The Upper East branch of the People’s National Convention (PNC) has started earnest preparation towards acquiring some parliamentary seats in the region. The PNC intends to maintain the Builsa North seat and recapture the Bolgatanga constituency currently being occupied by the NDC’s Opam Brown. A statement issued by the party’s Regional Secretary, Henry Fatchu announced that the party would open nominations for regional and constituency executive positions between October 5-15, 2011 throughout the 13 constituencies in the region and the regional party office to attend to members interested in regional executive position. The regional executive committee of the PNC will also open nominations for parliamentary aspirants alongside the regional executive nominations and run the constituency primaries and party executives elections simultaneously. Persons interested in contesting the position of regional chairman will pay a filing fee of GH¢100.00 while those who intend to contest for the positions of regional secretary, regional organizer, regional treasurer, regional youth organizer, and regional education secretary will also pay GH¢40.00 each. Those vying for deputy positions will pay GH¢30.00. In addition to the amounts stated above aspirants of the various executive positions will have to pick up a form for GH¢10.00 and must pay up party dues of GH¢2.00 for at least 2 years. Positions to be contested at the constituency level will not attract any fee but candidates must pick up a form for GH¢5.00 and should have paid their dues of GH¢1.00 for at least 2 years. Women running for regional and constituency positions will pay nothing with the exception of nomination forms and dues. All constituency primaries and constituency executive conferences are expected to end by October 18, 2011 to pave way for the regional executive conference to be held on October 22, 2011. The PNC regional secretary explained that the filing fees were at low rates to indicate that the majority of Ghanaians were poor. He also noted that they did this in line with the core objectives of the party to motivate the poor and marginalized to also get involved in governance and decision making, either directly or indirectly.