Some New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters on Tuesday morning besieged the Lower West Akyim party office over a new decision barring men from contesting incumbent female Members of Parliament in the party’s upcoming parliamentary primaries.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”OGCtioJzbPNa0X87ZTjfBx0KP4BWK3yA”]The NPP\u2019s National Executive Committee on Monday announced the new decision<\/strong><\/a><\/span> explaining that it is\u00a0<\/span>to increase female participation in Parliament<\/span><\/strong><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n But the decision has met mixed reaction from party members.<\/p>\n Citi News<\/strong> correspondent, Kwame Appiah Kubi reported that following the directive \u201csome disgruntled polling station executives of the NPP in the Lower West Akyim constituency besieged the party\u2019s office to register their displeasure over the issue.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the members were of the view that the such decision is not in the best interest of the party while threatening to excuse themselves from the party if the \u201cdecision is allowed to stay.\u201d<\/p>\n But Speaking to Citi News<\/strong>, the constituency secretary of the NPP, Michael Asante indicated that the directive was only a proposal adding that \u201conce it\u2019s a proposal, it can be accepted or rejected.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0\u201cOur people are very disgruntled. I hope our leaders are getting the feedback of this particular proposal they have made,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n New affirmative directive not illegal – Otiko Djaba<\/strong><\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Women\u2019s Organiser of the NPP, Otiko Afisa Djaba has dismissed suggestions that the party\u2019s new directive is illegal.<\/p>\n She argued that the directive does not violate any provision in the party\u2019s or Ghana\u2019s constitution insisting that \u201cIt is not illegal it is in the constitution of Ghana about gender equity, how can that be against the law.?”<\/p>\n Speaking to Citi News<\/strong>, Otiko Afisa Djaba advocated for wider consultations in the implementation of the directive in order to preserve the unity of the party adding that \u201cfor every law there is the need for negotiation and lobbying to ensure that the implementation of it will be beneficial to all of us. Asking for just 16 out of 275 cannot be something we cannot manage and do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think that the men too should be a bit lenient. If we continue to shy away and pay lip service to the issues of women Ghana cannot develop at the rate that it needs to. So if somebody\u2019s ambition has to be put down so that we bring our mothers and our sisters up, I think it is a small thing to ask\u201d and it is long overdue,\u201d she insisted.<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Godwin Allotey Akweiteh\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n