NDC- UK & Ireland Branch Press Statement

With approximately 18 months left to the next general election in Ghana, it is clear that the NPP government under President Kuffour’s leadership has failed Ghanaians on its election promises.

The promise of 100,000 jobs a year has not materialised. Better education for our children has not occurred and the cash & carry system is still with us. Law and order is in disarray with armed robberies almost an accepted norm of the era. The country’s economy is in shambles.

To add insult to injury Ghanaians have had the highest rises ever in water and electricity rates. But it is the close to 200% increment in fuel prices since President Kuffour’s NPP government was elected that beggars belief especially since the last increment is accepted as being excessive by the IMF.

Whilst Ghanaians are being told that the NDC government had borrowed too much money, President Kuffour’s NPP government spent the best part of over one year chasing a one billion dollar IFC loan, which did not materialise. This is the highest single loan agreement ever attempted by any government of Ghana and this, by an NPP government that condemns the NDC for taking loans. President Kuffour and the NPP were warned not to spend time, money and effort chasing a cloud but would not listen.

Quite clearly, Ghanaians are looking around for an effective alternative and the NDC is that alternative.

However the recent utterances of our National Chairman have caused great concern amongst party faithful. No political party in Ghana is without internal strife or difficulty. However, for most political parties issues are dealt with internally and this aught to occur in the NDC as expressed by our Flagbearer Professor Evans Atta-Mills.

The higher one is within an organisational structure the greater the need to set good examples and abide by the organisation’s constitution.

Whereas public statements by the Flagbearer and the Founder have dealt predominantly with the poor performance of the NPP government, our National Chairman’s public utterances are solely on internal party issues, to the detriment of all.

It is not lost on most of the membership that our National Chairman was an icon in the PNDC/NDC governments, and for a considerable period held the double portfolio of Foreign Minister and Attorney General. He has been the longest serving Foreign Minister in Ghana and all under the leadership of the Founder. At the point of the last general election, he was still the Attorney General. In terms of political advancement over that period, few can claim to have benefited more than our National Chairman. Many fell by the way, but he stayed the course and was a fulcrum of decision making in PNDC/NDC era.

It is therefore imperative that the legacy of the PNDC/NDC is defended by our National Chairman and senior members of the Party, as oppose to public pronouncements on internal issues. Unfortunately there has been no sign of this from our National Chairman. He has sat on the fence whilst the PNDC/NDC era and its members are being criminalized.

Struggles and strife occur at congress in a democratic process. This is expected. Once congress is over, all must come together to move the Party forward, no matter how unhappy one is with the outcome of the decisions at congress. It is the democratic right of the members that must prevail.

It is this process that gave us our National Chairman and also our Flagbearer. The people have chosen.

Democracy is about tolerance. No matter how pious or sacrosanct one feels his or her views are, you must always be willing to respect others views, but more importantly, accept the views of the majority. One must also demonstrate by action and deeds a sense of openness to accept decisions and to progress the future of the Party.

It is in this regard that the UK and Ireland Branch find the National Chairman’s inability to criticise our opponents, his inability to defend our legacy, but his ability to discuss our internal matters publicly, eighteen months to a general election, as at the very least, unfortunate and at its worse treacherous.

No one is above the Party’s constitution and public utterances that bring the Party into disrepute especially by senior officials is subject to the internal disciplinary procedures of the party which should be exercised if we are to develop our Party.

A public statement by our National Chairman dealing with the issues mentioned, by pledging support to the Party and Flagbearer as well as denouncing the ongoing poor performance of the ruling government is required to restore his credibility and standing as our National Chairman. His inability to do this should result in his resignation or the invoking of the party’s disciplinary procedures in accordance with the constitution.

It is not simply time for individual roles to be redefined, but also time for the Party and the National Executive Committee to re-define its role and set its mark.

LONG LIVE NDC,

LONG LIVE GHANA