt told JOY NEWS that the party’s absence from Tuesday’s press conference was only because it has not considered joining the coalition.

“ Our position is that so far it is impractical, we think that it is likely to lead to disputes on election results. Having a position on the People’s Representation Bill is quite distinct from joining other political parties in a coalition.

For us to go into a coalition there is a process to follow around, we haven’t followed those processes yet.

So our position is very clear. We are opposed to the bill and our National Chairman has actually issued a statement stating in clear terms our position to the bill.

It is the duty of our Members of Parliament (MPs) to follow the decisions of our party,” he said.

Boakye Djan Appeals For Calm


Nkrumaist Govt 2009: Recent Family Misunderstandings
Fellow Ghanaians,
You will recall that I informed you in January 2006 that only an Nkrumaist Government can avert Ghana�s creeping national crisis and that I believed I was the only one within the Nkrumah Political Family capable of leading the family to an election victory for an Nkrumaist Government 2009 to effectively address this and other equally pressing national issues.

In the last few days, there have been open and bitter confrontations between members of the Nkrumah Political Family with regard to a series of events including a decision taken by the Central Committee of the Convention People�s Party to dismiss its three serving Members of Parliament.

I am calling on you the people of Ghana not to let these recent developments dispirit you and destroy your confidence in the ability of the Nkrumah Political Family to provide a Government for Ghana to avert the looming crisis. Do not panic; do not despair.

I am also calling on all members of the Nkrumah Political Family at home and abroad not to be disoriented by recent events.

I would like you all to be encouraged by the knowledge that what is happening right now is but one of the normal misunderstandings that afflict political families in all democracies over the world. Therefore, what is happening is neither new nor specific to the Nkrumah Political Family in Ghana.

In the United Kingdom, which is one of the oldest multi-party democratic countries in the world, such political family squabbles have come and gone. New Labour which is in power today in the United Kingdom went through a far worse experience but was elected in 1997 and has gone on to win two consecutive election victories under Tony Blair. Likud in Israel under Ariel Sharon is another recent example.

In the midst of all these, what is important for all of us, whether Christian, Moslem, Ancenstral Worshipper or otherwise, is an Nkrumaist Government January 2009. Hence, we must all resolve to emerge from this and coming crises chastened but always fresh and ready for Government now.

Osahene Boakye Djan
Candidate for President: Nkrumaist Government 2009

For more information, please contact Campaign of Nkrumaists United Government 2009 at Email Address: campaign_nug2009@yahoo.co.uk

Source:

"Kwesi Pratt Is An NDC Agent"
Wednesday, 25 January 2006



Hon. Freddie Blay, Member of Parliament for Ellembelle and of the three rebels said to Image
have been expelled fom the Convention People’s Party (CPP), says his party colleague and managing editor of the Insight newspaper, Mr. Kwesi Pratt, is nothing but an agent of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) planted in the CPP to work against its interest.
“Kwesi Pratt is an agent of the NDC” he pointedly told Pratt. Taking his colleague party members to the cleaners, Blay who is also the first deputy speaker of Parliament alleged that Pratt, chairman of the Publicity Committee of the CPP was being used as the conduit through which information about the CPP is relayed to the opposition NDC.

In his words, Pratt “has always operated as a “fifth columnist” – defined by the Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary as someone who secretly supports and helps enemies of the country or organisation they are in). In Blay’s words, Pratt has consistently operated within the Nkrumahist organization for the sole purpose of gathering intelligence for the Rawlings-led NDC.

Asked to cite an example to back his allegation, he made mention of a MONAS group which he said Pratt went on to report on the erstwhile PNDC junta, which resulted in the arrest of himself, Kwaku Baako, Editor-in-Chief of the Crusading Guide and Kwesi Agbley among others. Speaking on an Accra based radio station, Kwesi Pratt stridently denied the charge saying it lacked any foundation.

He chastised Blay for moving away from a principled position of supporting the CPP and suggested that Blay was a shadow of the principled character he used to be. He also denied suggestions by Blay that he first announced their alleged expulsion from the CPP on PeaceFM Friday morning, insisting that he only did so as a discussant on the station that morning. In his blistering reaction to Pratt’s stunning announcement on PeaceFM that Blay and two other members of the CPP parliamentary caucus, namely Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, MP for KEEA, and Mr. Kojo Armah, MP for Evalue Gwira have been expelled from the party, Blay did not mince words. He went ballistic on his party comrade and dared Pratt to produce evidence that supported the announcement he made on Peacefm.

Failing to produce the said evidence, Pratt said he made the announcement after he had received the information from highly placed people within the CPP leadership. He explained that it was later that he learnt that a decision had been made to forward the issue to the party’s Disciplinary Committee. The Ellembelle MP slammed his party comrade for rushing to announce the news of their expulsion on radio when he knew he did not have the full facts to back the story he put out.
G. N. Concord

Dufuor recinds decision over new party
Posted: Jan 25 2006

A former Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Kwabena Duffuor says he has changed his mind about the possibility of forming a new political party.

“ I have decided that I will remain in the CPP, help reorganize it and see to it that it regains its past glories,” he said.

Dr Duffuor’s decision is perhaps a reaction to appeals by some leading members of the CPP to him following a news story in the January 6, 2006 edition of the Daily Dispatch which read, “ 3 new parties in the offing’ which indicated that Dr Duffuor was one of the persons who was likely to form a new political party.

Following the pressure, Dr Duffuor issued a statement, which says “ for the avoidance of doubt, I wish to state emphatically that I am a card bearing member of the CPP and I have no intentions of abandoning the commitments which go with my membership in the party.”

“ My conviction is that the CPP can and must be built as an independent and viable alternative to both the NPP and the NDC.

I am ready in this connection to shoulder any responsibility that the CPP may impose on me in furtherance of the pursuit of the ends of social justice and democracy.

I wish to state without equivocation that I am not involved in any effort to sponsor a new political party,” he said.

Dr Duffuor, who was 63, last Saturday, January 21 is expected to be one of the favorites to be elected as the CPP’s flagbearer for the 2008 Presidential elections.

Source: Daily Dispatch

CPP: We're committed to merge with PNC

Accra, Jan. 25, GNA - The Convention People's Party (CPP) on Wednesday reiterated its commitment to merge with the People's National Convention (PNC).

