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We’re engaging disgruntled members contesting as independent PCs – NPP
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced that it will continue to engage with party members who intend to contest as independent parliamentary candidates in the upcoming elections.
The Electoral Commission will close the window for filing nominations on September 13.
Some NPP MPs who lost their bids to represent the party, including Cynthia Morrison and Kwadwo Asante of Agona West and Suhum respectively, have indicated their intention to contest as independent candidates.
However, NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong revealed at a press conference that the party is engaging with these individuals to reconsider their decisions.
Frimpong emphasised that the NPP conducted free and fair parliamentary primaries, and the results reflected the will of the people.
He expressed hope that those who lost would support the winning candidates but acknowledged that some have chosen to contest as independents.
“As a party, led by the National Chairman, Mr. Stephen Ayesu Ntim. When we took over the reign as national officers, we made it a point that we ensure that there is a free, fair election in our parliamentary primary and the media can attest to it, that we organise one of the best parliamentary primaries the party has ever had,” he said.
According to him, “And the results were very clear that the people decided on who they wanted to become our parliamentary candidate in the various respective constituencies.”
He added, “So anyone who goes to elections always has the idea that it’s either the person who wins or the person who may also lose. So as a party and a true patron, we expect that everyone who went to elections and couldn’t win will support the one who won.”
“But in the case of all those who have gone as independent, the party will continue to engage them to the latter, where we realise that maybe there’s nothing more that we can do, but we still have hope that all is not lost and we shall continue to engage our members who have gone independent,” he concluded.
Souce:Citinewsroom.com
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UNODC partners GFA Foundation on Prison advocacy and mentorship programme
The GFA Foundation and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have agreed to work together to advocate for anti-discrimination and the elimination of stigmatization for prisoners and prisons.
This partnership was agreed, in principle, during a meeting at the Home of Football (GFA Head Office) between the Director of the GFA Foundation and the UNODC Team led by Mr. Christoph Capelle, an Associate Expert in Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and the Coordinator of the prison and penal reform project in Ghana.
Welcoming the Team to the Home of Football, the Director of the GFA Foundation, Mr. Malcolm Frazier Appeadu briefed the team about the GFA Foundation – Ghana Prisons Project which has covered 6 prisons across the country already.
He indicated that the Foundation is liaising with the Ghana Prisons Service to commence the second and third pillars of the project, which are the coaches and referees training programs as well as the advocacy and mentorship initiatives.
He said that the GFA Foundation will welcome partners for the execution of the second phase of the project which will include Ankaful Maximum Security Prison, Kumasi Central Prison, Sekondi Central Prison and three other prison facilities.
In his response, Mr. Christoph Capelle commended the GFA for the GFA Foundation – Ghana Prisons Project which seeks to use the power of football to promote the wellbeing, reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates of Ghana’s prisons into society.
Mr. Capelle said that UNODC is looking forward to a collaboration with the GFA Foundation on possible programs for both the medium and long term to support football and sports jobs and skills development in Ghana’s prisons.
He extended an invitation to the GFA Foundation to be part of an assessment of overall prison rehabilitation programmes including the use of sports by their international consultant at the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison.
There will be a football match and donation of footballs, sports items and equipment to the prison facility.
Present at the meeting were Mr. Kwame Koramoah, an officer at the GFA Foundation and Integrity Office, Helena Adobea Ofori, Associate Programme Officer, UNODC and Caleb Elorm Agodzo, Administrative Officer, UNODC.
It will be recalled that in 2020, The UNODC and FIFA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to tackle corruption and crime in and through sports and pledged to consider ways in which football can be used as a vehicle to strengthen youth resilience to crime and substance use through the provision of life skills training.
The MOU was renewed last year by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
News
Gomoa West: NPP, NDC supporters clash over commissioning of DRIP equipment
Supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Monday morning clashed over the commissioning of machinery for the District Road Infrastructure Project in the Gomoa West District of the Central Region.
According to Citi News sources, the conflict began when NDC supporters questioned the decision to display images of Bismark Basie Nkum, the NPP’s Gomoa West parliamentary candidate on the DRIP machinery.
This disagreement quickly escalated, almost leading to a physical altercation between the two groups.
Baisie Nkum, who doubles as the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Gomoa West, further claimed that the Member of Parliament for the area, Richard Gyan Mensah, brandished a pistol and issued threats against the NPP’s local leadership.
A viral video circulating on social media captured the DCE accusing MP Richard Gyan Mensah of pulling out a gun and threatening NPP supporters during the heated incident.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
