Latest in the string of confusion in the party is the controversy surrounding the purchase of a new office complex for the regional branch to facilitate the party’s activities in the region.

 

The NDC Western Regional Chairman, Mr. Michael Aidoo, has said he bought the one-storey office complex out of his own coffers with support of some friends as a gift to the NDC Western Regional Branch. However, some regional executives have vowed never to step foot in the said building, accusing the regional chairman of not being transparent and taking a unilateral decision in the acquisition of the building.

 

The executives who have vowed not to move into the new office include the Regional Secretary, Joseph Nelson; Regional Organizer, Japheth Baidoo; Regional Women Organizer, Anita Annan and Deputy Regional Communication Officer, Kirk Mensah.

 

These dissenting executives supported by the Former Western Regional Minister, Paul Evans Aidoo and his deputy, Alfred Ekow Djan, have been part of a group that supported the Former NDC Western Regional Chairman, Nana Kojo Toku, at the party’s last regional delegates congress where the latter lost his regional chairmanship position to Mr. Michael Aidoo.

 

Since then, this group of executives popularly known as the “Nana Toku Camp” has not been in good terms with Mr. Aidoo and his loyalists.

 

On the other side, Mr. Aidoo popularly known as Big Aidoo, has the full support of other regional executives including the Regional Communication Officer, Famous Tumi Acquah; Regional Youth Organizer, Yunos Mohammed and the Deputy Regional Women Organizer, Araba Tagoe.

 

This other group dubbed, the “Big Aidoo Camp”, has also vowed to deal with any executive or member of the party who seeks to frustrate the regional chairman from executing his mandate.

 

Sources say the new office building which has apparently ignited the long-standing misunderstanding between the two camps, was purchased at a cost of GHC1.2 million. It has two conference rooms and 18 offices. The building, situated in the Chapel Hill residential area, is still undergoing some minor renovation.

 

Speaking in an interview with The New Crusading GUIDE on why some of the regional executives have decided not move into the new building, the NDC Western Regional Secretary, Joseph Nelson, maintained that the regional chairman must come clear on how the building was purchased.

 

“We need to know: How much it costs? Who are the so-called friends who supported him to buy it and how much did these friends contributed? Again, we’re told that there are still some arrears to be made to complete the purchase, how much is this amount? And most importantly, whose name is on the ownership document of the building, is it the NDC or his?”, he queried.

 

According to Mr. Nelson, the chairman should have consulted other executives of the party before buying the building even if it is a gift from him (the chairman) to the party as is being claimed.

 

“My position is clear- until he sits down with some of us and explain these issues, some of us are not ready to move in there”, he stressed.

 

But, the Regional Chairman in a telephone interview described the call as baseless which is only meant to undermine him.

 

“My brother, if you want to buy a gift for someone, do you first discuss it with the person?”, he asked.

 

“This is a building I bought with my own money with the help of some few friends. Not a single cedi is from the party so what are they talking about?

 

“The whole thing is that, they are just playing politics with it because they think I will contest again so they want to do everything to frustrate me but it won’t work”, he said.

 

“Getting a regional office for the party was one of my major campaign promises when I was seeking the mandate to become the regional chairman and I am committed to fulfilling that. It seems those people just can’t believe that within just two years of my term, I’ve been able to do this”, he added.

 

He said the old regional office building was in a dilapidated state and that, the owner of the building was reclaiming his property therefore there was the need to get a new office.

 

Mr. Aidoo said he was not bordered if some few executives were not willing to move into the new building, stating that, the party would continue to hold its meetings in the new building since majority of the Regional Executive Committee (REC) which comprises of 15 members, are happy about using the new facility.

 

He said REC has held its first meeting in the facility and has resolved to continue using it, stressing that “all my meetings are going to be held there from henceforth”

 

It would be recalled that barely seven months to the 2016 elections, cracks within the Western Region NDC prompted the party to dispatch a team led by National 1st Vice Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, to broker peace between the two factions- the “Nana Toku Camp” and the “Big Aidoo Camp”

 

However, that reconciliatory effort by the team did not yield much result.