CPP could salvage economy - Chairman

Ho, Aug 24, GNA - The Convention Peoples Party (CPP) has the stature and capability of salvaging the country from its economic quagmire, Dr Abubarkar Alhassan, the National Chairman of the party said on Saturday.

"The salvation of the country resides only in the CPP, the true Nkrumaists", he said.

Dr. Alhassan was addressing the Volta Regional Delegates Conference of the Party in Ho, where new regional Executives of the party were elected.

He bemoaned the practice where government diverted loans meant for development projects to balance its annual budget.

Dr Alhassan said this meant that government was not only failing in its attempt to provide the basic necessities for its people but made the country inferior before the Breton Woods Institutions.

"A policy of self-reliance must be pursued amidst the abundant natural resources of the land and stop wandering about like a helpless sheep", he advised.

He said the CPP believed in the welfare of the masses, a situation, which was an attestation to the party's position calling for the "need to protect this inheritance".

Dr Alhassan criticised government for not showing gratitude to the CPP after the party had forged an alliance with it in the second round of the 2000 elections.

"We have enjoyed virtually nothing from that and it is an eye-opener for us", he said.

Professor Nii Noi Dowouna, General-Secretary of the party said the ideology of the party would be re-packaged and translated into a winsome side in future.

He urged the rank and file of the party to eschew deceit and misinformation, calling on the Council of Elders of the party to re-visit the tenets of comradeship as espoused by the party's Founder, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

Prof Dowouna appealed to members to go into the 2004 elections as a party whose philosophy stood the test of time and replicated throughout black Africa.

Mr Prince Ahiadzro was elected as the Regional Chairman, while Miss Christine Opoku was also elected Regional Women's Organiser. Mr Simon Sakyi, the First Vice-Chairman post, Mr Nii Adjetey Sowah, Regional Secretary and Mr Vincent Norgbedzi, Regional Organiser were elected unopposed.

Meanwhile, the Party's newly Regional Executives had been tasked by Conference to appoint capable and dedicated members to occupy the position of second Vice-Chairman, regional Treasurer, Education Secretary and Assistant Regional Organiser as no member filed nominations by the close of its deadline.

Mr Ahiadzro, on behalf of his colleagues pledged their determination to support the party to win more supporters.