In Resolve For Mills’ Victory 2012

One of the main pillars behind former President Jerry John Rawlings’ success story as head of state of Ghana, Cadres of the Revolution, are up in arms against his estranged position that the Mills-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) government should be voted out of power in the 2012 general elections because the party has abandoned the principles and values that gave birth to it. Strong signals have begun emanating from the Volta and Ashanti regions to that effect.

These signals have come closely on the heels of a national conference of the United Cadres Front (UCF) held at Madina in Accra on 26th May 2012, where a unanimous decision was taken for an unflinching support for President Mills’ second term bid in the 2012 general elections.

Read below both a press release sent to The Catalyst by cadres in the Volta region and the position of cadres in the Ashanti region, stated at a recent press conference.

Volta Region

PRESS RELEASE BY THE VOLTA REGION BRANCH OF THE
UNITED CADRES FRONT OF NDC IN CONNECTION WITH THE
33RD ANNIVERSARY OF THE JUNE 4 UPRISING

The Volta Region Branch of the United Cadres Front (UCF) of NDC wishes to salute all gallant men and women who contributed towards the success of the June 4 Uprising, which took place in 1979. It is the observation of the UCF that the uprising of June 4 came as a result of collective efforts of a determined people who wanted to free the nation from the hands of those who were looting its resources for their selfish gains.
On this occasion that marks the 33rd Anniversary of the June 4 Uprising, cadres in Volta Region would like to caution any individual who would like to arrogate to himself or herself the benefits made by this popular political intervention.
It is also the observation of the UCF that Ghana has made a lot of progress since the Mills led NDC administration has assumed power three and a half years ago, among them are the following:
a. Heavy infrastructural development in the educational sector such as construction of new school blocks to remove schools under trees and the establishment of two new universities, one in the Volta Region while the other is in the Brong-Ahafo Region, a feat that can be described as unprecedented.
b. Massive construction of roads throughout the country including the Eastern corridor road.
c. Implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure, pay package, for public sector workers which has put more money into the pockets of workers to motivate them far better than what was previously the case under erstwhile political administrations.
d. Government has also made some considerable progress against corruption. As an example, the famous Woyome Judgment debt scandal, though, Woyome was perceived to be a key member of the NDC, President Atta Mills religiously authorised the case to be investigated and later on put before court of competent jurisdiction for adjudication.
Despite the progress being made by the government, it is admitted that as a human institution there are few challenges that confront it but do not provide any justification to declare the government as non-performing as some individuals or group of people would like us to believe.
Cadres in the Volta Region would also like to distant themselves from what is becoming clear as internal opposition to destabilize the NDC party. It is our view that former President Rawlings as the founder of the NDC would be destroying his political image as well as the values and gains he had made from his political career if he suddenly decides to embark upon a journey of disengagement with the NDC.
We caution that such disengagement will yield no profitable result except that it can create an underserved opportunity for a major opposition party which is hostile to him and which would like to crucify him to come into power. One clear and undisputable fact which His Excellency The former President, Jerry John Rawlings, must know is that a worst NDC party in power will do well to protect him far better than the best NPP party in power. It is also our sad observation that the consequences of his on-going political activities would be destructive to him if it is not discontinued. In view of widespread negative public perception about the former President’s wife Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, her gargantuan hope of become a female president of Ghana one day is unreliable and a mirage and should be abandoned to enable unity and victory of the NDC in the 2012 elections.
While acknowledging the beautiful work being done by the NDC administration, we would equally be grateful if government could take the necessary steps for the payment of appropriate End of Service Benefits (ESB) to the former workers of the National Mobilization Programme (NMP) who were unjustifiably laid off by the NPP Administration without any proper compensation.

Signed:
Samuel Adablah
Ag Regional Secretary

Signed:
John Tenyo Agbovi
Ag Reg. Assistant for Political Programmes

Ashanti Region
The National Executives of the Umbrella Unit for Action and Loyalty (UUFAL) and some Cadres of the 31st December Revolution have called on all party loyalists and sympathizers of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at all levels, to rally behind President J.E.A. Mills and the party leadership to ensure a massive and resounding victory in the 2012 general elections.
They have also appealed to ministers of state, government functionaries and MMDCEs to, as a matter of urgency, ‘switch on their mobile phones’, open their doors and leave their cosy offices and air-conditioned cars to join the cadres and foot soldiers on the field to spread the ‘Better Ghana Agenda’ message.
The call to duty was made by Mr. Enoch Amoako Nsiah, a member of the association, who read the statement on its behalf, at a press conference held within the premises of the former Ghana Post at Ahogwo in Kumasi.
“As our leaders, we want to be with them at project sites, community interactions and all social activities,” he stressed, adding that “President Mills has shown beyond all reasonable doubts that he is a man of conviction and fortitude, who should be supported to win a second term as President of Ghana. As the leader of the party, he deserves unquestionable and unflinching support.”
The group stated that since the NDC assumed office in January 2009, its founder, former President JJ Rawlings has continued to criticise the Mills administration, “‘his own baby,’ which we believe, was meant to put government on it toes,” saying the government reacted positively by performing satisfactorily.
The group however lamented that after the Sunyani Congress, where the delegates fully endorsed President J. E. A. Mills as their presidential candidate for the 2012 elections, the former President’s criticisms of the NDC government have turned to attacks, and exploded on the 15th of May 2012 during the 31st December Women’s Movement 30th Anniversary celebrations.
They said rumours circulating suggest that the former President and his wife are planning to form a new political party to be launched in the Volta Region very soon. According to them, in order to achieve their aim, the former President and his wife are counting on the support of the cadres and foot soldiers, whose sweat and toil helped to form and sustain the NDC to this day.
The group stated that it was the collective efforts of all forward-looking Ghanaians, who have come together to bring the NDC into being and worked assiduously to campaign and bring the party into power, both under the leaderships of former President Rawlings and President Mills.
They added that this collective effort of all party faithful, regardless of position, rank, religious and tribal affiliation, will sustain and guarantee victory for the party on December 7, 2012 and in subsequent elections.
The group also welcomed members of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) and all others back into the fold. Their coming, they believed, would inure hugely to the fortunes of the party and culminate in a resounding victory in the December presidential and parliamentary elections.

UUFAL appealed to the founder of the NDC and his wife to reconsider their stance and stay with the party they have worked and toiled so hard for, since 1992.
A call was made to the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party to come clear and state the party’s position on the founder, in order to instil discipline and calm in the party to give members a clear sense of direction.