BEREKUM MCE APPEALS TO ASPIRING MP (PAGE 13)

Story: Samuel Duodu, Berekum

THE Berekum Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Kwabena Kyere-Yeboah, has appealed to the seven people vying to contest the parliamentary election in the Berekum Constituency on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to impress upon their supporters to desist from acts that can spark off violence and break the front of the party.
According to him, the aspirants needed to educate their supporters to conduct their campaigns with decorum in order for the party to maintain a united front in the constituency before, during and after the primary to select a candidate.
The MCE also urged supporters of the various aspirants to desist from defacing the posters of their opponents, since that behaviour did not promote party unity and could lead to chaos and confusion in the municipality.
Mr Kyere-Yeboah, who made the appeal at a meeting held at his instance in Berekum in the Brong Ahafo Region and attended by members of the security agencies, the media and the aspirants, called on the aspirants to also engage in issue-based campaigns devoid of acrimony and insults in order not to divide the party and undermine its fortunes at the polls and also lead to a breach of law and order in the area.
The seven aspirants, who have all been vetted and were present at the meeting are Dr Kwabena Twum-Nuamah, a medical practitioner; Dr Kodjo Opoku-Adomah, a veterinary surgeon; Mr Francis Manu-Gyan, the Volta Regional Administrative Officer of the GBC; Prof Daniel Obeng-Ofori, a lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon; and Nana Adu-Gyamfi Kumaning, a retired diplomat.
The rest are Capt Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey (Retd), the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) and Mr Kwaku Agyenim-Boateng, a legal services consultant.
Berekum has always been one of the constituencies in the region where the NPP primary has been hotly contested.
Mr Kyere-Yeboah stated that the aftermath of the primary must be peaceful and, therefore, urged the aspirants to say things that would unite the party, saying that at the end of the day, one person would emerge the winner and all must unite to ensure the success of the party at the polls.
The Constituency Chairman, Mr Kwaku Kankam, for his part, called on the aspirants to abide by the rules and regulations of the party and campaign based on issues, rather than mudslinging and insults, which had the potential to affect the fortunes of the party.
He disclosed that it was only the delegates, aspirants and their observers, who would be allowed into the main hall during the delegates conference, to prevent any confusion and chaos.
The aspirants, for their part, called for a level playing field for all and also urged the constituency executives to maintain their neutrality, since anything short of that could mar the primary.
They also pledged to conduct their campaigns devoid of insults.