Kennedy Kankam, the Chief Executive of Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly, has recommended to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to thwart government appointees from contesting in the party’s upcoming parliamentary primaries.

According to him, government appointees will have the upper hand over the incumbent MPs, if allowed to contest due to their influences in the party.

The party in its statement barred national, regional, constituency executives and MMDCEs from contesting in constituencies where the party has sitting MPs. However, they have been asked to resign from their positions, if they want to contest.

Speaking during an interview, the former MP for Nhyiaso, said influential party members should also be prevented from contesting in the parliamentary primaries and that the decision should not bind only party executives.

He made mention of the fact that MMDCEs and party executives, have less influence compared to CEOs, executive directors, members of boards and other government appointees.

“I’m in 100% support of the party’s directive, but what I’m pleading for is for expansion of those that have been barred from contesting. Nobody should get me wrong. The directive that MMDCEs are not supposed to contest, I don’t have problems with that.
“But the fact of the matter is that if you look at the explanations given to the officers of the party, they said that they don’t want them to disturb the MPs in their backyards while they are in Parliament. They want MPs to focus on all sorts of things. But limiting it to the MMDCEs and party executives alone, I’m sorry will not help us to achieve the explanations they are giving to us. That is where I’m trying to draw the party’s attention.”
Kennedy Kankam

He asserted: “They are saying that the MMDCEs have a lot of influence in the system and when they are left to contest, it will create a lot of problems. But looking at the ministers, deputies, CEOs, executive directors, members of Boards, and other government appointees, their influences are even more than that of MMDCEs and party executives”.

He supplemented this with suggestions to the party to develop the directive to cover ministers, deputies, CEOs and other government appointees as well.

“If the party really wants the MPs to have their peace of mind to work, then I think they [party] need to look at it again…”, Kennedy Kankam opined.

The former lawmaker reiterated that government appointees who have a lot of resources at their disposal, will whip the sitting MPs with their monies during campaigns and might take over most of the seats. He therefore, called for a level playing field for all party members.

Exempting MMDCEs And Executives Disastrous

According to Hon. Kennedy Kankam, barring National, Regional, Constituency Party Executives and MMDCEs from contesting the party’s pending presidential and parliamentary primaries, will spell doom for the party in the 2024 general elections.

“If the Party thinks banning MMDCEs too from contesting MPs will increase the number of MPs in election 2024, it won’t. It would even worsen the case, as it happened to us the last time.
“I’m not saying or doing this for any personal gain, but the right thing must be done to provide equal opportunities to all. How can you ban MMDCEs and allow CEOs, Ministers, Deputy Ministers to contest sitting MPs? The decision is wrong, and Executives must have a second look at the decision.”
Kennedy Kankam

The NPP will open nominations for parliamentary elections on February 24, 2024, the party’s general secretary, Justin Kodua, announced on Monday, March 3. For sitting MPs, nominations will open on December 20, 2023, and close on January 4, 2024.

The Party has however, approved detailed rules and regulations to govern the conduct of both the presidential and parliamentary primaries, which would be made available to the public.