Greater Accra National Democratic Congress (NDC) is in total confusion and on the verge of disarray as party executives are in fierce battle for supremacy.
The main opposition party is gripped with internal conflict, threatening its electoral fortunes in the region.
Reports indicate that tensions reached boiling point during a Regional Executive meeting on July 4, 2024 at the party’s Regional Party office in La, where there was physical altercation between Regional Chairman Emmanuel Nii Ashie Moore and Regional Women’s Organizer Felicia Mekpoi Bortey.
THE CUSTODIAN gathered that the conflict started when the regional chairman refused to allow the regional women’s organiser to address issues related to the distribution of some motorbikes in the Sege Constituency.
This, according to more information gleaned, escalated into personal attacks with both parties exchanging unprintable insults.
The information further indicated that the confrontation became particularly intense when Chairman Moore made disparaging remarks about Ms. Bortey’s character, including accusations of promiscuity.
In an apparent show of unrestrained anger, the Regional Women’s responded by pouring hot water on Ashie Moore.
This resulted in Ashie Moore attempting to physically assault Bortey and other regional executives had to quickly intervene to prevent further violence.
An attempt by a dispatched team led by former Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mr. Sylvester Mensah to resolve the impasse was inclusive as the Regional Chairman was head in a vile video sacking the team.
Causal Issues
THE CUSTODIAN learnt that the incident between the two regional officers was symptomatic of deeper issues within the Greater Accra NDC.
Sources within NDC indicate that factionalism and petty infighting have plagued the party’s regional branch for some time.
“I have never seen the region in disunity like Greater Accra. Nothing happens here without arguments or confrontation. We have not learned any lesson from what happened in Central Region NDC. We have about four different factions in one region, and why should that be so?” a regional executive, name withheld told this paper.
He added that, “With the general election only five months away, the internal strife within the Greater Accra NDC could severely impact the party’s performance. I am worried that the ongoing disunity might derail the party’s efforts in the crucial Greater Accra Region, a key battleground for the upcoming elections.”
Simmering tension
It would be recalled that the NDC Greater Accra regional Chairman Ashie Moore revoked the suspension of the Ayawaso-West-Wuogon Constituency Chairman of the party Bismark Aborbi-Ayitey last year against the wishes of some party executives.
Aborbi-Ayitey was suspended through a communication by the NDC Greater Accra Regional Secretary, Theophilus Tetteh Chaie.
Mr Tetteh Chaie had accused the constituency chairman of engaging in media programmes that discussed internal party matters.
He therefore referred the matter to the Regional Disciplinary Committee for further investigation.
In a letter dated June 6, 2023, he asked Mr Aborbi-Ayitey to hand over all party properties in his possession to the constituency Vice Chairman until the matter has been adjudicated upon.
However, the regional chairman, intervened and cancelled the said suspension.
His argument is that the said suspension did not go through the right procedure to get his endorsement as the Regional Chairman.