NDC Delegates Chase Out PBC Boss

The Managing Director of the Produce Buying Company Limited (PBC), Kwadwo Atta-Kra incurred the wrath of National Democratic Congress (NDC) delegates drawn from four constituencies in the Eastern Region after he described key government appointments as unfair to the region. In a meeting with delegates from Nkawkaw, New Abirem, Mpraeso and Abetifi constituencies, Mr Atta-Kra attempted to convince four municipal and district chief executives to vote for some selected candidates in the upcoming Eastern regional congress. According to the PBC boss, who was a district secretary during the Rawlings' regime, the current appointments by President Mahama's government did not favour the Eastern Region. However, the delegates, who thought Mr Atta-Kra's claims were spurious, did not take kindly to his assertions. The delegates maintained that the Eastern Region alone had nine ministerial and deputy ministerial positions from which five were serving on the Cabinet. They say Mr Atta-Kra's current position as well as other non-ministerial appointments given to NDC members from the region by the Mahama government made the PBC boss' claims even more unpardonable. According to the delegates, Mr Atta-Kra's poor assessment of government appointments are borne out of his desire to get them to vote for one John Owusu Amankra, popularly known as 'Jowak', and M.M Doh as Regional Chairman and Regional Secretary of the NDC respectively. 'Jowak' was a former Regional Chairman of the party while Mr Doh is the current Deputy Secretary vying for party Secretary. But according to inside sources, most of the delegates have resolved to vote for Bismark Tawiah Boateng as the party's Regional Chairman and Mark Oliver-Kevor as partyt Secretary. Mr Olver-Kevor is an ICT lecturer with the Presbyterian University College. Sources say, at a point in the meeting, Joseph Omari Sasu, the District Chief Executive for Kwahu South kicked against the personal attacks and character assassination by the PBC boss. Hot exchanges ensued between the outraged delegates and Attah-Kra, who is also Chairman of the Eastern Regional Caucus of NDC, bringing the meeting to an abrupt. Some delegates said they booed at the PBC boss after the meeting. The angry delegates say subtle attempts by Mr Atta-Kra and his cronies to impose any person on them would be fiercely resisted. In a reaction, the PBC however denied making such claims stating only, "I never mentioned the President's name". The party has confirmed November 14, 2014 for its regional congress in Nsawam.