I will remain loyal to NDC - Kwesi Botchwey

A former Finance Minister, Dr Kwesi Botchwey, who contested the flagbearership position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on Ghanaians to protect the current democratic dispensation.

He said although democracy entails free expression of ideas, this should be devoid of acrimony and insults.

He made the call at a get-together to express his appreciation to journalists, his campaign team and the numerous supporters who assisted him in his campaign for the flagbearership of the party in Accra at the weekend.

Dr Botchwey was, however, defeated by the former Vice President Prof J. E. A. Mills, at the special delegates congress of NDC in Accra last December.He said: “We should all work as progressive democratic forces to make the country stable and free from fear and tension and calm our voices and debate issues devoid of insults and abuse.”

He said the win by Prof. Mills is a victory not for him alone but for democracy and the NDC party as a whole because his entry into the race contributed significantly in reinvigorating the party’s structures. Dr Botchwey stated that he will remain a “loyal member of the NDC and will also continue to struggle to straighthen the grass roots and help in implementing ideas he canvassed for during his campaign”.

He commended the media, his campaign team and executive members of the party for the manner they organised the congress and added that he will work tirelessly with Prof. Mills to ensure that the party wins power in the 2004 general elections. In attendance were heads of media organisations, Members of Parliament, NDC party executives and supporters.