NDC sets out strategies to retain power in Elections 2012

Accra, May 31, GNA - The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the weekend intensified strategies to retain power in Elections 2012 with the inauguration of the Greater Accra Regional Women's wing of the Zongo Caucus in Accra.

The wing tagged "Magajia" was tasked to replicate the caucus in every constituency with a mission to mobilise, educate, canvas and propagate the "Better Ghana," agenda of the government in order to attract more members to the party.

Alhaji Muhamed Yusif Captain, National Coordinator of the Zongo Caucus, noted that the parameters for contesting Election 2012 had change and needed a dynamic vibrant electoral machinery to retain power. "We must not over focus on the advantages of incumbency to be complacent; we must visit every hamlet, village, town, household and community to defuse opposition propaganda and infuse them with the noble achievement of Professor John Evans Atta Mills' government," he said. He reiterated calls for the Zongo Caucus, especially the Magajias, to map-out schemes to expand and solidify its dominance in the Moslem Communities nationwide.

The scheme includes educational campaigns to plug all loopholes for rigging and cheating at the polling station level, empowerment of women and youth from the Zongo communities, and special programmes to make the NDC attractive especially within the Moslem Communities. Alhaji Muhamed Captain, who is also the NDC Greater Accra Regional Vice Chairman, called for unity on the women front and urged them to used internal mechanisms for redress; "you must avoid jumping to the media for help anytime there is a misunderstanding".

Alhaji Alhasan Bene, National Secretary of the Zongo Caucus, tasked the women to work hard and bring on board personalities and other instrumental personalities for the development of the party to ensure its revitalisation. He tasked the national leadership to draw up an elaborate programme to win back all NDC supporters especially those from the Zongo communities. "Politics is a game of numbers, and for that matter, we will from now on resolve all matters that threatened the support base of the party so that none of our supporters would either remain on the fence or join other political parties," he said.

Mr Kofi Adams, a Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, underscored the importance of Zongo communities to the party's quest to retain power and urged the women to work hard in unity for victory in 2012. Hajia Amina Seidu, National Women's Organizer of the Zongo Caucus, said the Magajias will adopt a strategy aimed at propelling the party to retain seats and win back all other seats that were lost marginally to opponents in Election 2008.

She said: "The strategy, among other things, would empower and increase our impact in constituencies we lost marginally during Elections 2008, while we consolidate our operational impact in other constituencies we won with marginal votes". The twelve-member Executives is headed by Hajia Hajara Mohammed Adams as the Magajia, whilst the 16-member Magajias' working committee is headed by Rekiya Salifu. The Disciplinary Committee is headed by Hawa Abdulai, while the Finance Committee is headed by Rabiatu Adama and Welfare Committee by Janma Hamidu.