Ghana Votes

Monday, October 21, 2013

We will advance Ghana’s course -NDP

The National Democratic Party (NDP) has the requisite leadership capabilities and track record to advance the development aspirations of the nation.
According to the party's General Secretary, Mr Hayford Francis Amoako, the leadership of the party is so determined to take the necessary risk, bold decisions and change the lives of the ordinary Ghanaian, in terms of providing social goods and services.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr Amoako, who was with Mr Owusu Bempah, the party's deputy communication director, stressed, "In our leader, the former first lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, the party has the competence and capability to deliver when given the mandate by the Ghanaian electorate to direct the affairs of state."

He argued that through the 31st December Women's Movement, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings had empowered many women to acquire knowledge across the country, built numerous day care centres for early childhood education and, through her entrepreneurial development skill, created job opportunities for unemployed men and women all over the country.

Among others, Mr Amoako pointed out that Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings had also built numerous health care centres, provided potable water and lobbied the OPEC forum to get three pieces of radiotherapy cancer treatment equipment for Ghana.

Concerning international diplomacy, the NDP General Secretary pointed out that Nana Konadu Rawlings was on top of schedule, saying, "All this she had been doing when she was not a leader of any political party."

Mr Amoako also said the party had in its fold numerous capable personalities who had accomplished so much for themselves in many fields of endeavours, but insisted that the party was not resting on its oars as it would work to surprise everybody come Election 2016.

NDP, force to reckon

­"We are a force to reckon with, and our party is solidly on the ground, working hard towards Election 2016," the NDP General Secretary said.

He disclosed that the NDP was putting together a comprehensive campaign team to win the 2016 elections.

Right now, according to Mr Amoako, the NDP was working hard to enhance the grass-roots membership drive.

We have plans to contest all the 275 constituencies, he hinted, and said since the 2012 elections, the NDP had been organising from the grass roots, and that "for every party to be strong and effective, it needs to work harder from the grass roots."

Currently, he said, the party had written to constituency executives to organise outreach programmes to sensitise members and try to win more supporters for the party.

"We will cause the biggest surprise in 2016; we will win the elections," he declared.

Why break away from the NDC

We left the NDC because we believe in probity, accountability and social justice which are missing in the NDC, Mr Amoako stated.

So given the mandate to govern, the NDP would deliver on promises and track records.

Our track records show we are clean and this had been buttressed by former President JJ Rawlings during our congress in Kumasi.

NDP congress

According to Mr Amoako, the party would hold its national delegates' congress in the middle of next year.

He recalled the party's successful congress held in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region on Saturday, October 13, 2012, which was attended by huge numbers, and promised that "We should expect a similar good show."

He said the NDP was attracting a lot of floating voters, and, day in and day out, people were flocking the party headquarters in Accra seeking ID cards.

Mr Amoako pointed out that Ghanaians had lost confidence in the current political leadership, arguing that "Corruption has become endemic and it is a major problem hindering national development.

"We need to stamp our feet and deal firmly with corruption. When we do this, half of our national problems will be solved," the NDP general secretary stated.

"I think we can do it as a society," he stated, but cautioned that we first needed a leadership that would take the necessary risk and bold decisions.

He said not until "we get selfless leaders who will think more of the ordinary people and try to offer them the necessary support that would benefit them, "attaining national development goals will be difficult."

Mr Amoako lamented that there was no social justice, probity and accountability in the body politic of the country, stressing that "politicians in government­ are just making empty promises because they fail to deliver."

"People are voted into office to deliver on their promises but they turn round to do otherwise," he stated.

On the contrary, Mr Amoako gave the assurance that "We have been tried and tested. Our leadership thinks about the ordinary Ghanaians; we are not corrupt".

Economy

Concerning the economy, he said the country was faced with very harsh conditions which impacted majority of  pockets.

He also said corruption was very rife, which appeared to becoming endemic in the society.

"If you vote for a leader, you do not expect him to dip his hands into the coffers of the nation," he stated, and expressed with pain that the opposite seemed to be what was happening.

He called on Ghanaians to believe in the agenda of the NDP, which is hinged on the social democratic principles and the ideals of former President JJ Rawlings.

He said the principles of probity, accountability and social justice had been derailed by others, though they professed to live by them.


Source: Daily Graphic



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