The New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Chairman hopeful, Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, has outlined a number of measures he intends to implement when given the nod by the delegates to chair the elephant party. Among them are the strengthening of party structures, payment of stipends to party communicators and others, building the finances of the party at all levels, ensuring that 40% of appointments go to the grassroots.
Speaking to journalists in Accra, he said plans he has for the party will hinge on a united front which he intends to create among the rank and file of the party. “Unity has become an overused word by most people without backing it with any track record,” Mr. Asamoah-Boateng stated.
He described himself as the ‘right field commander’ to lead the party to another victory in national elections come 2024 because he has the right experience and character. According to Asabee, he also has “the magnet whose humility, forthrightness, boldness, high energy, and organisational ability” would attract people of various backgrounds to work for the party.
According to him, the party needs “a situational leader” to solve the “myriad of problems” confronting it and also resource the grassroots to help build a strong base to be able to retain power in the 2024 election.
“We have to resource the party at the grassroots. We have to let the party people feel that the party cares about their welfare,” he said.
The former Local Government minister also gave the assurance that he would work to “strengthen the relationship between party members and our government” by ensuring that party grassroots members who did the legwork to win power during the campaign period feel the benefits of their efforts and notice the presence of their party in power.
He also made his intention clear to “strengthen the party structures”, with each officer being provided “specific responsibilities with resources to deliver”. This will be achieved by spearheading amendments in the party’s constitution to provide each party official with a specific role.
He assured of his intentions to strengthen party finances and thus ensure the financial self-sufficiency of the party. He promised to leverage on his network of businessmen and women to resource the party while also bringing to bear his previous experience as a CEO to benefit the party.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng also outlined his dream to ensure that party members get 40% of political appointments while 60% of these appointments are made by the president-elect and his core team. On the issue of welfare, Mr Asamoah Boateng said he would lead the way to build a robust welfare system to support party members to meet their needs.
He said at the centre of his vision was the promise to champion women empowerment and youth development. As part of moves to revolutionise the party and bring it into line with modern political trends, Mr Asamoah Boateng revealed his plans to “ensure the empowerment of women in the party”.
Key to his plans also is the role of youth in the party, which will be founded on the platform of youth development “in the areas of education, mentoring and job opportunities”. He reminded party delegates that “this is not the time for funfair”, but rather, a time to do a job as a team of gallant party members.
He added, “The NPP does not need an ordinary chairman in this election but an action man with the character of a ‘Field Commander’ ready for an extraordinary time like 2024 to ‘break the 8”, indicating his readiness to lead a party to make history as a first under the Fourth Republic to win three successive elections.
Bridging gap with constituencies
The former Member of Parliament for the Mfantsiman Constituency West constituency in the Central Region promised delegates that under his leadership, the party’s regional and constituency Chairmen will be resourced with funds and logistics to enable them efficiently run their regional and constituency offices.
He will also ensure that executive meetings are held at all levels as stipulated in the party’s constitution, while also operating an open-door policy.
Added to this, he intends to hold annual retreat with the Party’s Chairmen to develop strategies to improve upon the governance framework of the party.
Work closer with Vice Chairmen
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng also stated that under his leadership, the 1st and 2nd Vice-Chairmen will perform specific roles with adequate resources to enable them carry them out.
In addition, he will also ensure that they have the responsibility of handling the welfare of party members at various levels.
He promised that they will also lead in the needs assessment of all constituencies, and also be given the opportunity to make recommendations to promote the fortunes of the party.
Party secretaries to be paid
The chairman hopeful pledged to ensure that all party secretaries are paid adequately so they can effectively man the party secretariat. According to him, the Chairman’s office under his administration will avail itself for recommendations and referencing for business opportunities for the rank and file of the party.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng also promised to strengthen all regional and constituency levels to enable them run efficiently. As party Chairman, Asabee said he will spearhead the creation of a national database of all members of the party, its officers and the rank and file of the party for easy identification and support when it is needed.
Assistant secretaries will also be assigned specific roles with matching funds and resources and they will be empowered to work in the absence of the substantive secretaries.
Expand responsibilities for organisers
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng said under his leadership, party organisers will be tasked with handling the operations and functions of the party.
He plans to empower them to pursue a massive membership drive to increase the number of party members and they will also be empowered to build a team to coordinate the affairs of volunteer groups towards the 2024 elections.
Financial resource mobilisation
The Chairman hopeful has promised to resource the party’s organisers with the needed logistics to perform their functions during election operations. He also hopes to set up Business Development and Resource Mobilisation Units for all constituencies, with the approval of the National Council.
He explained that these will be coordinated by party treasurers and financial secretaries and he will also seek sponsorship from corporate bodies to support the party at all levels.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng also plans to make the ‘Adopt a constituency’ a sustainable fundraising policy for the party.
Women’s empowerment
He said under his Chairmanship, Women Organisers will be resourced to hold frequent women’s wing meetings at constituency and regional levels. He also promised to lobby for the prompt payment of school feeding caterers, and press for an increase in the school feeding grants.
In similar vein, Asabee promised to lobby for NPP Women Organisers to be supported with funds from the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) and the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) to expand and improve upon their businesses.
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng also indicated his intention to initiate mechanisms that will afford children of Women Organisers, as well as children of active party women the opportunity to benefit from government programmes like school placement, National Service (NSS) postings, and job opportunities.
He also promised to lead in the advocacy towards women’s empowerment and affirmative action to bolster the number of women occupying leadership positions in the party, such as women MPs. As part of his 60/40 agenda, he hopes to see more women getting priority support and promised to make his office easily accessible to the party’s Women organisers should he receive the nod.
Monthly stipends for Youth Organisers
Mr. Asamoah-Boateng also commits to ensuring that Youth Organisers are given monthly stipends to enable them run youth programmes. He also assured that under his tenure, NPP youth groups will receive priority in government youth policies, thus they will enjoy support for school placement, NSS postings and job security.
Monthly stipends for party communication officers
M Asamoah Boateng assures that all party communication officers will receive monthly stipends that will cater for their movements, internet data, phone calls and motivation. He also promised to set up a Public Relations and Information Management (PRIM) team for the party, as well as a Rapid Response Team whose primary duty will be to counter the propaganda of other parties.
He said all party communicators will be given adequate training, and will be given the right information to better defend the party and government, promptly.
