Nkrabeah Effah Darteh, a former presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party has formally launched his campaign for the party’s general secretary position, claiming to be the answer to the seeming disaffection by the foot soldiers in the party.
The immediate past Berekum MP told news men on Monday that his track record as Deputy Local Government Minister, as well as and his eight year stint as MP for Berekum puts him in a better stead for the position as the party’s scribe.
As the NPP goes to the poll in December to elect national officers, ahead of the 2012 General elections, Mr Effah-Darteh outlined three visions as a prospective General Secretary of the party:
To run an effective and operational National Secretariat;
To run the party nationwide and to;
Be the face of the party.
“For a political party that wants to recapture power you need a General Secretary who will travel the length and breadth of the country visiting all the branches of the party, appearing in person at each Regional meeting or major trouble spots and flashpots in the party,” he said.
He paid glowing tribute to past general secretaries of the party, particularly to BJ Da Rocha, Dan Botwe and the incumbent Nana Ohene Ntow, but was quick to add the circumstances have changed and demands fresh men and new ideas to run the party effectively.
“By the Grace of God I was an infantry Army Captain who commanded men under arms, by the Grace of God I established and ran a National Secretariat for the Petroleum Retailers Association from 1987 until the year 2001 when I entered Parliament.
“By the Grace of God I can say without fear of contradiction that running a headquarters secretariat with staff and equipment under me should not be a mesmerizing issue for me,” he touted.
He called on the former and serving MP’s as well as the party’s foot soldiers to close their ranks and provide an unflinching support for his bid, to ensure that the party comes back to power.
He said the victory of the party in the Akwatia election, and narrow loss to the NDC in the Chereponi bye election in the face of violence and intimidation shows that NPP still remains vibrant, stressing "the need to reorganise the party into a fighting machine and to repackage ourselves as an electioneering organisation" to win votes.
MusicEffah-Darteh in his usual spiritual countenance treated news men to his musical rendition, “Matwen Ewuradi anim” or seeking the face of God.
In his usual humourous, yet confident disposition, Effah- Darteh answered a plethora of questions including his supposed rent indebtedness to government.
The prospective General Secretary said emphatically that he was entitled to an accommodation as MP, insisting the Works and Housing minister erred in telling him to refund some GH¢9,000 as rent to government.
Mr. Effah Darteh admitted that the vigil in honour of the late Baah Wiredu on 24th September, 2009 was poorly organised but that he said should not be a stain on his ambitions. He revealed that he has individually planned a Baah Wiredu marathon as well lectures all in memory of the late Finance Minister.
Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana