Payment of ‘T&T’ to delegates by aspirants is not a crime – Peter Mac Manu

The Chairman of the NPP’s National Election Committee, Peter Mac Manu has opined that there is nothing wrong with aspirants footing the travel and transportation (T&T) cost of delegates during an event such as an annual delegates conference.

According to him, “it is not a crime”.

Speaking in an interview with Emefa Apawu on The Probe on Sunday, he stated that while the NPP did well to curb the perennial incident of vote-buying at political congresses; there is nothing wrong if aspirants pay the fares of delegates.

Mr. Mac Manu made these remarks while answering a question posed by host of the show, regarding an allegation made by a National Organiser hopeful, Mr, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, to the effect that some aspirants bribed the delegates.

According to him, he knows those who are engaging in the illegality but will not mention names.

“I know them, they also know themselves so I will not mention names,” Mr. Asamoah Boateng stated.

Asabee disclosed that he has given the delegates money to cater for their travel and transport (T&T).

“I only gave them T&T three times-150, 150 and 100,” he said.

However, Mr Mac Manu said “That’s not part of the crimes in the PNDC law 284.”

In Mr. Mac Manu’s view, the party implemented robust measures to tackle the menace of monetisation, as part of its commitment to strengthen internal democracy.

Touching on the late start of proceedings on Saturday, he explained that the delay was occasioned by an injunction that was filed to prevent TESCON delegates from taking part in the elections.

He also added that some delegates had to commute all the way from the Eastern Region to the venue, due to some challenges with finding accommodation for them in Accra.

Mr. Mac Manu used to the opportunity to dismiss assertions that the delay was as a result of aspirants meeting delegates in their hotels to give them money before they come to the venue.

In all, he was glad about the turn of events and expressed his happiness for a successful exercise.

Meanwhile, Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has called on members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to rally behind the party’s newly elected executives.

According to him, this will help the party in the upcoming general election.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, he stated that the unity of the party is essential to its success, therefore all members must unite to build a unified front in order to retain power in 2024.

“We have elected a team of Officers with a deep attachment to the timeless values and principles of the Party and its tradition, and who will steer affairs of the party for the next four years. They are the national face and voice of our Party, and they will set the tone and the pace of our election campaign in 2024.

As I indicated on Saturday, the NPP is at its best when we are united and operating as a focused entity. I, thus, urge all in the NPP to unite strongly behind our new national officers, for it is only by working together that we can “Break the Eight”, and help deliver progress and prosperity to the Ghanaian people”, the President said.

While charging the rank and file of the party to remain united, he also seized the opportunity to congratulate the new crop of executives who emerged victorious in Saturday’s polls.

“I congratulate warmly the new National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Mr Stephen Ayesu Ntim, and the other National Officers who were elected at the Party’s National Delegates’ Conference, held at the Accra Sports Stadium, on Saturday, 16th July 2022.

Once again, we, in the NPP, have demonstrated that we are the Party that is committed to the tenets of multi-party democracy”, he added.

The President also thanked the media and the Electoral Commission for their roles in the conduct of proceedings.

“The Electoral Commission is to be commended for conducting and supervising Saturday’s elections, and I thank the Media for providing extensive coverage of the proceedings.

May God bless the New Patriotic Party and us all, and may God bless our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong”, he concluded.

Source: Paa Kwesi Schandorf