NDC Congress Cost ¢20bn

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Created on Saturday, 01 September 2012 00:00

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NDC Congress Cost ¢20bn

Details are emerging about the money involved in the organization of the just-ended special national delegates’ congress of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Kumasi on Thursday.

The single-agenda congress, which was supervised by a team of officials from the Electoral Commission led by Kwadwo Sarfo Kantanka, a deputy chairman, was to endorse President John Dramani Mahama as the party’s Presidential Candidate for the December 7, 2012 general elections.

Sources at the party’s Kokomlemle headquarters claimed they budgeted for an amount of GH¢2million (¢20billion) for the event, but they might have even exceeded the budget in view of some additional cost that was incurred.

This was said to include logistics, transport, food, drinks, accommodation for the nearly 3,000 delegates, printing of T-shirts showcasing John Mahama and fee for the venue and other exigencies.

Indications were that each and every one of the delegates that thronged the event venue, the Baba Yara sports stadium, was given money covering their participation.

Sources said the amount was taken from the party’s war chest in possession of a key member of Mills’ kitchen cabinet.

Most of them were said to have arrived in Kumasi a night before the actual congress on Wednesday and checked into some of the plush hotels in town.

A good number of hotels in Kumasi, especially those in and around the stadium area, were fully booked by the NDC for the delegates to the extent that some journalists who could not make hotel arrangements earlier, had to either put up with colleagues who had accommodation or friends resident in the Ashanti regional capital.

Though attempts to speak to General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu-Nketia proved unsuccessful in view of the fact that his phones were said to have been switched off, Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NDC, Joseph Yammin, who was part of those who put the event together, said he had no idea how much was involved.

That notwithstanding, Yammin told DAILY GUIDE that even if he knew the amount involved he would not disclose it.

“If a political party organizes a congress then you ask of cost…nobody will speak to you on this matter,” he noted.

The NDC Kumasi congress was handled by seven committees, namely Security, Logistics, Accommodation, Communication and Publicity, Accreditation, Grounds and Congress Committees.

The Congress Committee’s membership included NDC Regional Chairman Yaw Obimpeh, Regional Minister Dr Kwaku Agyeman Mensah and NDC Regional Secretary Joseph Yammin.

Source: Charles Takyi-Boadu/D-Guide