Ghana’s immediate past Deputy Ambassador to China, Dr. Charles Dwamena, has stated that he firmly believes that it is only an NPP Government that can transform the fortunes of Ghana and make it a prosperous country and that for that to happen, the party requires at least 4 consecutive terms at the helm of affairs to crystallize all the good programs and policies.
Addressing a group of TESCON Executive Members at the Greater Accra Regional Party Office on Wednesday August 11, Dr China, as the diplomat is popularly called indicated that for the New Patriotic Party to remain in Power for more than 4 consecutive terms, the party needs to be stronger than it currently is. He stressed that a stronger Party is one that is financially sound and that all party members should pay closer attention to the management of the Party’s treasury if the party is to remain in power beyond 2024.
He indicated that effective treasury management revolves around two key concepts; effective resource mobilization and efficient resource utilization. Under effective resource mobilization, Dr China highlighted the need for the party treasury managers to ensure that there is greater transparency and accountability for all funds mobilized; enough training for party treasurers, financial secretaries and in deed all constituency officers; greater recognition for all people who donate or contribute to the Party’s coffers; and a decentralized dues collection system to make it possible and easy for the over 2 million committed party members to pay their monthly dues so as to spread the ownership of the party and by so doing re-engage the grassroots in party activities.
On the efficient utilization of the mobilized resources, Dr China proposed that the Party should set up a Business Incubation Fund to support party members who have innovative business ideas so they can set up businesses in the various constituencies. This he stressed, would empower the grassroots and make them more efficient in undertaking Party activities.
Dr. Dwamena also indicated that there is the need for a welfare fund that will be operational at the constituency levels so at to take care of the welfare needs of the party officers from the polling station level upwards as well as the grassroots members. He indicated that such a robust constituency-based welfare fund will energize the base of the Party right from the polling station levels and make the party stronger.
Dr China also indicated that, to safeguard the survival of the party going into the future, part of the mobilized resources of the party should be set aside to train the youth of the party through a Human Resource Empowerment Program (H-REP) and Political Mentorship Program (PMP). He explained that the HREP is a proposal to deliberately fund the education of party members, the youth, and Tescon Students to pursue higher degrees home and abroad with the aim of broadening the Party’s Human Resource base and the PMP is a program aimed at affording party members, particularly the TESCON members and the Youth, the opportunity of being attached to leading government appointees and MPs in a paid mentorship program so as to learn practical political and leadership skills in their respective fields.
Dr. Dwamena stressed that he firmly believes these are some of the most efficient ways of utilizing the Party’s resources so as to energize the base of the party for sustained political power.
He therefore served notice that he will be making himself available to serve the party in any capacity, particularly in its Treasury Management, now that he has returned to Ghana after successfully completing his Duty Tour in China.
Dr. Charles Dwamena was the Director of Finance and Administration at the NPP Headquarters from 2015 to 2017 and played a key role in managing affairs of the party during the 2016 elections. He also served as the secretary to the 2016 National Campaign. He is a founding member of the China Branch of the NPP and served as the Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Caucus of the Party.