The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) is shocked at the opposition National Democratic Congress’ decision to campaign against the amendment of Article 55 of the Constitution.

The proposed amendment, which will be voted on in a referendum scheduled for December 17, will allow local government elections to be partisan.

Urging the party’s followers to vote No, the NDC said a Yes vote will mean “that very soon in our villages, there will be “NDC Communal Labour day” and “NPP Communal Labour day”.

“There will also be ‘NDC market’ and ‘NPP market’ and so on and so forth,” Chairman of the party, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, stated.

At a press conference in Accra Monday, however, General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu said the sudden turn of events was unfortunate.

He said the NDC’s decision “flies in the face of the informed wisdom that it is rather the winner takes all culture of the existing structure that is largely responsible for the tension between the two main political parties and the gradual marginalisation of minority parties in Ghana which gets worse election after election since 1992.”

Mr Boadu wondered how the NDC, which has cooperated constructively with government in Parliament and other stakeholders, has suddenly changed its mind.

Throughout the many engagements that were held on the referendum, the General Secretary said the NDC was in full support of a Yes vote and not once did they declare otherwise.

“What the NDC displayed last Tuesday [when it held a press conference to announce for its followers to vote No] was nothing else but an unpatriotic betrayal of the Ghanaian people.

“Such a naked show of dishonesty, deceit, indecision, lack of candour and integrity from the biggest opposition party in the country, projects a perception that NDC will sacrifice the national interest at the altar where cheap political points are to be scored,” Mr Boadu said.

The NPP believes that the only thing opposition party wants to achieve with their decision is cheap propaganda victory ahead of the 2020 elections.

“Let this message go out to every household that as far as the NPP is concerned, a Yes vote is not about the NPP and certainly not about the NDC.

“It is about what is good for Ghana and governance in our country and where it matters most at the grassroot level,” he added.

Watch the full press conference below: