The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has amended its constitution, making its presidential candidate the leader of the party.
Similarly, when the party is in government, the President shall be the leader of the party until a presidential candidate is elected.
The amendment to Articles 10(4)(1) and 13 seeks to formalise the party’s leadership structure and eliminate ambiguity or potential contestation over who exercises political leadership of the party. It recognised the presidential candidate as the principal focal point of the party when the party is in government.
The President as the holder of the highest executive political authority and the proposal therefore establish a logical succession of political leadership; the Presidential Candidate leads where one has been elected and the President leads where the party is in government but has no presidential candidate.
This was motion ten which was among 14 amendments that were tabled and approved during the party’s national delegates conference that was held at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium last Saturday.
Ahead of the amendments, the immediate past acting National Chairman, Danquah Smith Buttey, while addressing the conference, asked for the postponement of the amendments to the constitution to to the next conference due to time constraints.
However, the Chairman of the constitutional and legal affairs committee, Frank Davies, went ahead and presented the 14 amendments to the delegates for consideration and who subsequently voted on all of them to accept them.
Other amendments
Article 10(10)(2) was also amended to reinstate the President when the party is in government as a member of the national steering committee.
More importantly, it sought to include the President as leader of the party when in government in the national steering committee to ensure effective coordination and harmony between the party and government.
There was also an amendment of Articles 4(1)(7) and 16 (9) to increase the representation of the National Council of Elders on the National Disciplinary Committee from one to two members.
It seeks to strengthen the representation of the National Council of Elders to enhance the experience, wisdom and institutional perspective brought to bear on disciplinary proceedings while promoting greater balance, fairness and confidence in the party’s disciplinary processes.
Also, Article 7(2) was amended to provide for the appointment of one additional constituency vice-chairperson to the composition of the constituency executive committee.
It also seeks to strengthen the capacity and effectiveness of the constituency executive committees to broaden leadership participation, facilitate effective distribution of responsibilities and improve coordination and administration at the constituency level.
Articles 7(2) and 9(1) were amended to include regional information technology officer and the constituency information technology officer as members of their respective regional and constituency executive committees.
The amendments sought to formally recognise IT Officers as members of regional and executive committees reflecting the growing importance of technology, information and data in party administration and electoral activities.
Similarly, Articles 7(2) and 9(1) of the constitution were amended to provide for the appointment of deputy regional communications officers and deputy constituency communications officers as members of their respective regional and constituency executive committees.
The proposal was necessitated by the transition of regional and constituency communication officers from appointive positions bringing them in line with other elected officers who have deputies.
Furthermore, Article 9(1) was also approved for the appointment of two additional regional vice-chairpersons to the composition of the regional executive committee.
It seeks to strengthen the regional executive committee by providing the additional officers to broaden leadership participation, facilitate the effective distribution of responsibilities and improve coordination and administration at the regional level.
Additionally, Article 10(1) (3) has been amended to grant voting rights to the chairpersons of the regional council of elders at the national delegates conference.
It seeks to ensure consistency and fairness of the allocation of voting rights at the national delegates conference.
Since regional council of elders’ chairpersons are members of the regional steering committees per Article 9(3) and other members of these regional steering committees enjoy voting rights, extending the same right to the chairpersons would eliminate an anomaly and ensure equitable representation.
Article 10(1)(3) was amended to grant voting rights to the chairpersons of the new regional patrons at the national delegates conference.
The party said granting them voting rights would enhance their recognition, boost morale and strengthen their sense of belonging and participation in party decision making.
Also, Article 10(2) was accepted to mandate the national council to provide for an administrative manual containing the detailed duties, responsibilities and functions of all elected and non-elected party officers at all levels of the party.
The manual would institutionalise a clear framework for the duties and responsibilities of all-party officers.
The party delegates per their voting amended Article 10(3)(2) and 10(4)(2) to allow the presidential candidate to in consultation with the national executive committee develop the campaign structure for the presidential election and appoint the chairperson and other members of the national campaign advisory committee subject to the approval of the of the national council to oversee and coordinate the national campaign of the party.
Further, Article 10(5) was amended to provide for the appointment of three additional national vice-chairpersons bringing the total to six.
The appointed vice-chairpersons would not be eligible for succession to the national chairmanship.
Another key amendment was Article 10(5) which had provided that the first, second and third national vice-chairpersons shall be separate elective positions, each contested independently at the national delegates conference.
Lastly, Article 15(1)(2) was amended to add a new paragraph (g) mandating the women’s wing to champion and promote the progressive achievement of women participation in political dispensation in accordance with the Affirmative Action (Gender Equity) Act, 2024 (Act 1121).
