A group calling itself ‘Alliance for the Empowerment of NDC Constituency Branch Executives’ is demanding urgent reforms in the way the ruling party organizes elections from the constituency to the national level. In a statement signed by the convener Ebenezer Arkutu, Secretary Tom-Tom Branch—Ayawaso Central Constituency, it said the change will empower the party’s grassroots to assume greater positions and responsibilities for the political future of the NDC. It will also empower constituency branch executives in all the 275 constituencies to even elect the party’s flag-bearer. “We the constituency branch executives lack influence in our own party because we do not have the power and authority to decide who becomes our respective regional executives, we do not elect the national executives and not to talk about the party's flagbearer. Yet it is us who mobilize and organize the grassroots’ for constituency/regional and national rallies – it is us who are appointed and represent the party at the polling stations/collation centres as polling/counting agents to safeguard the party's electoral fortunes. It is us.” The statement further stated: “Over the years, we have become victims to vain assurances of the affluent mainstream constituency executives, the empty promises of the regional executives and the worthless recommendations of the national executives. We have been reduced to mere organizers and beggars in our own party. It is now time to seek reforms and take ownership of our party, the NDC.” The Alliance for the Empowerment of NDC Constituency Branch Executives is therefore calling for an engagement with the leadership of the party leading to an amendment of the party’s constitution towards the realization of the hopes and aspirations of the majority of the grassroots’ before the 2016 general elections.” Below is the full statement CALL FOR CONSITUTIONAL REFORMS IN THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS (NDC)…CONSTITUENCY BRANCH EXECUTIVES MUST BE EMPOWERED TO ELECT THE PARTY’s FLAGBEARER In the name of the Almighty God, in the spirit of the founder of our Party, in fulfilment of the legacy of former president J.E.A Mills and on the vision of president John Dramani Mahama, we the constituency branch executives of the NDC call on the leadership of our Party to embark on immediate constitutional reforms leading to the empowerment of the constituency branch executives in all the 275 constituencies in the country to elect the Party’s flagbearer every four (4) years , including their respective regional executives as well as the national executives. We therefore call for an engagement with the leadership of the Party leading to an amendment of the Party’s constitution towards the realization of the hopes and aspirations of the majority of the grassroots’ before the 2016 general elections. For twenty years, we have managed and organized the Party at the grassroots’ level; mobilize the support base of the Party at every major elections; won four (4) out of six (6) major elections in the fourth republic; transformed the Party not only into an electoral winning machine but also into a Party of choice for the nations aspirational class, teaming youth and the older generation to name but a few. Now is the time to honour and empower the Party’s grassroots’ to assume greater positions and responsibilities for the political future of our Party, the NDC. Hence, the urgent need for the constitutional reforms to enable us shape the political will of the footsoldiers/grassroots’ as well as influence or determine the social and economic programmes of the Party/NDC government. Today in the NDC power and authority resides in a few who have become too powerful and attract to themselves all opportunities, all at the expense of the grassroots’, though they (the constituency branch executives) are the managers and organizers of the Party. We the constituency branch executives lack influence in our own Party because we do not have the power and authority to decide who becomes our respective regional executives, we do not elect the national executives and not to talk about the Party’s flagbearer. Yet it is us who mobilize and organize the grassroots’ for constituency/regional and national rallies – it is us who are appointed and represent the party at the polling stations/collation centres as polling/counting agents to safeguard the party’s electoral fortunes. It is us. Over the years, we have become victims to vain assurances of the affluent mainstream constituency executives, the empty promises of the regional executives and the worthless recommendations of the national executives. We have been reduced to mere organizers and beggars in our own Party. It is now time to seek reforms and take ownership of our party, the NDC. We are seeking for this constitutional reforms and with a new mandate to demand for a better leadership not only from the Flagbearer/President at any given time but also to insist from leadership the core values and principles of our Party—which are selflessness, probity, accountability, transparency, integrity and social justice. We therefore appeal to the NDC footsoldiers/grassroots’ to support us in all the 275 constituencies to organize meetings and constituency/regional rallies to demand for this most important singular constitutional reform in our Party’s history for our own goodness. Join us in your constituency for the campaign dubbed “Rally for Constitutional Reforms’’. Thank You. Long live Ghana!! Long live the NDC!! Long live the NDC Footsoldiers!! Signed EBENEZER ARKUTU SECRETARY, TOM-TOM BRANCH—AYAWASO CENTRAL CONSTITUENCY CONVENER FOR THE ALLIANCE FOR THE EMPOWERMENT OF NDC CONSTITUENCY BRANCH EXECUTIVES OTHER LEADING MEMBERS: ALBERT SWATSON NYARKO KARIM HABIB MARTIN SENYO