The opposition New Patriotic Party has initiated moves to reinstate dismissed members of the party who contested as independent parliamentary candidates in the last elections. Members of the party who either lost primaries or were disqualified from contesting parliamentary seats on the party’s ticket contested as independent candidates. Following their action the party dismissed them for gross indiscipline and contravening the party's constitution. But the party is now willing to reintegrate them into the party, having probably realized rather too late that the disciplinary action against some members of the party could have cost the NPP the last elections. General Secretary of the NPP, Nana Ohene Ntow told Joy News the move was meant to reunite the NPP family. He said all former members of the party have been approached and those who agree to abide by its rules will be reinstated. According to him, those who won parliamentary seats were already sitting with the NPP MPs in the House and will be formally reinstated in the party. But a law lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ernest Abotsi says reinstating the MPs will lead to them losing their seats. Quoting from the Constitution, he argues that once they did not contest on the NPP’s ticket, rejoining the party automatically costs them their seats. In that case, by-elections will have to be conducted in all the constituencies involved. Touching on other issues, Nana Ohene Ntow faulted President Mills for failing to spell out new initiatives when he delivered his State of the Nation Address. Ohene Ntow claims President Mills only referred to existing programmes and projects and pledged to improve on them. That for him, was disappointing because the president during the campaigns raised hopes to unprecedented levels, and also faulted him on the statement he read before parliament, which he said is quite different from the text version of it. He promised a transcription of what President Mills said and what was issued to expose the difference. Listen to excerpts of the interview of Mr. Ntow in the attached audio. Story by Malik Abass Daabu

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Tags:  

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Related to this story

• Seamless Technologies CEO Calls for Strategic AI adoption to transform Ghana’s financial services sector

---

• Cargill, ICI equip 111 youth with vocational skills to tackle child labour

---

• Council of State member donates $5,000 to NDC UK and Ireland Aldershot branch for water project

---

• Education Ministry renews return-to-class appeal despite teachers’ refusal to end strike

---

• Remains of dozens of suspected kidnap victims found in Nigerian forests

---

• Four bodies found after avalanche hits Himalayan climbing group

---

• Adipa residents give government seven days to halt Agbogbloshie waste transfer

---

• Desks rotting in abandoned Kintampo South E-Block: A decade of neglect and a waste of state resources

---

• West Africa cannot simply import security models without accounting for local realities – WAMS

---

• Bono East Minister directs MCE to stop hotel project near Konkrompe SHS

---