"For the avoidance of doubt, the CPP wishes to state emphatically that its commitment to the merger with the PNC and other progressive and Nkrumaist forces is resolute," the CPP said in a statement signed by Mr Kwesi Pratt Jnr., Chairman of the Publicity Committee.

"Both the Central Committee and National Executive Committee of the Party have already endorsed the merger pact along with a new constitution and transitional arrangements for the merged political parties," it said.

The statement said similar structures of the PNC had also endorsed the unity pact and the two parties were expected to convene their respective national congresses early this year to give final approval to the merger. "The Convention People's Party urges all its members to remain calm and to work diligently for the merger of all Nkrumaits and progressive forces even in the face of extreme provocation." 25 Jan. 06
Source:
GNA

Decision to expel MPs not reversed
Posted: Jan 25 2006

The chairman of the disciplinary committee of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Riley Opoku says the central committee of the party has not rescinded its decision to dismiss the party’s three Members of Parliament (MPs).

He however said that the disciplinary committee of the party is the only body in the party mandated with the constitutional powers either or not to uphold the decision.

“That is why the central committee has formally written to disciplinary committee for hearing in its decision,” he said.

Mr Poku said it was up to the central committee to bring evidence against the MPs that they were working against the interest of the CPP.

He said that anybody who though the central committee had backed down on its earlier decision to dismiss the members would be making a big mistake because if that was the case, the disciplinary committee would not meet on the issue.

Mr Poku said he had received the decision taken by the central committee but is yet to meet with the other members of the disciplinary committee to fix a date and venue for the hearing.

He said after the meeting with his members, the MPs would be informed of the matter so as to prepare for questioning.

He said the respondents would be allowed to appear with counsels if they wish.

Asked what would happen if the MPs decide not to respond to the hearing of the disciplinary committee, Mr Poku said based on what he heard from Dr Nduom on radio, the MPs would be more than ready to appear on invitation.

He said his position, as a member of the central committee, would not in any way compromise his role as the chairman of the disciplinary committee.

“ It has happened before and this time the committee would be fair in its deliberations,” he said.

Mr Poku said the central committee had the powers to take the decision it took and nobody should think it unconstitutional and that the matter of the MPs was not on the agenda of the national workshop that took place in Kumasi on January 19, but only cropped up when they were discussing “ other matter’.

“ I can tell you that there was no agenda to dismiss the MPs at the meeting as some people believe,” he said.

Source: Daily Graphic

Criminal libel will be back –Aggudey
Posted: Jan 25 2006

The 2004 flagbearer of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), George Aggudey says one of the prime decisions he will take when he becomes president after 2008 will be to revisit the Criminal Libel Law.

The NPP government repealed the Criminal Libel Law.

He said the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law after the 2000 elections was a mistake because President Kufuor rushed in abolishing it.

Aggudey is worried that people who have access to the print and electronic media use it to malign the people they disagree with.

The former flagbearer of the CPP described this as unfortunate because everybody has a role to play in society.

“ The fact that you have disagreement with somebody should not give you the opportunity to destroy him or her through the media”,
he said.


Mr Aggudey was addressing some member of the CPP at a rally at New Edubiase in the Adansi South district of the Ashanti region last Friday.

He said his prime interest is to protect everything Ghanaian so that people could come out to offer their brains for the betterment of the country.

“ That is why I want to revise or revisit the Criminal Libel Law so that everybody in this country could feel protected.

Politicians in particular are mostly the victims because everybody thinks that they have the right to write against you,” he said.

According to him the repealing of the law has left the country currently in a situation where almost all the newspapers captures stories that are not factual but lies and propaganda.

Mr Aggudey says it has also given room to insubordination, reining of insults and disrespect for government.

“ It has become the order of the day to hear people using irritating tones and abusive language on various radio stations across the country just to damage government, politicians and prominent individuals in society and all these things are going on because of the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law,” he said.

He believes that if the law is revisited, discipline, respect for authority and harmony which is currently lacking in the country, would be brought back.

Source: Heritage

Anane Must Resign - CPP


The ruling NPP government has repeatedly asserted that a main cornerstone of its stewardship of the country is “Good Governance”. This is a laudable aim that all Ghanaians share.

The NPP government is also subjecting Ghana to review by its peers through the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) – this is also welcomed and we support all initiatives and mechanisms which would lead to enhanced governance in our beloved country.

The government however would seem to be engaged in a game of “smoke and mirrors” because on the one hand it maintains it is a champion of good governance whilst on the other failing to tackle some very basic necessities of good governance.

This NPP government, now in its second term of office has not shown any inclination to tackle rampant and arrogant corruption at the heart of governance in our country, nor has it moved to deal with the age old issue of ministerial ethics.

The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has challenged the government to declare 2006 a year of action against corruption, and looking up to the President to set practical examples.

Daniel Batidam and the GII have expressed disappointment at the President’s inability to act more decisively on corrupt practices expressing the hope that he would do “something more concrete this year”.

The Investigating Panel of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), is currently investigating Dr Richard Anane, Minister of Roads and Transport, over a number of allegations of corruption, abuse of office and conflict of interest and an alleged transfer of over $90,000 to Alexandria O’Brien, the American mother of his son Nicholas Anane

The investigating panel has indicated that “after conducting preliminary investigations into the matter, it had now become expedient to come out with a full-scale investigation” i.e. there is a case to answer.

All of Ghana is now looking at this case as the ” litmus test “ which should demonstrate the NPP government’s true stand on “ good governance”.

Ghana’s Parliament has recently ratified two key international conventions on corruption - the United Nations Convention Against Corruption and the African Union Convention Against Corruption and if the government shares with us the GII’s view that fighting corruption is about “development, poverty alleviation and how to manage the country’s little resources to the benefit of everyone”, then it must act decisively and act now.

We believe that in the name of “Good Governance” the Minister being investigated should do the honourable thing and step down , at least until his name is cleared, but failing that his peers in the government should review his conduct and act not only to enhance the image of the country but to ensure that the country begins to take seriously the government’s assertions on Good Governance.

Source:
CPP- UK & Ireland Secretariat

MAKING A MOCKERY OF NKRUMAH’S HERITAGE

| Posted: Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Over the last decade and a half, the descendants of the Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s Convention People’s Party (CPP) have been trying hard to redefine themselves.

For a party that has the enviable record of leading the country to independence, one would have expected that its inheritance would be the envy of all. Unfortunately, today, those who claim to be followers of that great leader, and shamelessly address themselves as Nkrumaists, taking after his name, cut a sorry sight as they are scattered in small groups, with each trying to preserve its small colony, for fear of ceding some of the powers they wield in their small enclaves.

Currently, there are at least three parties, namely the People’s National Convention (PNC), Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the Great Consolidated Peoples Party (GCPP) that claim to be Nkrumaists, with the first two, incessantly engaged in unity talks.

But worst still, even within the little colonies, the backbiting and bickering are such that these people are increasingly making a mockery of the great name of the founder of their party.

The colony, carrying the name CPP, seem to be the most crisis-ridden of the lot, always living in their past glory. Strangely enough, it is this group that has the two of the greatest analytical minds in the media, that productively deployed for their party, could send shivers down the spine of any party spokespersons in political debates.

But worst still for that particular colony, its three parliamentary candidates have been without radar from the party, and thus have behaved like sheep without a shepherd.

It is surprising to learn from the CPP Members of Parliament (MPs) that the party seem not to have taken any positions on major policy issues that have come before Parliament, for them to be accused of working against party interest.

The PNC MPs have in the past, made similar arguments against their party executives when they were similarly accused of promoting the interest of the ruling government at the expense of their party.

Whereas it could be argued that the MPs are genuinely caught in a dilemma of serving their constituents and party interests, going by what they have said so far, the two parties seem not to have attempted to take advantage of the uniquely placed position of their MPs to influence state policies.

With regard to the CPP MPs, perhaps the cozy relationship that existed between them and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the run-up to the 2004 elections, underlie the suspicions of their party executive to the extent that they failed to try to give direction to their MPs.

As for the MPs themselves, it is inconceivable that they would turn against the NPP, since it was very instrumental in getting them to annex all their three seats.

Many Ghanaians had hoped that the CPP and its affiliates were going to unite to form a formidable third force on the political landscape, so as to widen the options available to Ghanaians.

Unfortunately, so far, what these so-called Nkrumaists have succeeded in doing is to make a mockery of, and dishonour the name and memory of their great leader, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, by telling Ghanaians loudly that their center cannot hold.
source: chronicle editorial

Probe Into CPP’s Cash Withdrawals"
Tuesday, 24 January 2006


The CPP MP for KEEA, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom has fired another salvo that indicts the integrity of the national executive of the party. Dr Nduom is accusing the party’s chairman, Dr Edmund Delle of subverting cash withdrawals procedures of the party, saying they went to the bank and used counter cheques to withdraw monies on behalf of the CPP. He said the right procedure is that the General Secretary of the party, Professor Nii Noi Dowuona, who keeps the cheque book also counter signs before the monies are withdrawn, but in this instance the procedure was sidestepped by Dr Delle and his cronies to withdraw monies for the Central Committee meeting in Kumasi.

“Our information is that it did not go through the normal withdrawal processes, counter cheques were used without the involvement of the General Secretary as is the case,” Dr Nduom said.Dr Nduom described Dr Delle and his executive as people who do not face facts but rather dance around realities and turn the guns on their own people for voicing the odds in the party. He called for a probe in the finances of the CPP with particular attention to the alleged withdrawals by the National Chairman, Dr Edmund Delle and others, which he described as unauthorized.

He said he suspects misappropriation on the part of those who were involved in the withdrawal because the accounts from which the withdrawal were made was given to the party by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) to build the party’s structures. The Public Sector Reforms minister said the money withdrawn was rather used to organize a central committee meeting in Kumasi, a move that falls outside the purpose for which the IEA doled out the money to the party. Dr Nduom is one of the three CPP MPs who were fired by the party last week for calling on the party leadership led by Dr Delle to resign.
The Independent
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CPP Leadership Has Failed - Mike Eghan
Tuesday, 24 January 2006


A former Vice Chairman of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Mr Mike Eghan has added his call for the current leadership of the party to resign, adding that the current leadership must accede to the fact that they have failed the party and therefore must shamefully bow out.

Mr Mike Eghan, who last week dropped his letter of resignation as the party’s Vice Chairman bemoaned the part’s executives to organise education sessions for the party’s members for them to know what the party stands for or for that matter the philosophy of the party. He said the situation has resulted in the unattractiveness of the party and for that matter its low patronage.

Mr Eghan said he admits every party goes through problems at one time or the other, but that of the CPP is purely an issue of leadership. He said having realised that the Delle administration had failed the party, he decided to resign honourably. “The Delle Administration has failed the party, they must step down” he added.

However, the Deputy General Secretary of the party, Mr Benjamin Daniels took a swipe at the former Vice Chairman questioning his justification for his calls for the leadership to resign. According to him, the fact that the party was going through problems did not mean that the cause must be blamed squarely on the door step of the current crop of leadership. He said at least he knows he has been able to achieve a lot for the party and therefore describing the Vice Chairman’s comments as untrue. He added that the CPP is still focused and will do anything for its revival.

‘I did not partake in Kumasi meeting’- Dowuona
Posted: Jan 24 2006

The General Secretary of the embattled Convention People’s Party (CPP), Prof Nii Noi Dowuona says he personally opposed the venue and time for the Central Committee meeting held recently in Kumasi too expel the three Members of Parliament.

According to him, the timing and the venue were not convenient enough to afford most members of the committee the opportunity to participate in the meeting.

He also wondered why after he had opposed such a meeting; the letter inviting the members to the meeting should bear his name, but signed for by the Deputy General Secretary, J.B Daniels, who could have written and signed in his own capacity.

Prof Dowuona said after he had shown his reservations about the venue and time the National Chairman, Dr Edmund Delle wrote to him that “ he should not do anything to sabotage the meeting.”


However, Prof Dowuona refused to comment on the expulsion of the three MPs because he had not been officially informed about the decision.

Reacting to a press conference by the CPP Parliamentary Caucus, he urged the members of the caucus to be circumspect in their call for the resignation of the leadership.

According to him such an impromptu quit order would create vacuum in a party whose fortunes had been dwindling since 2000.

He admitted that the leadership had not been up to the task and attributed the problem in the party to the lack of internal cohesion among the leadership.

He said it was also through the same problem that “we cannot hold the party together,”

He attributed the behaviour of some leading members of the party who openly supported some members and showed public hatred towards others at the last congress of the party.

Prof Duwuona who made it clear that he was not seeking re-election but would remain a member of the party said since the problems in the party were created by people, the best thing is for people to jaw jaw and find a lasting solution to it,” probably go for early congress to replace the current executive”

Source: Daily Graphic

CPP leadership must go - CPP MPs


Accra, Jan. 19, GNA - The three Convention Peoples' Party (CPP) Members in Parliament has called on the leadership of the party to resign their positions so that an interim executive can be put in place to supervise the re-organisation of the party.

The three, made up of Mr Freddie Blay, Member of Parliament for Ellembele, Mr Kojo Armah, MP Evalue-Gwira and Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, MP for Komeda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem made this call at a press conference on Thursday at Accra International Conference Centre.

A statement signed by the three members and read by Dr Nduom said the leadership of the CPP have demonstrated their inability to lead the party to achieve the objective they themselves have loudly and proudly championed.

"We have observed with deep concern and disappointment the situation of lack of effective organisation and common purpose in the CPP."

"The fact of the matter is that there is a leadership crisis within the CPP, which has led to the party achieving disastrous result in the December 2004 elections."

Dr Nduom said the leadership should have stepped down or submitted itself to early elections after the 2004 elections to ensure renewed interest in the organisation.

"The leadership has rather become more intolerant of opposing views on how to rejuvenate the party and seem content to hang on to their positions without regard to the facts on the ground."

The three members noted that the party has remained dormant in the field and has not been able to catch the attention of opinion leaders and the nation at large.

Dr Nduom said the National Democratic Party (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) on the other hand have energised their members and supporters by renewing the leadership from the polling station to the national level in readiness for the 2008 elections.

"The CPP seems frozen in place at best. The future of the CPP seems bleak when viewed from the current position and gives us great cause for concern."

"We cannot sit by idly and let the current situation continue. Our political tradition is at risk and indeed our parliamentary seats are also at risk."

They contended that they had to fight the 2004 elections without much material and emotional support from the leadership of the party and they were left on their own to fight the elections, as they were independent candidates.

"We do not want a repeat of this experience in 2008 for ourselves or for other comrades."

On the merger talks with the People's National Convention (PNC), the three noted that since February 2004 when the two parties agreed for the unity talks nearly one year of talking has not led to the unity. "It has rather fed the perception of fragmentation and weakness and our opponents fuel this perception."

Dr Nduom said; "the leadership of the two parties are fanning the negative flame of no unity, no victory in 2008." "Consequently, we have decided to work to extend the unity that we have achieved within our ranks in Parliament to our people throughout the country."

"We will lead a renewal by combining our efforts in the field and by offering leadership that will build an effective political organisation capable of competing in the 2008 elections." "From now on we will work with our colleagues in the PNC as members of a united political group."

Dr Nduom said hopefully the two parties through their members in Parliament can achieve the much talked about unity.

"We have no choice but to step up this task in an enthusiastic and selfless way to ensure that our collective voice can influence national development in a positive way."

Source:
GNA

Kwesi Pratt on the defensive
Posted: Jan 23 2006

There is confusion in the Nkrumaist camp.

Friday’s controversial decision to deprive what is left of Kwame Nkrumah’s party of its entirety of parliamentarians has further exposed the party’s shortcomings, with the Chairman refusing to confirm the story and passing the buck to Kwesi Pratt, who was not present when the vote was taken. This has, however, resulted in one founding member of the Convention Peoples’ Party accusing Mr Pratt of staging a “coup.”

However, Mr Pratt, the Chairman of the CPP Publicity Committee, has defended the apparent decision of the Central Committee of the party to dismiss its only three Members of the 230-seat Parliament. They are Freddie Blay (Ellembelle), Kojo Armah (Evalue-Gwira) and Paa Kwesi Nduom (Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem) from the party. He has described the dismissal as “a popular decision” within the party.

“I was not at the meeting. I am yet to receive a full briefing. But as a loyal party member, I am not opposed to the decision and since the Central Committee is the highest decision-making body of the party, its decision is proper and must be respected,” Mr Pratt told The Statesman Saturday.

The decision of the Central Committee, which was taken at its meeting in Kumasi last week, has been described by leading CPP member Kwesi Agbley as a coup d’etat conspired by the Managing Editor of the Insight, Mr Pratt, with support from the National Chairman of the party, Edmund Delle.

When The Statesman reached the CPP Chairman to confirm news of the expulsion, he referred the paper to Messrs Pratt and Riley Poku.

The latter serves as Chairman of the Legal and Constitutional Sub-committee of the party. Mr Agbley said he was given the same referral notice to the two men when he contacted Dr Delle for confirmation of the expulsion stories carried in the mass media.

Mr Agley said Mr Poku described the Chairman’s referral to him as “unfair.” Mr Pratt also expressed some surprise by the referral when we spoke him. Perhaps, uncomfortable for the decision-takers, the substantive issue behind their decision (party disloyalty) to expel the MPs has been tampered by the apparent dubious process that led to it.

The three in a press conference held Thursday at the Accra International Conference Centre called on the leadership of the party to resign their positions so that an interim executive can be put in place to supervise the re-organisation of the party. The decision to expel them from the party was taken on that very night at Kumasi, where a scheduled party workshop was taking place. Mr Pratt, however, has dismissed the allegation of staging a coup d’etat against the three MPs because he was not at the meeting, and neither was he aware of the agenda for the meeting.

“I was aware there was a seminar and was invited to what I thought was a regular Central Committee meeting. But the decision to dismiss the three was not on the agenda. There was no grand conspiracy. As a matter of fact, several party members have been waiting for this [expulsion] for four years.”

Kwesi Agbley, a founding member of the party and of the Parliamentary Action Group, a rebel splinter group led by the three MPs, has described the Central Committee meeting and its decision as Mr Pratt’s own way of deflecting attention from the recent troubles of the National Democratic Congress. The NDC has been hit by a spate of resignations since its December National Delegates Congress in Koforidua.

Mr Agbley further accused Mr Pratt of working to destroy the CPP to satisfy “his friend” Mr Rawlings.

