I haven't been that long in the politics of NPP Germany, and indeed, the just ended elections was the first time I fully participated in the branch's congress to elect new executives.
This is not to say I haven't been participating in the activities of the branch. Far from that. I'm fully a member of the branch who has been
Read full articlevery active since my entry in 2018. At the youth wing level, I held an executive position in the erstwhile administration, of which I fully discharged my responsibilities to the best of my ability. I have also been a member of the communications team of the branch.
It's an undeniable fact that the branch's elections this year, some say like or more than last year, has been tumultuous. Full of drama, rancour, accusations and counteraccusations. I have been a full participant of this election via a group I am convener of, Setting the Records Straight and so I come to this conversation with a full appreciation of how things have been.
I first encountered Mr. Gyimah closely in the branch when a self-appointed conflict resolution committee I was part of, finished our job and needed to present our report. All through our work, the name of Mr. Gyimah featured prominently.
The feuding parties had a lot of difference towards Mr. Gyimah and greatly respected his nuggets of wisdom he shared with them. When the committee reached out to him for inputs, he, without hesitation, offered to assist at all times. On the final day of our work, we invited him to speak to the two feuding parties which he gladly did. And the rest is history.
Even before the event narrated above, his name had almost become as household name in the branch. Why? Because in the absence of the chairman of the branch, Rev Alex Acheampong, he had steered the affairs of the branch competently. The buck of the branch had since the departure of the substantive chairman, stopped with Mr. Gyimah.
My second closest encounter with him was when I took a petition to the national council to get Mrs. Rebecca Asante disqualified from the contest of women organiser. I laid my arguments very forcefully. In so doing, I openly criticized Mr. Gyimah in front of everyone. I faulted his decision and described same as unconstitutional. Yes, I still hold the opinions I espoused that day to date.
After this episode, I have encountered Mr. Gyimah on many occasions for different reasons some of which included bringing petitions to him, defending Ruth Linden Berger, and criticising some of the decisions of the EC which he chairs. What sticks out in all of this, is the fact that, Mr. Gyimah never held a grudge against me. He understandably never took my constructive criticisms of him personal. This goes to showcase his in-depth understanding of democracy and leadership!
While my abled co-convener Nana Sarfo and I continued to pile pressure on him in accordance with our sincere conviction on how things ought to be done, other candidates also shot salvos at him. Numerous accusations have been levelled against him most of which are outright lies. These pressures that can crumble mount Everest still didn't bog him down.
In a bid discredit him and cast him as a bad person, some individuals lacking an iota of scruple, create the impression that he is one man handling many positions. They ignorantly say - he is the 1st vice chairman, ag. chairman, the EC chair, etc. Clearly, anyone who makes this boorish claim is either ignorant or mischievous.
First, he's 1st vice chairman by virtue of the fact that he contested and won an election to occupy that position. Second, in the absence of the chairman, and in line with the principle of the hierarchy of power, the 1st vice chairman is the de jure chairman. Third, the position of EC chairman is one appointed by the national council. Every party member, regardless of their position in the party, could be appointed and Mr. Gyimah is no exception.
It remains to be seen a proof buttressing the myriad of unfounded accusations levelled against him by his detractors. While he's not above reproach, it's completely unacceptable for anyone to fabricate lies about him like we heard Mrs. Rebecca Aboagye Sarpong do on Asempa fm.
They say he's autocratic, meanwhile if it were true, the national council and NEC, of which many of his detractors are members of, would have called him to order. So why do they always skip those fora available to them to address their concerns about Mr. Gyimah and rather go public with disinformation?
Is Mr. Gyimah paid any salaries or compensations for all the work he does for the NPP in the branch? The answer is no! All his services are pro bono. In addition, he has been putting his own monies into the party.
As an accomplished accountant with many years of experience with reputable companies, one would argue that he is in no need of the branch. It's therefore distressing that some people would make him a cesspit for pouring their trash just because he decided to stick to the rules and regulations of the branch, and also, because he decided not to pander to their whims and caprices.
I am yet to see his detractors point to a single law he has broken in the discharge of his duties. Everything said about him are concoctions borne out of malice and an extreme sense of entitlement by his detractors.
In spite of the heavy bombardments of allegations and threats of harm against his person in the run-up to the branch elections, he courageously weathered the storm and conducted a transparent and incident-free elections which culminated into the election of a new set of executives for the branch.
What have I learned from Mr. Gyimah so far? His integrity! His courage! His candour! His grit! One thing that has become very clear to me like daylight is that, Mr. Gyimah has an unassailable integrity and that's what did the trick. None of his detractors were able to point to any wrongdoing on his part except to cast aspersions. I'm very sure they would have crucified him if they got something regardless of how weightless it may be, to lay a finger on.
I'm really impressed with him. If the party were to honour heroes, I'll personally nominate him as a deserving recipient of such an accolade. He is indeed a hidden treasure of the branch and I am afraid his exit will leave an irreplaceable void!
Kudos to you, Sir and may Allah guide your steps. You deserve a high place at the table of party heroes.
Mr. Charles Gyimah
