The Chairman, Executive and Members of the dynamic UK & Ireland branch of the National Democratic Congress joined with their colleagues in Milton Keynes on Saturday 21 April 2007 to formally inaugurate the Milton Keynes Ward of the NDC UK & Ireland. The ceremony started at about 7.30 pm with the arrival of the ward members in their colourful dresses. The Tinkers Bridge Meeting Hall at Marshworth in Milton Keynes was set agog with delegates singing and dancing to beautiful NDC songs and Ghanaian music

Speakers at the ceremony included Mr. Alfred Boyan, Organiser NDC UK & Ireland, Mr Alex Segbefia, Chairman NDC UK & Ireland, Mr J.S.Boye-Doe a UK resident and former CPP detainee at the Usher Fort prisons in the First Republic and Dr Spio Garbrah, member of NDC UK & Ireland and CEO of the Commonwealth Tele-communications Organisation in London.

Mr Boyan congratulated the interim Chairman of NDC Milton Keynes, Mr. Reginald Akafo, for the yeoman’s job done by getting the inauguration off the ground. He reminded the Milton Keynes ward to be united and show commitment to one another as well as the party. He stressed that power was rolling on the shores of Ghana as the country has become ungovernable by the incompetent NPP government. Mr Boyan concluded he believed passionately that power was coming the NDC way and that the NDC should work hard and win the 2008 elections.

Mr. J. S. Boye-Doe said he recently visited the Osu Castle in Accra with a proposal to make a film about events that went on at the Usher Fort prison in order to forestall the possibility of the next generation repeating the same mistakes. He was able to see various press officers and the some members of the Council of Elders, but was unable see the man he had waited for one year to see, President John Kufour; yet his (Boye-Doe’s) name and picture were in the news media alleging that he had met up with the President. Mr Boye-Doe was so disgusted with the NNP administration that he demanded to see the ten year development plan that the President and the NPP government had for the Nation.

Chairman Alex Segbefia, on his part, said he had a dream that has become a reality. He said the NDC UK & Ireland branch was formed in the UK in 1992 and inaugurated in 1993; and today the branch has its first ward in Milton Keynes. He said he looked forward to the inauguration of the Ireland branch in Dublin within the next couple of months. Mr Segbefia talked about the invitation of the former first lady by South Bank University, London to celebrate the International Women’s day last March and her brilliant performance on Woman’s Hour on BEN TV. He also talked about the crippling energy crisis currently hitting Ghana, the unfavourable tax increases and the ascendancy of the guinea worm epidemic in the country since the NPP administration take-over. He said it is so bad that the former US President, Jimmy Carter remarked that Ghana’s guinea worm rate was so high the country could export it. He indicated that the only hope the future of Ghana had rest on the shoulders of the NDC Flagbearer H.E. Prof. Atta Mills. He is the future and Ghana needs him.

Dr. Ekow Spio-Garbrah swore in the new executive members of the Milton Keynes ward. In an amazing affluence and display of words of wisdom, he reminded the new executive members of the NDC Milton Keynes that they were assuming responsibilities which required vision, sense of responsibility and initiative. He stressed the importance of the sense of voluntary commitment as the roles assigned to them have no financial gains. He said these roles gave the executives a golden opportunity to serve others and to move the NDC party forward towards success.

Below is the list of the new executive members of the NDC Milton Keynes branch.

1. CHAIRMAN REGINALD AKAFO

2. VICE CHAIRMAN JOSEPH NELSON

3. SECRETARY PETER KUMADI

4. ASSISTANT SECRETARY ANDREW ADAMA

5. ORGANISER ETHEL AKAFO

6. TREASURER MARVIN SACKEY

7. ASSISTANT TREASURER THOMAS BOAFO

8. WELFARE OFFICER RASHID KHAWAJA

9. WOMEN’S ORGANISER REGINA KUMADI

10. YOUTH ORGANISER ERIC GYANDU

11. PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER DELA DOVLO

12. EXECUTIVE MEMBER RICHARD QUARSHIE

Mr Emmanuel Osae Public Relations Officer NDC UK & IRELAND BRANCH