But Mr Pratt’s response to Mr Agble’s charge was simply “I feel sorry for him.” The dismissal of the three MPs, it has been argued in certain circles, could trigger by-elections in the three constituencies that Dr Nduom, Mr Blay and Mr Armah represent.

On the proper interpretation of the Constitution, an MP on a party ticket need not voluntarily leave his party to render his seat vacant. Article 97(1)(g) says the seat becomes vacant “if he leaves the party of which he is a member at the time of his election to Parliament to join another party or seeks to remain in Parliament as an independent member…”

But Mr Pratt does not appear to be worried about that prospect, and the danger that the party could lose those seats, given that their victory was greatly assisted by the decision of the ruling New Patriotic Party not to contest those seats in 2004.

He told The Statesman: “the most important consideration has to do with maintaining internal cohesion and also ensuring a certain minimum discipline within the party.”

There are grave doubts concerning the legitimacy of the expulsion decision. None of the three MPs involved were offered the right to respond to the charges against them.

The General Secretary of the party, Nii Noi Dowuona, when reached for comment by The Statesman, said he could not speak on the matter because he was not at the Central Committee meeting and also had not seen a written record of proceedings at the meeting.

However, in an interview with Joy FM, an Accra based FM station on their Saturday news analysis programme Newsfile, Prof Dowuona described the decision of the Central Committee as irregular.

He said the decision could only be made upon the recommendation of the party’s Disciplinary Committee. Prof Dowuona said he was unaware of any such recommendation of sanction against the three, stressing that the last time the three gentlemen and Kweku Baako, the Editor-In-Chief of the Crusading Guide, were summoned before the Disciplinary Committee on charges that they were working against the interest of the party, the Committee recommended that they be pardoned.

The General Secretary was also unhappy about the fact that the invitation letters were issued in his name even though they were in fact issued and signed by the Deputy General Secretary of the party.

The Chairman of the Publicity Committee of the party is also not worried about charges that the decision of the Central Committee did not follow due process, focusing, predictably, on Dr Nduom.

“First of all, especially Dr Nduom, the charges against him were things he himself had been saying on several radio stations. Also, in the last election, he campaigned for the NPP candidate for Cape Coast, Christine Churcher, against the party’s candidate, Araba Bentsi-Enchill, who is also the National First Vice Chairperson of the party.

“These are matters in the public domain placed before the party and Dr Nduom has appeared before the Central Committee at least twice.”

According to Mr Pratt, Dr Nduom’s situation was not helped by his own threat to leave the CPP if the National Executive was not removed by June. Mr Pratt also said the Central Committee decision was almost a unanimous one.

“The vote itself was interesting. The information I was given was that on Thursday night, the vote was 17-5 in support of dismissal. It was thought that the decision had to be revisited so another vote was taken the following day and it was 21-1 in favour of dismissing the three.

“That is virtually unanimous support. The total membership of the Central Committee is around 30 but you cannot always get all of them. In any case the 22 members formed a quorum.”

All three MPs, members of the Central Committee, have said they were not notified about the meeting.

Mr Kweku Baako has described the decision of the Central Committee as “infantile, reckless and complete rubbish.”

The three dismissed MPs, in their Thursday press conference, said the leadership of the CPP have demonstrated their inability to lead the party to achieve the objective they themselves have loudly and proudly championed.

Source:
Statesman

I’m embarrassed’-Nduom
Posted: Jan 23 2006

Convention People’s Party (CPP) MP, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, has expressed embarrassment over what he describes as the party executives’ display of incompetence in their attempts to expel their representatives in Parliament.

The party’s central committee, last week, passed a resolution to expel Dr. Nduom, MP for Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem constituency and his two colleagues for their anti-CPP comments.

The two others are: first Deputy Speaker and MP for Ellembelle, Freddie Blay, and MP for Evalue Egyira Kojo Armah.

But the leadership has since rescinded its decision and has rather referred the matter to its disciplinary committee.

Speaking to JOYFM, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom said such contradictions vindicate their position that the national executives of the party are incompetent.

“ We are all embarrassed. This demonstration of inconsistency that has gone on since Thursday has confirmed what we have been saying all along that what we need in the CPP is get new leadership that will organise this party and bring up greater credibility.

Perhaps some of the people have gone back to check the party’s own constitution and the national constitution and other things and are realising, perhaps, some wanted to be vindictive or to act in a way that was not even in their own self interest and are back tracking,” he said.

The disciplinary committee is yet to invite the MPs for a hearing and Dr. Nduom says he will be willing to state his case if invited.

“ I’m not in any way afraid to go before any disciplinary committee of the party because some of the things that I have said, I do feel and believe them very strongly. I have sacrificed a lot for this party; I have done a lot for this party.

I could have done any other thing and perhaps could have belonged to some other political party.

I chose to believe and belong to this party and no one, no one is going to tell me that they hold the heart of the party better than some of us and so yes, I will go and defend our actions,” he said.

The three MPs were expelled after they issued a statement calling for the dissolution of the national executives of the party on grounds of incompetence.

Monday, 23 January 2006
Kwesi Pratt denies ‘coup plot’

Fallout from dismissal of 3 CPP MPs

There is confusion in the Nkrumaist camp. Friday’s controversial decision to deprive what is left of Kwame Nkrumah’s party of its entirety of parliamentarians has further exposed the party’s shortcomings, with the Chairman refusing to confirm the story and passing the buck to Kwesi Pratt, who was not present when the vote was taken. This has, however, resulted in one founding member of the Convention Peoples’ Party accusing Mr Pratt of staging a “coup.”

However, Mr Pratt, the Chairman of the CPP Publicity Committee, has defended the apparent decision of the Central Committee of the party to dismiss its only three Members of the 230-seat Parliament. They are Freddie Blay (Ellembelle), Kojo Armah (Evalue-Gwira) and Paa Kwesi Nduom (Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem) from the party. He has described the dismissal as “a popular decision” within the party.

“I was not at the meeting. I am yet to receive a full briefing. But as a loyal party member, I am not opposed to the decision and since the Central Committee is the highest decision-making body of the party, its decision is proper and must be respected,” Mr Pratt told The Statesman Saturday.

