The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has lifted the indefinite suspension of Mr. Kwabena Agyei Agyapong.
Mr Agyapong, until his suspension in December 2015, was the General Secretary of the party.
The decision was taken by NEC after extensive deliberations following a letter written by the former NPP General Secretary for clemency.
He had appealed to the party to recognise him as a former General Secretary after the expiration of his mandate as the party’s chief scribe on April 12, 2018.
In arriving at the decision, NEC, which was the body that suspended him based on the recommendations of the National Disciplinary Committee, took into cognisance, the conduct of Mr Agyapong during the period of his suspension.
A statement issued by NPP’s General Secretary John Boadu said in the light of this decision, “the party now recognises Mr. Kwabena Agyei Agyapong as former General Secretary”.
This recognition, he pointed out, entitles the former General Secretary to enjoy all privileges and courtesies conferred on previous occupants of the position.
The NEC also accepted the recommendations of the National Disciplinary Committee to lift the suspension of the Constituency Women’s Organizer for Atiwa East, Gifty Sackey, who was suspended by the Eastern Regional Executive Committee of the Party.
Lifting Mr Kwabena Agyapong’s suspension after six-years, according to information gathered by THE CUSTODIAN, was partly due to passionate appeals from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and other party stakeholders who argued that the former General Secretary is great asset to the NPP.
The suspension
It would be recalled that Mr Agyapong, was suspended with two others for misconduct in 2015.
NPP’s NEC found him and the others guilty of violating Article 3(d) of the party’s Constitution, which enjoins members to uphold the party’s decisions, publicly through various acts.
He was also accused of engaging in “unilateral actions and activities without consultation of, or authorisation by the NEC.”
The two others were the former National Chairman, Paul Afoko and the former National Vice Chairman, Sammy Crabbe.
Mr Afoko and Sammy Crabbe later took the party to court, seeking redress on the matter.
However, Mr Agyapong did not join them in the litigation and remained loyal to NPP, a party he worked hard to build since its inception in 1992.
He had in February written to the NEC to re-instate his membership, stating that six years were enough for his suspension to be lifted.
At their general meeting on Monday, the NEC considered the said letter and appeals from party stakeholders and re-instated him.
Despite his suspension, Mr Kwabena Agyapong has been an active player in championing the political ambition of President Akufo-Addo.
Even after he was out of office in 2015, Mr Agyapong supported a number of constituencies across the country with some funding in the lead up to the 2016 general election.
He also toured all the 16 regions of Ghana with President Akufo-Addo on his campaign trail and even mounted the podium to solicit votes for the President and the governing NPP.
NPP adopts Osafo-Maafo C’ttee report
The governing NPP has adopted the report of the Osafo-Maafo-led Election Review Committee, which was set up by the party to review its performance in the 2020 General Election and to make appropriate recommendations.
The report was adopted by NEC at its meeting on Monday, May 10, 2021.
NEC also considered a Draft Code of Conduct and Guidelines to regulate the conduct of party members, particularly prospective Presidential and Parliamentary Candidates for election 2024 and their followers, during the pre-elections period.
The Draft Code of Conduct and Guidelines would soon be made public after same has been ratified by the party’s National Council.
