New Nkrumahist party in the offing?

Accra, Oct. 27, GNA - Barring any hiccups, Ghana's political arena is set to have a new member with the formation of a new political party aimed at providing an alternative based on the Nkrumahist tradition.

Officials of the yet to be named party told the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Friday that the party would be built on Nkrumahist roots and become the unifying ground for all who positively crave for a more nationalistic, domestic-based philosophy to development.

'It will have an economy that has active roles for both the state and the private sector.'

The officials, who declined to be identified at this stage, said,

'It will fill the vacuum on the centre and left spectrum of Ghanaian politics to provide a positive alternative to the right leaning policies of the ruling NPP.'

Organization work for this group, according to the official, has been programmed to end in July of 2007 to give enough time for the wounds of the past 96 1992 to date - to be healed and understanding to be reached that will enable the middle to left of centre organization to unite those who want to avoid name.

The promoters of this organizational drive said they acknowledged the need for painstaking research to prepare its policy direction that would appeal to the ordinary Ghanaian as well as professionals and entrepreneurs who were yearning for a party that would put Ghanaians at the centre stage of opportunities in the country.

They said they were keen on building a mass political movement that were truly independent of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). They do not want to be a fragmented part of any other political organization.

=93By our hard work, we intend to build a firm place now and for the future in Ghanaian politics.=94

The promoters who spoke to the GNA said they had been engaged in quiet moves to reach people who would give the new organization credibility once it got off the ground.

=93For now, organizers 96 men and women - have been deployed throughout the 230 constituencies in the country to work the ground and determine the feasibility of launching a successful organization.=94 On how they intended to get to the masses since Ghanaians seemed to be tired of politics they said their foot soldiers were dedicated, proven political organizers who were determined and resolved to win recruits for the new organization.

They said so far, they had been encouraged by the reception given to them due to their non-confrontational stance to politics. =93They have been instructed to acknowledge contributions made by the NDC and the NPP in recent years to seek growth in Ghana. They are just selling their positive messages and promoting an alternative approach to development that is based on self-reliance and a preference to Ghanaian professionals and entrepreneurs while making way for the state to play a role in directly facilitating growth.=94

They say if their plans work, the new organization will attract known politicians while making big room for new people with alternative ideas that will broaden its appeal. This includes current and former

MPs, public servants, business owners and professionals. Another angle is to make significant inroads to recruit women and the youth to make the organization a truly national one with a broad base and appeal.

They declined to mention names of those behind the organizational strategy, indicating that a firm lid had been put on the identity of those giving a positive response to the recruitment process.

'Care is being taken to bring on board people with positive views on the political scene and those who have not been active participants in divisive politicking and to avoid those who have engaged in politics of exclusion through extreme ideological hard line views.

'The promoters are determined to keep working without the usual noise and claims of being on the ground and winning elections until the fundamental organization work is done,=94 they said.