The leading aspirant for the national chairmanship position of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, fondly referred to as ‘Asabee’, has observed that the party has since its birth attracted a huge following because of the vibrancy of its youth wings.
Addressing participants at Youth Forum by the NPP-UK branch in London last Saturday, Asabee said the youth have always driven the movement for change in Ghana and for the development of the country.
As a founding member of the NPP, the aspiring National Chairman revealed that before the return of Ghana to constitutional rule in 1992, the UP tradition which metamorphosed into the NPP relied heavily on its youthful elements like himself, Dan Botwe, Michael Ansah, Kwaku Ampratwum Sarpong and, others to pile up pressure on the Rawlings-led PNDC to allow for multi-party democracy.
The former Minister for Information as well as Local Government in the Kufuor administration stated that, “but for the efforts of the youth of Ghana especially those who worked for the NPP in the shape of Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) and other youthful affiliates, the NPP would not have won the 2000 elections and subsequent ones”.
Asabee who is a former Director-General of State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), noted that the NPP has done well by ensuring the creation and strengthening of its tertiary branches in the universities and polytechnics as well as training colleges across Ghana.
TESCON and the youth wings, he noted, have served its purpose well so far and, urged the UK branch to continue with the youthful activities that have made it vibrant and attractive to party faithful.
Asabee stressed that that the tenacity and undying spirit of TESCON and the youth wing of the Party stood the test of time in the 2000 general elections when, as polling agents they were even rounded up, beaten and detained at the Ho Mortar Regiment, for example.
Despite this setback, Asabee disclosed, when they were dispatched to Accra in an effort to prevent them from their roles as agents, they still insisted on going back to battle the NDC in their own backyard.
“I hereby call on the UK branch to imbibe in itself the values and ideals that has made the NPP youth wings including TESCON very vibrant’’, the former SIGA Boss urged.
Commitment to hard work
Asabee expressed his commitment to ensuring the youth wings of the party are resourced adequately and appropriately to respond to their duties when he wins the upcoming national chairmanship position.
He assured the UK branch and others of constant and consistent support to fuel the energy amongst its membership and elements, give them opportunities for leadership training and, create job and entrepreneurial opportunities for them to make it in life.
As national Chairman, Asabee said the party structure will be re-charged for executive officers to play meaningful role and, every wing of the party supported to function effectively and efficiently.
‘’The NPP is Youth-centred party that believes in hard work. As national chairman I will expend great effort to find resources to keep it even more vibrant and functional to respond to the needs of its members as well as the Ghanaian youth in general’’, Asabee stated.
He called on members of the youth wing to work together to the building of a united party and, to aim at building consensus whenever possible in resolving contentious issues.
“Let’s remember we’re a united party and it’s crucial to remain so to defeat our political opponents in the 2024 general elections”, Asabee concluded.
