NPP-USA BY-LAWS SHOULD BE IN CONFORMITY WITH NPP CONSTITUTION 

Danny and President Akufo Addo shaking hands

As the NPP-USA is in the process of amending our by-laws I will like to draw the attention of our members on some of the changes they should expect because some NEC members I spoke to are adamant in changing the status quo. Let me also state that i have written to the leadership of my Chapter, Columbus Chapter, NPP-USA and the NPP National. Why is it that some people want the system that is not free, fair and  transparent as well as creates confusion and let people live the party as the expense of their happiness. The inconsistencies of the NPP-USA By-laws should be addressed to conform to the constitution of mother party; the NPP Constitution. 

ARTICLE 8 OF NPP  CONSTITUTION STIPULATES THAT; 
EXTERNAL BRANCHES
(1) There shall be established External Branches of the Party, whose activities shall be governed by the provisions of this Constitution.

3) The Rules and Regulations of the Branch shall be in conformity with the provisions of this Constitution.
I will mention few inconsistencies in the NPP-USA By-laws as compare compared to the NPP Constitution. 

I will start with the voting system of NPP-USA. 
This system can lead to chaos in NPP-USA and as a concerned member who advocate for peaceful, free, fair and transparent elections, I will urge the leadership to kindly do away with the e-mail voting. Let’s ensure that our elections conform to NPP’s constitution, as enshrined in Article 8(1) and (3) of the NPP constitution, which states that the activities and regulations of all external branches should be governed by the NPP constitution. In Ghana, the national officers are elected during an annual delegates conference where eligible voters appear physically to cast their votes, as stated in Article 9 (A)(4)(a)

Should we conduct our elections in such a way that anybody can vote online (through E-mail) without cross checking the eligibility of the voter? Even in USA where voting is done on computer, the electoral college representatives check the ID cards of voters before they are allowed to vote. People in USA don’t vote from their homes to pave way for rigging. The method of voting to elect national officers  should be expected to conform to the voting system where eligible voters cast their votes in a ballot box or electronic system in the presence of polling  agents, Electoral Commission officials and election observers. Even, in USA where voting is sometimes conducted on the computer, eligible voters physically appear for double-checking their identities before they can vote. This NPP-USA online voting system is totally different, alien to any democratically organized elections and a calculated attempt to rig the  elections.

Even if we still want to do   electronic voting, can’t we do it at our polling stations so as to check the eligibility of the voter before he/she casts his/her vote and declared the results immediately after the polls? The current system is recipe for disaster and has let some people leave the party.  As ROPAA is approaching let’s make our party attractive by doing things that will help increase our membership and bring love and commitment to the party. 

Again article 9 Clause 7 of the NPP Constitution talks about holding one position in the party. Some people hold 2 or more positions in the party. It must ceased as it against the tenets of the NPP Constitution.

Let me also state that the 12 people who vote during Presidential elections should be the National Officers but not members appointed by the Branch, etc. It should conform  to the provisions of the NPP constitution

Again the elected positions should be in conformity with the NPP Constitution during elections. We have to stop electing only 4 people and appoint the rest but elect people for various positions as stated in the NPP Constitution. 

This is to mention but a few. I will kindly plead for the National Executive Committee of the NPP-USA  to follow the dictums of the NPP Constitution as stated in Article 8 of the  Constitution.

Let’s try to be honest and  truthful without fear or favour. 

I hope and pray that the Leadership listens to us to make our party attractive and great in the USA.

Thank you. 

Danny Opoku Antwi

(NPP-USA member)

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