Postpone impending parliamentary primaries - Group to Akufo-Addo

The global community is doing all it can to slow down and eventually halt the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), a pandemic that has claimed thousands of lives. It is estimated that a total of 50,321 deaths have occurred with countries like the United Kingdom, USA, Italy experiencing marginal increase in death rate. [WHO, situation report published 3rd April, 2020].

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is an infectious disease which spreads through saliva or discharges from the nose by means of sneezing, coughing etc. The New England Journal of Medicine has also indicated that the virus can suspend in the air for more than three hours in the absence of most conditions.

In Africa, COVID-19 has spread to dozens of countries within weeks and Ghana being no exception, recorded its first case on 12th March, 2020, and is still counting. To minimize the impact of the pandemic on Ghana, His Excellency, Nana Akufo-Addo, issued a directive on 22nd March, 2020, for the closure of Ghana’s air, land and sea borders and its subsequent two week extension beginning 5th April, 2020.

In a press statement delivered to the nation by the President on Friday, 27th March, 2020 indicated that, “we know how to bring back the Economy, but we can't bring back People’s lives’. We believe that the directives given by the President and the lockdown of Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi, as well as the Awutu Senya East was issued to prevent and safeguard the lives of the people of Ghana from this invincible, destructive and deadly “Coronavirus”.

You may also recall that the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, in an interview, equivocally indicated that the impending NPP primaries will be held on 25 April, 2020, as planned.

This came as selfish, surprising and disturbing, to “we” the Concerned Patriots of the NPP, particularly at this crucial time that the Government is working around the clock to ensure the pandemic is contained and lives of those already affected by the virus are saved. Again, this fatal invincible “Coronavirus” which is terrorising economies, jeopardising businesses and sweeping the lives of people across the globe cannot be taken for granted, all in the name of Primaries.

We believe that the same NPP Constitution that gave powers to the National Executive Council to propose 25th April, 2020 for the primaries equally provide the same power to consider as a matter of urgency, have the primaries postponed for the goodwill and safety of our party supporters, the delegates, as well as secure 4 more for Nana Akufo-Addo.

At this moment that the entire global community including Ghana, is working hard to fight this pandemic, we humbly and collectively call on H. E. the President and the National Executive Council of the NPP, to consider the issues raised by the Patriotic Youth Alliance (PYA).

For these reasons and not to daunt the hard work of Government and the Party, we call on the President, His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to intervene to have the impending NPP Parliamentary primaries postponed.

Once again, we cannot bring the lives of our faithful, committed, dedicated and hard working party members, delegates, and people back.........!