300 Youth of Abutia denied membership of NDC

About 300 youth from two communities in Abutia in the Ho West District are crying foul for being denied the opportunity to register as members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

They have described the denial of membership as a form of ‘mafia tactics’ being used against them by some constituency and polling station executives who saw their membership of the party as a threat to their positions.

visibly angry

Angry youth from Abutia Kissiflui and Amesianyakope are calling on the regional and national executives of the party to do something about their plight or lose them as grass-roots supporters of the party in the

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the group, who called itself Concerned Youth of Abutia, chastised the executives for doing selective registration, adding that they had all their lives been strong supporters of the party and had always voted for the NDC.

According to them, the registration started on January 17 in the constituency with only four specific days to get registered; however on all the occasions, they had been branded as sympathisers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) by some of the polling station executives in their area.

Love for the party

Their interest to join the party was as a result of their love for the party and also to be part of the decision- making, especially in choosing an appropriate candidate who had their interest at heart to contest for the parliamentary seat on the ticket of the party, they pointed out.

‘‘Since I was born, this is the first time I am hearing that the NDC is registering its members and because I love the party, I have decided to obtain a membership card,’ ‘‘a youth of Amesianyakope, Mr Torku Mawulorm, lamented.

Another youth, George Amoah, from Kissiflui, said: ‘‘We will not vote for the party again if they don’t want us as members.’’

The group also threatened not to participate in any activity of the party in their locality.

Exhausted avenues for assistance

Meanwhile, one Nutifafa Kofi, a convenor for one of the parliamentary aspirants in Ho West, Lawyer Alifo, said when they received complaints from the youth concerning their challenges, they sent a petition to the constituency, regional and national executives to have the matter addressed.

Following their petition, he said, the national executive directed the regional executives to look into the matter.

However, the regional and constituency executive, according to him, had not acted as directed by the national executive.

‘‘Today, February 28, is the deadline for all registration and yet we have not heard anything yet. I will appeal that the date is extended especially in this constituency to have all persons who are interested in the party to do so,’’ he stated.

According to him, if the executives did not heed to their call, it would affect the fortunes of the party in future.