The decision of the Central Committee, which was taken at its meeting in Kumasi last week, has been described by leading CPP member Kwesi Agbley as a coup d’etat conspired by the Managing Editor of the Insight, Mr Pratt, with support from the National Chairman of the party, Edmund Delle.

When The Statesman reached the CPP Chairman to confirm news of the expulsion, he referred the paper to Messrs Pratt and Riley Poku. The latter serves as Chairman of the Legal and Constitutional Sub-committee of the party. Mr Agbley said he was given the same referral notice to the two men when he contacted Dr Delle for confirmation of the expulsion stories carried in the mass media. Mr Agley said Mr Poku described the Chairman’s referral to him as “unfair.” Mr Pratt also expressed some surprise by the referral when we spoke him. Perhaps, uncomfortable for the decision-takers, the substantive issue behind their decision (party disloyalty) to expel the MPs has been tampered by the apparent dubious process that led to it.

The three in a press conference held Thursday at the Accra International Conference Centre called on the leadership of the party to resign their positions so that an interim executive can be put in place to supervise the re-organisation of the party. The decision to expel them from the party was taken on that very night at Kumasi, where a scheduled party workshop was taking place. Mr Pratt, however, has dismissed the allegation of staging a coup d’etat against the three MPs because he was not at the meeting, and neither was he aware of the agenda for the meeting.

“I was aware there was a seminar and was invited to what I thought was a regular Central Committee meeting. But the decision to dismiss the three was not on the agenda. There was no grand conspiracy. As a matter of fact, several party members have been waiting for this [expulsion] for four years.” Kwesi Agbley, a founding member of the party and of the Parliamentary Action Group, a rebel splinter group led by the three MPs, has described the Central Committee meeting and its decision as Mr Pratt’s own way of deflecting attention from the recent troubles of the National Democratic Congress. The NDC has been hit by a spate of resignations since its December National Delegates Congress in Koforidua.

Mr Agbley further accused Mr Pratt of working to destroy the CPP to satisfy “his friend” Mr Rawlings.

But Mr Pratt’s response to Mr Agble’s charge was simply “I feel sorry for him.” The dismissal of the three MPs, it has been argued in certain circles, could trigger by-elections in the three constituencies that Dr Nduom, Mr Blay and Mr Armah represent.

On the proper interpretation of the Constitution, an MP on a party ticket need not voluntarily leave his party to render his seat vacant. Article 97(1)(g) says the seat becomes vacant “if he leaves the party of which he is a member at the time of his election to Parliament to join another party or seeks to remain in Parliament as an independent member…”

But Mr Pratt does not appear to be worried about that prospect, and the danger that the party could lose those seats, given that their victory was greatly assisted by the decision of the ruling New Patriotic Party not to contest those seats in 2004.

He told The Statesman: “the most important consideration has to do with maintaining internal cohesion and also ensuring a certain minimum discipline within the party.”

There are grave doubts concerning the legitimacy of the expulsion decision. None of the three MPs involved were offered the right to respond to the charges against them.

The General Secretary of the party, Nii Noi Dowuona, when reached for comment by The Statesman, said he could not speak on the matter because he was not at the Central Committee meeting and also had not seen a written record of proceedings at the meeting.

However, in an interview with Joy FM, an Accra based FM station on their Saturday news analysis programme Newsfile, Prof Dowuona described the decision of the Central Committee as irregular.

He said the decision could only be made upon the recommendation of the party’s Disciplinary Committee. Prof Dowuona said he was unaware of any such recommendation of sanction against the three, stressing that the last time the three gentlemen and Kweku Baako, the Editor-In-Chief of the Crusading Guide, were summoned before the Disciplinary Committee on charges that they were working against the interest of the party, the Committee recommended that they be pardoned.

The General Secretary was also unhappy about the fact that the invitation letters were issued in his name even though they were in fact issued and signed by the Deputy General Secretary of the party.

The Chairman of the Publicity Committee of the party is also not worried about charges that the decision of the Central Committee did not follow due process, focusing, predictably, on Dr Nduom.

“First of all, especially Dr Nduom, the charges against him were things he himself had been saying on several radio stations. Also, in the last election, he campaigned for the NPP candidate for Cape Coast, Christine Churcher, against the party’s candidate, Araba Bentsi-Enchill, who is also the National First Vice Chairperson of the party.

“These are matters in the public domain placed before the party and Dr Nduom has appeared before the Central Committee at least twice.”

According to Mr Pratt, Dr Nduom’s situation was not helped by his own threat to leave the CPP if the National Executive was not removed by June. Mr Pratt also said the Central Committee decision was almost a unanimous one.

“The vote itself was interesting. The information I was given was that on Thursday night, the vote was 17-5 in support of dismissal. It was thought that the decision had to be revisited so another vote was taken the following day and it was 21-1 in favour of dismissing the three.

“That is virtually unanimous support. The total membership of the Central Committee is around 30 but you cannot always get all of them. In any case the 22 members formed a quorum.”

All three MPs, members of the Central Committee, have said they were not notified about the meeting.

Mr Kweku Baako has described the decision of the Central Committee as “infantile, reckless and complete rubbish.”

The three dismissed MPs, in their Thursday press conference, said the leadership of the CPP have demonstrated their inability to lead the party to achieve the objective they themselves have loudly and proudly championed.

Source:
Statesman

CPP-UK Backs Sacking Of MPs
Monday, 23 January 2006

United kingdom and Ireland Branch wishes To confirm its position noted in a Press Release issued in London on Monday 23rd January that the Central Committee of the CPP, has the Branch’s total support in its decision to expel from the party 3 members of Parliament.

As noted in the Press Release, the UK & Ireland Branch , charged with coordinating the international affairs and activities of the CPP has monitored the reaction of Nkrumaists across the globe through the various sites shared by CPP members and Nkrumaists and can assure the Central Committee of global support by the Party of the decision taken.

Many noted that the Party has been more than tolerant with these persons who have openly supported our opponents, campaigned against the CPP’s candidates and have continuously maligned the Party. That no political party anywhere in the world would tolerate its members serving the interests of its opponents. We note in our statement that thousands of CPP foot soldiers internationally as well as within Ghana have served, sacrificed, toiled over the years and continue to man their party positions selflessly in the interest of Ghana’s democracy, only for their efforts to be continuously undermined by a selfish few. That majority welcome the bold decision now taken by the Central Committee to instill discipline in the Party and strengthen the hand of the majority. Our Statement notes further that an Executive of any Party in any country can refer matters to a Disciplinary Committee if it so wishes but it has the authority to take any decisions itself particular where it is an urgent matter affecting the fabric of the Party. A disciplined party is a party ready for government and the CPP in taking such a bold decision is showing signs that it is gearing up for government tin 2009.

