As part of efforts to fulfil a campaign promise to king makers in their upcoming parliamentary primaries on Saturday, Mr. David Asante Boateng, the managing director at the Ghana publishing company Limited, who also doubles as convener for the Let My Vote Count pressure group and one of the aspirants of the Nkawkaw constituency NPP parliamentary seat has launched a delegates welfare fund with a seed capital of Gh¢ 20,000.
According to Mr. Asante Boateng, the fund is one of his major promises to the delegates of the party and is scheduled to be established before the primaries to serve as an insurance for delegates who serve the party diligently.
” This is a key campaign promise I have made to my delegates for the past two years since i decided to lead the party. I also made it clear that, it will be done even before the primaries. I believe that the welfare of the citizens and residents of any particular area should be the primary focus of every leader at all times and that is exactly the motive behind the establishment of this fund” he said.
The Let My Vote Count convener further indicated that the inspiration to do this for delegates of his party, dates back as far as 2007 when he had the opportunity on some campaign trips with the current president of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo who was by then a flagbearer of the NPP and got to know that, many were the foot soldiers and party faithfuls who toiled in all aspects to ensure that the party stood stronger in several areas, but were abandoned and not taken care of, once they went on retirement.
“I remember coming across an elderly man who was introduced to my self and the president on one of our campaign trips many years ago somewhere in the Northern Region as someone who has fought tirelessly to ensure that our party became stronger in the area but has no body to take care of him. It was then that I got the feeling to do some thing like this for delegates one day when they give me the chance to serve” he added.
Mr. Asante Boateng however indicated that the fund will be managed by a properly constituted board, formed from among the delegates in order to ensure that it is managed prudently.
The 2nd vice chairman for the party in the constituency, Mr. Fred Owusu Nkansah who represented the party leadership, on behalf of the party and delegates, expressed their sincere gratitude to Mr. Asante for the novel gesture and promised that a competent board will be constituted to ensure prudent management of the fund.
The vice chairman again took the opportunity advice the delegates not to discriminate against any candidate but rather honor the invitation of every single candidate since they are all members of one family and must unite for the common goal of wining the 2020 general elections after the primaries.
Nana Ntim Sampong, Okwahubaamuhene, who also graced the occasion on his part, urged the delegated to acknowledge the good motive behind the establishment of the fund, which is to ensure their welfare and cast their votes for Mr. Asante come Saturday.
He further advised that none of them should deliberately demand access to the fund when indeed they have no significant use of it.
Report by Nana Kwame Andoh