A contender in the flag-bearer race of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, has called for massive reforms within NPP, saying, “we cannot pretend that everything is OK within the party.”
He said without paying attention to the problems confronting the party and dealing with them, going into Election 2016 with the same status quo and expecting to win would be a herculean task to overcome.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Dr Apraku pointed out that premium must be placed on the training of the party’s polling agents to make them effective in managing the various polling centres.
Dr Apraku, who has completed an intensive campaign tour of the country, must beat six other contestants to become the flag bearer of the NPP.
The others contesting with him include the party’s two-time presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo; former Trade Minister, Alan Kyerematen; former Information Minister, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, MPs Kofi Osei Ameyaw and Francis Addai Nimoh and second Deputy Speaker and MP for Essikado-Ketan, Mr Joe Ghartey.
Seven hundred and eighty-six delegates, made up of leaders of the party across the country, will whittle down the number of aspirants to five in Sunday’s Special Electoral College, which kicks off from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Humiliating episode
The flag-bearer aspirant said the humiliating episode of NPP polling agents signing documents without paying due attention called for “a year-round training for our agents to understand the political processes, intricacies of managing the polling agents and feel a greater sense of responsibility when they sign the pink sheets.”
According to Dr Apraku, polling station agents must be trained to understand that in working hard at the polling centres, they also work for themselves.
“If the polling agents get the sense that they are stakeholders in the party, they will work accordingly.
This sense of responsibility must be inculcated in them; it will not come by chance,” he asserted.
Dr Apraku stated that during his campaign tour, he learnt that “some of our polling agents have been infiltrated by opposition parties and they manipulate the process.”
“Our agents must be true-blooded NPP, committed to the cause of NPP and with a capacity to read, write and interprete,” he stated.
He said he had initiated conversations with polling station executives on the need for them to train and develop this sense of responsibility among future NPP agents.
Key agenda
According to Dr Apraku, his key agenda is to transform the agriculture sector from the primitive-hoe-and-cutlass business to a mechanised, technically driven one that will raise productivity and income and move the country out of poverty.
He also promised to bridge the gap between the north and south territories and spread development across all sectors during his presidency.
In his view, the current development gulf between the two territories is unacceptable, explaining that it can lead to social unrest and anti-social behaviours in the country.