Non NPP delegates also had their share

ALTHOUGH the New Patriotic Party (NPP) congress to amend portions of the party’s constitution was meant for delegates from the party, hundreds of NPP sympathisers travelled from the length and breadth of the country to witness the congress.
Some NPP faithful, dressed in the party’s colours and paraphernalia, told the Daily Graphic that they travelled from Tamale, Wa, Kumasi, Koforidua, Ho, Nsawam, and other parts of the country to support the congress.
According to some of the party faithful, they arrived at the Trade Fair Centre, where the programme was held, late Friday night and early Saturday morning to catch a glimpse of activities and their leaders.
Although they were not accredited to enter the main hall, where the amendment of portions of the constitution was taking place, they were, however, entertained with music outside the hall. Those from the northern part of the country enjoyed their traditional music from a group that had travelled all the way from that part of the country.
There were no major incidents of violence. However, a Ghanaian Times Reporter and his cameraman, Messrs Kingsley Asare and Mr Daniel Amoo respectively, received some threats from some NPP supporters. The reporter’s notepad was seized while the photographer was made to delete some pictures of people who nearly attacked Mr Amin Anta.
This was when Mr Anta, who opposed certain portions of the constitution, had been whisked away from the podium to safety, because those who did not agree with him wanted to attack him.
According Superintendent E. K Asare, who led 110 uniformed policemen and officers, the police made only one arrest, a suspected mobile phone snatcher.
“The only problem we encountered was with the body guards of some of the delegates. They refused to secure accreditation for their body guards, but apart from that, there has been peace and order,” he said.
Hiplife and high life music, as well as party songs, were played by sound system brought by Ken City Multi Media.
Other party members who had eyed some of the national executive committee positions used the occasions to market themselves.
While others like Mr Yaw Boabeng Asamoah, a former Special Assistant to former Vice-President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, distributed calendars with his picture, others also sponsored a brass band to provide music.
Some NPP members who called themselves “Grass Root Supporters” danced with placards with the inscriptions, “Grass-roots involvement now or never”, “Party leaders will not go scot free if grass-roots involvement is rejected”, “NPP will not survive being an elite party”, among others.
One Alhassan, an NPP sympathiser, said he travelled with his friends from Tamale to witness the congress.
He said although he had no accreditation to enter the hall, he was happy to be part of the party’s historic congress.
Another sympathiser, Agnes Donkor, said she had travelled from Kumasi to witness the congress but was unhappy that she could not enter the main hall to participate in the deliberations.
“We all support the party in our own way. Although I am not a party delegate, I support the party more than anybody,” she said.
Another NPP supporter, Yaa Antwi Bediako, who travelled from Kumasi with Agnes, said “Mr J. A. Kufuor does not support the party more than I do. Nana Akufo-Addo does not support the party more than I do, although I am not a delegate, I know what I do to support the party.”
She said supporters and sympathisers could have been allowed to sit at the back of the hall to witness the congress and advised the organisers not to repeat that again.
Solidarity messages were read on behalf of some political parties at the conference.
Those who read the messages were Mr Seth Ofori Ohene, the Communications Director of the NDC, Mr Bernard Mornah, the General Secretary of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Mr John Amekah of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) and Mr Kojo Armah of the Convention People’s Party (CPP).