A delegation from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) expected to deliver a solidarity message at the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) National Delegates Conference has left the venue, citing delays in the programme.
The delegation, led by NDC Deputy National Women’s Organiser Dzifa Tsegah, said it had been waiting since 9 a.m. and had not received clear communication on when the congress would begin or when invited political parties would be allowed to deliver their solidarity messages.
Ms Tsegah said the delegation had other engagements and therefore decided to deliver its message through the media before leaving the venue.
“It is almost 2 PM, and it doesn’t look like they are ready. We have a lot of things to do, and so we will have to go on our way because on the flyer, it tells us that by 1 PM they should have ended. It is 2 PM now, and they have not even started. I don’t think we can be waiting indefinitely. It is not fair. We didn’t think that we were going to spend the entire day here,” she said.
The NDC delegation had been officially invited by the NPP to attend the congress and deliver a solidarity message as part of the programme. Ms Tsegah said the NDC honoured the invitation in good faith but expressed concern about what she described as poor organisation and communication surrounding the event.
“As the National Deputy Women’s Organizer, I have called on some of my colleagues from the other side, but everyone seems to be disoriented. Nobody knows what is going on. There is no central point of communication,” she said.
She criticised the delays, arguing that delegates had travelled from across the country and that the congress had yet to commence despite the scheduled programme.
“Delegates have travelled outside from their various regions to be here and the conference part hasn’t even started not to talk about the voting part,” she said.
Despite the criticism, Ms Tsegah said the NDC remained committed to the spirit of the invitation and wished the NPP well in its elections.
“I really hope that this election will pull the best out of them because in Ghana we need a strong opposition to make sure democracy is alive and on its toes,” she said.
She subsequently conveyed greetings from President John Dramani Mahama, NDC National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah and the wider NDC, before the delegation left the congress grounds.