If the 3 MP’s have forgotten the old CPP saying we would humbly remind them of it – “The Party Is Supreme”, and no one would be allowed to hold back the forward march of the great CPP.

Yours In the Service of Ghana’s Democracy
R.N.A. Akomfrah Chairman (CPP UK & Ireland)
GHP

House Can’t Declare CPP Seats Vacant
Monday, 23 January 2006
ImageBarely five days after the news of the dismissal of the Convention People’s Party’s (CPP) sacrificial trio broke out, there have been controversial and conflicting debates and arguments over the fate of their seats.

While some members of the public including legal brains have openly stated that the three, Hon. Freddie Blay, MP for Ellembelle, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, MP for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem and Kojo Armah cannot continue to represent the CPP in Parliament, others also hold the contrary view that their supposed dismissal cannot have any effect on their continued stay in Parliament as MPs.

In an interview with a legal expert on the possibilities available in view of the recent development at the CPP front, he debunked the argument that the three could lose their seats subsequent to their dismissal from the party.


Quoting article 97 clause one of the 1992 constitution to support his argument, the legal expert contended that it is only when an MP leaves the party of which he was a member at the time of his election to Parliament to join another party or seeks to remain in Parliament as an Independent member that he could lose his seat.


He said dismissal from one’s party is not a prerequisite for one to lose his seat, in view of the fact that differences on matters affecting the party as well as the individual MP’s stance on matters before the House could lead to the party dismissing the MP. “But that alone should not be interpreted to mean that he loses his seat in view of that difference because the MP’s position may be in the overall national interest while that of his party may only go to suit the policies and ideology of the party,” the legal expert said.


“Which one is better, to serve one’s party irrespective of national interest or vice verse,” he queried and added that “whoever raises such an issue against the three CPP MPs due to the dismissal by the party’s central committee will be wasting everybody’s time.”


The dismissal of the three, he said, is of no consequential effect and that it is an order that cannot have any effect on the three MPs as far as their seats are concerned. He said once an MP is elected to Parliament he cannot be tossed about by anybody to go against his conscience or the national interest. The CPP, he said, should have exercise restraint and devised a strategy to resolve their differences other than what they did, which has plunged the party into a mess.

CPP Central Committee recommends dismissal CPP MPs

Accra, Jan. 22, GNA - The Central Committee of the Convention People's Party (CPP) has referred a motion it passed in Kumasi calling for the dismissal of the Party's three Parliamentarians to its Disciplinary Committee for the necessary action.

The Parliamentarians are: Mr Freddie Blay, Second Deputy Speaker and MP for Ellembele; Dr Paa Kwasi Nduom, MP for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem and Minister of State in Charge of Public Sector Reforms and Mr Kojo Armah, MP for Evalue-Gwira. A statement Mr John Benjamin Daniels, Deputy General Secretary of CPP, signed at weekend, said the decision was taken at a Central Committee meeting held in Kumasi as part of a workshop.

The statement said at the meeting the Central Committee members' attention was formally drawn to a press release from the three Parliamentarians and "after exhaustive discussion involving the review of the track record of the conduct of the Parliamentarians, members of the Central Committee were of the firm view that the three Parliamentarians deserved to be dismissed from the Party. A motion to that effect was overwhelmingly carried."

The Committee finally decided to refer the motion to the National Disciplinary Committee.

The statement said: "The CPP deems it a duty to it public that it took serious view of the various and cumulative acts of indiscipline, disloyalty, bringing the Party into disrepute, contempt and public ridicule and breaching provision of the Party's Constitution. It said; "the CPP is a democratic and disciplined political tradition. It seeks to encourage free expression of views. In the best traditions of the Party, democratic centralism is upheld as a core and necessary value".

The statement observed: "After a critical and dispassionate reflection of the activities of the three Parliamentarians, the Central Committee came to the conclusion that the Party's tolerance of freedom of expression had, unfortunately, been misinterpreted to mean weakness on its part and that of its Leadership".

It said the Party of over the years had noted with increasing concern and alarm, the destructive attempts by small group of opportunistic elements to use it as vehicle to for their personal material gains to the detriment of the Party's interest and political fortunes.

"The party has been provoked, abused, and maligned to such an extent that our supporters, admirers and sympathisers doubted whether the Party could ever pluck the courage to stand up and be counted". The statement stressed: "These destabilizing forces have increasingly felt emboldened in recent times with the support of State apparatus, the aim being to weaken the Nkrumahist forces, keep their front divided and use the CPP in all kinds of devilish machinations." It said: There is no going back to the culture and dark days of indiscipline and opportunism. We know that we have the overwhelming support of the Party in Ghana and the Nkrumahist movement in the world at large."

The statement called on Party activists to remain resilient and steadfast as no amount of vitriolic attacks and intimidation would distract the Leadership from its historic mission to build the CPP as a viable alternative to the prevailing policies that have resulted in untold hardship and sufferings to the majority of Ghanaians. 22 Jan. 06
Source:
GNA

Commotion In CPP

Saturday, 21 January 2006
ImageThe dismissal of three of the CPP’s Members of Parliament has stirred constitutional crisis in the party, which was founded by Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. The three MPs are Dr, Paa Kwesi Nduom, MP for Komenda- Edina – Eguafo- Abirim, Mr. Kojo Armah, MP for Evalue- Gwira and Freddie Blay the first deputy speaker and MP for Ellembelle.

A source close to the national executive of the party said the central committee of the party took the decision at its meeting in Kumasi on Thursday night, in reaction to calls by the three MPs on the national leadership of the party to step down or submit themselves to early elections.

When the issue came out, 17 out of the 21 national executive members voted in favour of the harder option of expulsion, while three called for suspension.

Before the expulsion, the three were accused of continuously maligning the leadership and flouting the rules and regulations of the party, to the extent of calling on the entire leadership to step down.

