The Communication Director of the Akufo-Addo for 2012 Campaign has stated that the recent tour of Europe by the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was to offer the party leader an opportunity to meet and interact with registered party members across Europe. Nana Akomea says Nana Akufo-Addo’s trip to Europe coincided with the biennial NPP International conference of party members who reside in Europe and America where registered party members come together to deliberate on future strategies. “The NPP has about 30,000 registered members in Europe and in the Americas - we call them the overseas branches. The numbers are quite large – 30,000 – and their input into the party in terms of support has been very considerable so we even have given them representation at our national council,” Mr Akomea said. Nana Akufo-Addo was in Europe last week to interact with Ghanaians, especially NPP sympathisers as part of his presidential campaign. There have been questions as to whether the NPP flagbearer was focusing on the wrong people who may not have the opportunity to vote in the General elections in 2012. But the Member of Parliament for Okai Koi North who was speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Tuesday said, the trip was part of efforts to reflect on past errors of the party and rebuilding the NPP as the party looks forward to recapturing power from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government in 2012. He said Akufo-Addo’s interaction with “this very important constituent of the NPP” was to re-examine some of the reasons why the party lost the elections, put in place measures to address the deficiencies and then launch a campaign towards recapturing power from the NDC. Responding to whether Akufo-Addo was not wasting his time addressing a small number of people when the large chunk of the supporters are in Ghana, Nana Akomea stated that this was just the beginning of such engagements. “As for the programmes that will show a certain path, all of us will see it and I am sure when the time comes and the programmes are rolled out and put into the manifesto, Ghanaians will be excited about the new thinking and will go along with the party,” he explained. He said it was necessary for the flagbearer to engage Ghanaians abroad because they are all potential voters who can make a difference if they decide to come down to exercise their franchise. Nana Akomea hinted that the party was now getting ready to put together its 2012 manifesto. He also revealed that “there are various teams putting together the new thinking that will go into the NPP manifesto; new thinking that we believe will be able to transform this country in ten years or so if Ghanaians buy into it.” Story by Derick Romeo Adogla/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana