The NPP Women Elders Group has issued a statement demanding free and fair competition at the party's national conference in Kumasi at the weekend.

Read the full statement below.

PRE-CONFERENCE MESSAGE TO THE NPP

As we head to Kumasi to elect national officers to run the affairs of our Party for the next four years, we would like to appeal to all members, supporters and sympathizers of the NPP to reflect on the enormity of the task we face.

Competition has been an integral part of our Party right from the beginning and indeed, was a defining feature of all the antecedent parties that we claim allegiance to: the UGCC, UP, PP, PFP and now the New Patriotic Party.

Elections to every position, at every level in our party have always been keenly contested, it is an integral part of our democratic credentials, we are proud of it and it has been good for our party.

These elections in Kumasi are no different and it is the responsibility of every Party member and sympathizer to ensure that we remain focused on the task and do not allow ourselves to fall prey to those who seek to divide our ranks.

All of us, and the outgoing national executive in particular, have a sacred responsibility to ensure that the elections in Kumasi are conducted in the traditional NPP free and fair manner. We must guarantee the integrity of the electoral process to ensure a general acceptance of the outcome.

The team we shall elect will be charged with leading the party back into government at the general elections in 2012 and we urge all the contestants to give a firm undertaking to accept the results and to wholly endorse the winning team. There will be no place within the NPP for anybody to withhold support for the executive we shall elect or seek to instigate others from extending such support.

We the Concerned NPP Women elders as listed under this statement make a special appeal to the delegates to conduct themselves with decorum and eschew such behaviour as would give the NPP a bad name. We must remember we are all one big elephant family.

The Kumasi conference marks the formal start of the NPP campaign to win power in 2012. The people of Ghana are watching us and we should strive to win their trust and goodwill. We wish all of you a happy and purposeful conference.

Signed:
Hon Gladys Asmah
Signed for and on behalf

MEMBERS OF THE GROUP
Hon Gladys Asmah
Hon Amma Bame Busia
Hon Cecilia V.L. Bannerman
Alberta Cudjoe
Hajia Mariam Khaldi
Susana Akosua Akurama Mensah
Mariama Yakubu Tali
Beatrice Serwa Derkyi
Elizabeth A. Ohene
Cecilia A. Dapaah
Hon Esther Obeng Dapaah