NPP still formidable force in Ghanaian politics -Dr. Adom Tufuor

Accra, March 11, GNA - Dr. Kwadwo Adom Tufuor, a Political analyst, has said though the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lost the 2008 general elections, it was still a formidable force in the politics of Ghana.

In view of this, he outlined three main areas which include establishment of a national communications directorate, establishment of mobilization units at national, regional and constituency levels for aggressive foot-soldier recruitment, and effective fund-raising team at all levels, and urged the new leadership of the Party to concentrate on to enable it come back to power. Dr. Tufuor, who is a Theologian and Author based in the United States made the remarks in a document entitled: 93Bringing the Elephant Back into Town" and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Thursday.

He said in politics, a political party needed to use strategy or intrigue to obtain power or status after which it could decide on 93who gets what, when and how", a strategy he said the then opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) used efficiently in the 2008 elections to recapture power.

He urged the NPP's Communication Directorate to 93raise" its medi= a game and suggested that there was adequate media rebuttal to counter the NDC's incessant accusations. "That the economic policies of the NPP from 2000 to 2008 are adequately explained to the ordinary man in the street. That economic foundation was laid and just at the time that the main economic building was to take off, the party was voted out of office. Low inflation figures do not mean anything to the electorate unless it translates into low cost of living".

"That there is a proper explanation of the principle of "Development in Freedom" which has been renamed 93Property Owning" o= r "Property Grabbing" by the NDC".

"That good reason is given as to why certain campaign promises could not be fulfilled because the party waited too late in 2008 in tackling this issue".

"That the allegations regarding Nana Akufo Addo's perceived drugs problems should be addressed by providing additional information about other aspects of the candidate's character in order to give the electorate the fullest possible picture of him".

"That the party's campaign machinery should not yield to the campaign plan of the Institute of Economic Affairs, opinion leaders and traditional leaders which were against negative campaigning and mudslinging, but instead it should apply both concepts because they shape the opinion of the electorate".

"That both academics and professional are recruited into the party machinery where the interest of the academics should centre on why people vote, whereas the professionals concentrate on how to get people to vote for the candidate".

Dr. Tufuor stressed the need for effective fund-raising and proper record keeping on the contributors, as well as effective use of foot-soldiers and being sensitive towards their plight by not abandoning them after winning power, saying this would help the party to come back.

He commended Mr. Alex Segbefia, Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa, Mr. Fiifi Kwetey and Mr. Koku Anyidoho for efficiently handling the communications team of the NDC which eanbled the party to win the 2008 general election.