A Clarion Call By The Youth.

It is a common knowledge among party faithful in Salaga that the executive of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is a toothless barking dog. It is with the joint efforts of the youth and the incumbent Member of Parliament which helped to secure the parliamentary seat of Salaga constituency. The MP of the area was the one who actually broke new grounds for Salaga politics in 2008 election through a hard-fought battle upon which some strong bases rested for the success story of NDC in the just ended 2012 elections. Youths whom credit cannot be denied must see to it that the right thing is done regardless of how they will portray themselves in the public domain.

Ward and constituency executive board of NDC in Salaga South Constituency must be dissolved for an act of betrayal for refusing to support the party in the election so that a few people will be appointed to take charge of the constituency in interim capacity.

It is imperative to bring to mind of good people of the NDC fraternity and any other related office that it will rather do a great disservice to the party if the ward/constituency executives are maintained following their poor show up in the electioneering activities for 2012 elections. Aside from the fact that the executives refused to endorse the incumbent candidate for primaries prior to the 2012 elections, they failed to take part in the campaign activities of the party for the elections and it is as a result of which they voted skirt and blouse given priority to only the presidential candidate with other executive members irresponsibly found transferring their votes to the nearby constituencies.

With special reference to the chapter 7, article 39, clause 8a and 8b, of the Constitution of the NDC party which stipulate respectively that “A party member may be subjected or may be made subject to party discipline for any of the following” “anti-Party conduct or activities likely to embarrass the Party or bring the Party into hatred, ridicule or contempt” and “insubordination or negligence in the execution of lawful decisions or directives of the Party by members or officers of the party”.

However, the only notable characters found within the scene who contributed immensely to the success story of the party in this great constituency were Mr. Thomas Langa (Party Treasurer), Mr. Eric Attah (Organiser of the Party), Mr. Issifu Fuseini (Welfare Chairman/Campaign Manager of the Party).

Again, a section of the youth have also expressed their concerns about the way and manner in which some of the party executives by virtue of their positions offer job opportunities to people whose political identities cannot be defined to the detriment of unemployed members of the NDC knowing too well that no matter how much you feed a lizard, it can never grow up to become a crocodile. The worse of it all is that even people in the opposition who took part in the series of physically abused attacks mounted on certain NDC camps with Zakarou Base Members being the worst affected victims resulting to police cases which are as yet pending with Salaga Police are offered jobs. The youths have therefore vowed that they are not ready whatsoever to lose powers they have for which they sacrifice their hearts and souls to the purposelessness and negligence of any leadership.

I would say in all sense that if no step is taken in support of the compelling evidence that we have provided against the executives with immediate effect there is certainty going to be chaos between the party foot soldiers and the constituency level executives even before the substantive District Chief Executive is appointed especially in times when they have lost influence over the youth system of the party as a result of shared incompetence and discontentment. The point is, if we, the youth do not rise to make them illegitimate to the party as far as the constituency level is concerned, the possible outcome will be that they will hide behind the screens of their executive positions to pursue a course by bringing up people from nowhere to come and occupy certain key positions in the district so that their parochial interest will always be taken care of. The executive of NDC party is an embodiment of cow dung of which one may think all is well with the look from the outside.

In furtherance, this matter can seriously affect the interest of the foot soldiers in the party. People who sat with their fingers crossed during the campaign times and those who publicly scandalized the name of the sitting MP by calling him ‘dog’ have suddenly become the strong contenders for the District Chief Executive position in the eye of the executives by lobbying. They are the calibre of personalities that need much of qualities to be desired. Mr./Mrs. Reader, you can bear me out that the DCE position, as it were, is the most sensitive position in the District and beyond. Following the complicated nature of the problem as Salaga case, I do not bear to differ from the fact that there is going to be a scandalous situation between the MP and the DCE, if the government places more premium to the interest of the “So-called” ward/constituency party leadership to the full neglect of the concerns of the youth rightly elaborated in disquisition. The nature of the problem makes the Member of Parliament of the area an indispensable factor when it comes to the appointment of the DCE. You either take it or drop it.

In the lights of this, NDC party runs solely on the wings of the sitting MP as far as the constituency is concerned. The question raised by the party faithful is, “What will be the future fortunes of the NDC party that runs on the head of an individual at the time when he is not able to maintain the emotional and psychological distress associated to it. This personality has even become a hindrance to the youth anytime the youth want to rise against the non-performing executives and officials in the District by constantly and continually dissuading its strike actions.

In view of the genuine concerns of the youth, we shall therefore stamp on our authority and take a serious action against any executive who does anything that will not be in the good interest of the party without surrendering to any form of manipulation.

The increasing concern of the youth by days on government appointments is as a result of the bitter experience that the youth have suffered in the stewardship of the present and past administrations of the DCEs, executives and other government officials. The youths have vowed to take none of that for the second time. Every member of the NDC party can bear me out that any NDC youth group in Salaga can cause an uprising within a twinkle of an eye against anybody found discharging duties related to his respective portfolios or whatsoever or practicing any form of malfeasance. When government decides to ignore what I am saying then it has itself to blame when anything awkward happens.

There is an old local adage that goes, “No one knows exactly when the tortoise feels warm and when it feels cold except itself” and it is up to it to device a suitable condition for itself.

The only way out by our recommendations as a first step into the solution to this technical problem is that the regional and/or national office should dissolve the ward and constituency executive board as the matter of agency and appoint any two or three dire-hearted party functionaries with the help of the Member of Parliament to take charge in interim capacity before a date is slated for ward / constituency executive congress. Indeed, if any of the suspended executive thinks he has worked beyond reproach and popular enough to vie for any position of his interest or capacity, the way is open. As far as we are concerned, the executives are for now practically non-existent.

I dare to state in no uncertain terms within my powers as the official mouthpiece for the Delegates Association in Salaga South Constituency that the inevitable will happen if our call is not heeded to. We have been up-set beyond endurance and the only way out is to resort to violence. This is because it is sometimes good and far-reaching to resort to violence especially when you want your voices to be heard.

……………………… 1. YUSSIF ALHASSAN (Chairman of Salaga Delegates/Youth Association) Tel: 0243067393

……………………… 2. ISHAK ABUDUL-SALAM (Secretary for Salaga Delegates Association) Tel: 0242645387