Why NDC did not attend anniversary

The NDC, according to the 'The Evening News' says it did not receive any invitation to attend the 44th independence anniversary parade held on Tuesday nor any of the programmes lined up for the celebration.

It said only the General Secretary of the party was given an invitation in his personal capacity and not in the name of the party.

Mr Kwaku Baah, national vice-chairman of the NDC who disclosed this to the paper said also that even the former President and his Vice were not invited.

The State Protocol, however, on Thursday insisted that it has been inviting the party and its officials and made available to the paper documents on the various invitations extended to former President Rawlings, Alhaji Huudu Yahaya and others during public functions after they were voted out of power.

An official at the State Protocol said it is their responsibility to invite all political parties and their leaders to such state function.

He could not tell whether the invitation got to the leaders, but contended that since their names were on the cards and were received by official of their parties at their national headquarters, it was fair to presume that they had been duly invited.

Mr Kweku Baah, a vice chairman of the NDC, said when the party was in power, on such national occasions the State Protocol sent a lot of invitation cards to the various political parties to invite those they wanted and asked "but what do we see now?"

He said what the NPP government was doing would not unite the country and reminded the NPP that it does not command the majority, adding that, "The ration according to support among the population is 50-50, hence they must co-operate with us to move the country forward."