Ade Coker: If times are hard how did NPP raise Ghc600,000?

The phrase, “Ghanaians are in difficult times”, has become more of a cliché in recent times.

Indeed, the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has even admitted to the fact that times are hard in the country. Late last year, an obviously distraught NDC Chief Scribe, grieving over the loss of his Omanhene, the chief of Seikwa, and the confusion that had erupted in his party following accusations by former Majority Leader, Alban Bagbin, that President Mahama was not doing enough to salvage the country from the doldrums with his indecisiveness, told Adom FM in an interview that “all of us are living in the country and aware of the fact that things have become hard," insisting that no one needed to come from somewhere else to tell President Mahama times were hard in the country.

And, as late as Wednesday, Feb 5th, 2014, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) indicated that workers have come to their tether and could no longer bear the hardship in the country.

Citing rising cost of transport, accommodation and the sharp fall of the cedi, the TUC General Secretary, Kofi Asamoah, unequivocally admitted that “of course there is hardship now”, pointing out that the present economic doldrums are having adverse implications on the salaries of workers, which demand immediate interventions from the central government.

But a leading member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) is wondering how, in spite of these lamentations, the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) could within the blink of an eye dole out six billion old Ghana cedis (GHC600,000) to help the party’s cause.

Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NDC, Joseph Ade Coker is beside himself with incredulity at how ‘fast’ the NPP was able to raise the amount of money needed to conduct its upcoming National Delegates’ Conference.

The National Council of the NPP on Tuesday shot down a proposal by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to decentralise the party’s delegates’ congress and election of national executive officers.

NEC scheduled a decentralized programme for their national delegates conference because according to them, there were inadequate funds.

However, immediately the issue of money was raised as a hindrance to having a single venue in Tamale at the meeting, over Ghc600,000 were mobilized.

Ade Coker contributing to panel discussions on ‘Kokrokoo’ said he was surprised how NPP could raise such an amount within a relatively short time; considering how they have always complained of difficult times in the country.

According to him, it defeats the purpose and the basis of their assertions that President John Dramani Mahama has brought nothing but untold hardship to Ghanaians.

“It is surprising that those who claim there are difficult times in the country; after putting their heads together were able to raise the amount needed for their event. They should therefore be mindful of their words. I was expecting that they will say they suffered before raising the money they needed; however they said it was so easy to raise the amount. It is surprising how fast they were able to raise the money; however, I wish them well in their event at Tamale,” he said.