One party for Nkrumaists by end of year

A year-long discussion by the Nkrumaist forum, comprising the CPP, PNC, the Reform Party and the GCPP has culminated in an agreement to form one formidable party for the four parties of the Nkrumaist tradition.

A manifesto for the new party has been drawn up, while finishing touches are being put to its constitution to be ready within one week, Alhaji Ibrahim Mahama, CPP Presidential running mate in last year's elections, announced at Wa on Sunday.

Addressing a meeting of CPP supporters and activists in the Upper West Region, Alhaji Mahama said after the last general election, the leadership of the four parties after a thorough post-mortem of their performance attributed their poor showing partly to the splinter nature of the Nkrumaist parties, hence the need for them to merge into one formidable party ready for the 2004 elections.

He said although the GCPP had decided to pull out of the merger talks, the doors of the forum were still open for the party to join any time it wished. Alhaji Mahama said after the constitution had been drawn up, it would be put before a congress of the parties under the forum for approval.

At the meeting, Alhaji Mahama inaugurated a seven-member regional re-organisation committee of the CPP, under the Chairmanship of Mr Saasu Bakura.

Inaugurating the committee, Alhaji Mahama said following the party's poor performance in the last elections, it had become necessary for the CPP to re-organise for the 2004 elections.

He therefore charged the committee to work hard to improve the level of support for the party in the region. Alhaji Mahama welcomed the government's proposal for state funding of political parties as a step in the right direction.