AN Active member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ayawaso. Constituency, Mr. Ephraim Foli, has described as unfortunate recent media reports that NPP members across the country are demoralised because they have been neglected by President J.A, Kufuor. Mr. Foli, who spoke with the Daily Graphic, said under President Kufuor, the authority to award contracts had been vested in ministers, all the way down to the district chief executives. “Even the Central Tender Board, which used to be at the Presidency, is no longer in existence,” he said. Mr. Foli also said that on assumption of office in 2001, when President Kufuor discovered deficiency in the party’s constitution regarding the role of the President in party affairs, he decided he was not going to allow this to divorce him from the party of which he is a founding member. He, therefore, gave the party two seats in his Cabinet to ensure that the party had a say in the formulation of government policy. This was to create a two-way communication stream between the government and party, since the party had become an integral part of the government. “Some party members, unfortunately, have not realised the effects of these changes,” he said. Mr. Foli said President Kufuor and his government believed in empowering Ghanaians, especially members of the party, in a sustainable manner based on the “Golden Age of Business”, with the private sector as the engine of growth concepts. “The President expects that since these concepts form part of the party’s manifestos, party members will be at the forefront of the implementation of these policies,” he observed. To Mr. Foli, those grumbling are yet to understand the style and philosophy of good governance, which states that the government will create an enabling business friendly environment for the country to achieve its potential. He said President Kufuor, in pursuance of his campaign promise of ‘positive change’, decided not to dip his fingers into national coffers to satisfy party members as pertained in the past. Positive Change is not meant to be only a campaign slogan, but a departure from the negative practices of the past. Mr. Foli’s advice to people who attempt to peddle untruths about the President and the party is that they should desist from the path which they have chosen to tread. He further asked party members to be vigilant and alive to the ideals of the party. Graphic.