The trio were also accused of publicly campaigning against the party’s 2004 presid3ntial candidate, Mr. George Aggudey, and working for the NPP to win the elections at the expense of the CPP.

It said the central committee had referred the matter to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee of the party under the chairmanship of Mr. Riley Poku on the next step to take, and would accordingly inform the Speaker of Parliament for it.

It said the rank and file of the party were incensed by the reckless utterances and misbehavior of the MPs and had blame the leadership of the party for being adamant in dealing ruthlessly with the three.

The action has, however, triggered more trouble for the troubled party, with Mr. Blay describing the decision as ‘untenable and without merit.

‘ I have the mandate of my constituents to be in Parliament for four years and it is not right for the central committee of the CPP to expel me when I have not committed any crime.

‘ I am still a member of the party and it is only when I decide to quit or join another party while in Parliament that I can constitutionally be expelled from the CPP,’ he said.

He indicated that his next reaction would come when the central committee’s action was officially communicated to him.

Dr. Nduom, who also holds a position in the current government as the Public Sector Reforms minister said he was not aware of any meeting at which the members voted to have him and his two other colleagues representing the party in the House expelled.

Dr. Nduom said normally central committee meetings were held at the headquarters of the party in Accra.

‘So I am surprised that this time it was held in Kumasi and also I was not informed as usual.

‘ That is strange and not normal. That is all I can say for now”, he said.

Dr. Nduom said he and the two others would respond appropriately when they had officially been served with a letter to that effect.

The political dimensions of the ragging impasse are still not clear but an expert in constitutional matters has described the whole issue as dicey as far as the 1992 Constitution is concerned.

Article 97 (1g) of the 1992 Constitution states “ A Member of Parliament shall vacate his seat in Parliament if he leaves the party of which he was a member at the time of his election to Parliament to join another party or seeks to remain in Parliament as an independent member.”

The objective of article 97 (1g), according to the expert was to prevent the three MPs from crossing the carpet in Parliament after they had ridden on shoulders of a particular party for election into the House.

He said provision also suggested that the MP who so wished to leave the party must do so voluntarily but pointed out that in the case of the three CPP MPs, there was no such voluntary decision to leave the party.

Accordingly the three MPs could contest their expulsion in court and also file an application at the Supreme Court for an interpretation of Article 97 (1g) of the Constitution. The expert said until the Supreme Court had so determined the case, the three could still hold themselves up as representatives of the CPP in Parliament.
Source: Daily Graphic

CPP Fires All It's MPs

... decision is useless and infantile -Baako
The leader of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) has dismissed all three members of parliament (MP) from the party.

The Central Committee of the party met in Kumasi last night and passed a resolution to dismiss the only three MPs who represent it in Parliament, namely Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, Mr. Freddie Blay and Mr. Kojo Armah. According to sources, Seventeen (17) out of the twenty two (22) members constituting the committee voted for the summary dismissal of the “Gang of three”.

Meanwhile the media committee chairman for the CPP, Mr. Kwesi Pratt Jnr today on a local radio station - PeaceFM - described the dismissal as appropriate, saying that the three gentlemen have long been seen by the party as obstacles to its progress. He said certain pronouncements made by some of the MPs, prior to and after the 2004 general elections to the effect that they openly campaigned against the party’s presidential candidates, is a clear manifestation that they do not have the party at heart.

In a related development, a leading member of the party, Mr. Kweku Baako has described the decision as useless and infantile. Mr. Baako who has openly been speaking in favour of the current New Patriotic Party administration, said the so-called resolution has no basis.

Source:
peaceFm

CPP leadership must go - CPP MPs


Accra, Jan. 19, GNA - The three Convention Peoples' Party (CPP) Members in Parliament has called on the leadership of the party to resign their positions so that an interim executive can be put in place to supervise the re-organisation of the party.

The three, made up of Mr Freddie Blay, Member of Parliament for Ellembele, Mr Kojo Armah, MP Evalue-Gwira and Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, MP for Komeda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem made this call at a press conference on Thursday at Accra International Conference Centre.

A statement signed by the three members and read by Dr Nduom said the leadership of the CPP have demonstrated their inability to lead the party to achieve the objective they themselves have loudly and proudly championed.

"We have observed with deep concern and disappointment the situation of lack of effective organisation and common purpose in the CPP."

"The fact of the matter is that there is a leadership crisis within the CPP, which has led to the party achieving disastrous result in the December 2004 elections."

Dr Nduom said the leadership should have stepped down or submitted itself to early elections after the 2004 elections to ensure renewed interest in the organisation.

"The leadership has rather become more intolerant of opposing views on how to rejuvenate the party and seem content to hang on to their positions without regard to the facts on the ground."

The three members noted that the party has remained dormant in the field and has not been able to catch the attention of opinion leaders and the nation at large.

Dr Nduom said the National Democratic Party (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) on the other hand have energised their members and supporters by renewing the leadership from the polling station to the national level in readiness for the 2008 elections.

"The CPP seems frozen in place at best. The future of the CPP seems bleak when viewed from the current position and gives us great cause for concern."

"We cannot sit by idly and let the current situation continue. Our political tradition is at risk and indeed our parliamentary seats are also at risk."

They contended that they had to fight the 2004 elections without much material and emotional support from the leadership of the party and they were left on their own to fight the elections, as they were independent candidates.

"We do not want a repeat of this experience in 2008 for ourselves or for other comrades."

On the merger talks with the People's National Convention (PNC), the three noted that since February 2004 when the two parties agreed for the unity talks nearly one year of talking has not led to the unity. "It has rather fed the perception of fragmentation and weakness and our opponents fuel this perception."

Dr Nduom said; "the leadership of the two parties are fanning the negative flame of no unity, no victory in 2008." "Consequently, we have decided to work to extend the unity that we have achieved within our ranks in Parliament to our people throughout the country."

"We will lead a renewal by combining our efforts in the field and by offering leadership that will build an effective political organisation capable of competing in the 2008 elections." "From now on we will work with our colleagues in the PNC as members of a united political group."

Dr Nduom said hopefully the two parties through their members in Parliament can achieve the much talked about unity.

"We have no choice but to step up this task in an enthusiastic and selfless way to ensure that our collective voice can influence national development in a positive way."

Source:
GNA