Things are not right at the Headquarters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) as party elements are unhappy with their executives over issues of accountability with respect to funds given to them to run activities of the party.
It is clear that the NDC will need a crack team of auditors to investigate its books to appreciate how funds mobilized and sent to national headquarters were disbursed and utilized for and on behalf of the party.
The Herald has picked up reports that the party headquarters is currently struggling to account for a colossal amount of money that was returned to it after the 2020 general elections.
For now, insiders say, there is no effective accounting mechanism in monitoring how party funds are used by the executives.
In many instances, operatives of the party are sent cash through mobile money without any records indicating what the funds were used for and what was returned to the party’s chest.
The Herald picked up from highly placed sources at the NDC headquarters that some collect funds and either refuse to sign the necessary documents or do not submit invoices, payment vouchers or receipts to show what the monies were used for.
While some national executives are said to be on a spending spree and blowing the little funds that go to the headquarters from official channels without rendering any proper accounting, other named individuals, are specifically mentioned to be using their positions to be collecting huge sums from businesses and private individuals in the name of party jobs, but these activities are rarely seen.
The second group, either refuses to disclose their sources of the money or does not use it at all at the party; if they do, it always remains unclear, if the whole amount was used or a substantial part of it was pocketed by the person who went sourcing it in the name of the NDC.
The party has since the 2020 election been unable to organize any event, especially a national delegates congress to render an account to its rank and file on the outcome of the 2020 elections.
Sometime last year, it was planned that the party was going to hold a congress in December, but that event was shelved due to a lack of funds.
The Herald picked up that the party decided to hold their congress early 2022, but from the look of things, that meeting of national executives, constituency and ward executives, will not happen soon, again as a result of funds.
That congress was to witness some constitutional amendments for the NDC, which would have had the opposition party amending the date for the election of its flag bearer when the party is not in the office.
The amendment could also see the National executives having a heavy input in who the flag bearer chooses as running mate instead of leaving the decision to him only to make.
The NDC is sure of winning 2024, with many elements saying the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is on its way out as a result of mismanagement, economic hardship, corruption, misrule among others but it appears that the opposition will have to put its house in other first before realizing that objective.
Source: The Herald