The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has officially launched a revamped, nationwide online membership registration system, accompanied by a stern warning to constituency executives against the direct collection of dues from party members.
At a press engagement in Accra yesterday, the General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong, Esq., outlined the party’s new digital-first approach, emphasising that the era of cash handling at the constituency level is over.
According to Mr. Frimpong, all membership dues must now be processed exclusively through the party’s digital platforms. He stressed that while physical dues cards will still be issued to constituencies, these will function merely as receipts or confirmation of payments that must first be recorded on the central system.
“Constituency treasurers, secretaries, and chairmen have been given access to the platform to verify members’ payment records and authenticate the dues cards,” Mr. Frimpong explained. “However, I must be emphatic: constituency executives are not permitted to collect dues or any money directly from party members.”
A Three-Week Nationwide Exercise
The initiative is part of a broader restructuring of the party’s membership database. The General Secretary announced that a three-week nationwide registration exercise will take place across all 276 constituencies and over 40,000 polling stations. The exercise is scheduled for every Saturday and Sunday from March 14 to March 31, between the hours of 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM.
Polling station executives have been directed to remain present at designated meeting points during these hours to facilitate the process, with exemptions only granted in cases such as farming activities or traditional taboo days.
The Digital Pathway to Membership
Mr. Frimpong detailed that the newly launched online portal accommodates three specific categories of applicants: registered voters, non-registered voters, and Ghanaians living abroad.
Interested individuals can pay their dues conveniently via the USSD code 920270# or through the NPP Mobile App. Upon successful online registration and payment, members receive a temporary digital membership card. However, the General Secretary clarified that this is only the first step.
“To complete the process and obtain a permanent membership card, a physical visit to the polling station is required,” he stated. This visit ensures that the member is properly enrolled in the polling station register, as mandated by Article 3 of the party’s constitution.
Verification and Voting Rights
In a bid to manage expectations ahead of internal primaries, the NPP hierarchy issued a critical clarification regarding the rights conferred by the new registration.
“Registration and dues payment do not automatically grant the right to vote or contest internal elections,” Mr. Frimpong cautioned. He explained that eligibility to vote or contest in future elections is subject to strict verification and compliance with the party’s constitution, which requires enrollment in the specific polling station register.
Monitoring for Compliance
To ensure the integrity of the exercise and to enforce the ban on cash collections, the party has established a dedicated call centre. The centre will monitor the exercise in real-time and receive reports of non-compliance or challenges faced by members across the country.
Members who encounter any irregularities, or who witness constituency executives flouting the directive on cash collection, are encouraged to report via the following numbers: 030847971, 0308047970, or 0308047972.
The move is widely seen as an effort by the NPP to sanitise its membership records and leverage technology to create a transparent, verifiable, and reliable database ahead of the 2024 elections.
By Kingsley Asiedu
