We shall overcome - Akufo-Addo

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is confident that the New Patriotic Party will overcome the issues currently confronting it and will emerge as a more united and formidable Party to win election 2016, so as to restore hope and offer the kind of purposeful leadership that will speed up the development of Ghana and the prosperity of every Ghanaian.

According to him, the NPP, which traces its roots to the formation of the UGCC in 1947, making it the longest political tradition in the history of Ghana, has gone through many challenges and difficulties, and, yet, still remains the most formidable political party in Ghana.

Outlining the difficulties of the 1950s and 1960s, in the form of the Preventive Detention Act and the formation of a one-party state, the tragic deaths of the traditions' leaders - J.B Danquah and Emmanuel Obestebi-Lamptey - in detention, Nana Akufo-Addo explained that "we survived it."

"We came back to the political stage in Ghana and formed, under Dr. Busia, an excellent government that was only allowed 2½ years in Office. We survived the coup of 1972 under General Acheampong, and we have survived the many other coups that have followed in this country. We came out of it and in 1992, we came together to fight under Adu Boahen, and suffered the "Stolen Verdict", and again survived the defeat of 1996. We remained a strong force and, in the year 2000, we won a famous victory and gave Ghana, under the leadership of President John Agyekum Kufuor, the best government that our country has ever had," Nana Addo said.

He continued, "Despite the defeats of 2008 and 2012, we remain a strong, vibrant force in the politics of Ghana. I am confident that the good sense of the overwhelming majority of the members and supporters of this great Party will prevail in this current situation, and that harmony and co-operation will be restored at the top of our Party to ensure we have the unity to move forward."

Addressing NPP delegates from the Greater Accra Region, on Tuesday, August 26, at the Assembly Hall of Our Lady of Mercy School in Tema, Akufo-Addo told the delegates that the Council of Elders of the party have intervened in the impasse, resulting in the meeting of the Steering Committee on Monday, August 25.

"Our President, J.A Kufuor, has also intervened in this matter and I want to assure you that, on my part, I am prepared to do whatever it takes to keep the NPP together. The NPP being together and acting and speaking in a united manner is critical to our chances of victory in 2016," Akufo-Addo added.

Nana Akufo-Addo assured delegates that the Party will overcome and in 2016 be ready for the test of election for that year "and this time round we are going to win."