NDC..Boils As Volta Defies Witch Hunting Attempt

By Newman Dotse

Stormy days lie ahead of the NDC in the Volta Region as Mills’ faithful continue to witch-hunt the followers of Rawlings who are believed to be true sympathizers and believers of the NDC’s ideologies.

Some NDC youth in Ho Central and North Danyi constituency say instead of the leadership of the NDC waking up from their political slumber and doing a genuine self-examination and what will save the party, the greedy ones in the party are busily attacking the founder and his followers who toiled for the party to win power in 2008.

According to them, structures that benefitted the NDC and accorded it the opportunity to garner public opinion at the lowest level have all debauched as the grassroots membership have lost trust and confidence; rather opting to organize demonstrations and sending petitions, many of which are ignored by the greedy ones in the party, thus weakening the party ahead of the 2012 general elections.

They say plans are far advanced to stage a demonstration in March this year to put their grievances across. “We are well prepared this time around and nothing can stop us from making sure that our mission is accomplished. We know the government can order the police to kill us but we are prepared to die. It is time to stop the intimidation and witch hunting in the party and we will do everything within our power to stop the strange happenings in the party” They say.

They say they are not enthused about sacrificing for the NDC any longer, taking into cognizance what former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, who sacrificed everything for NDC, has been going through at the hands of the Mills administration. “As for the founder, we know he can withstand any attack just like supporters at the grassroots but for goodness sake, the greedy ones in the party must leave Nana Konadu alone. We will attack anyone who attacks her” they threatened.

December 2012, they say, is not far away and that they would see who is who in NDC if the greedy ones continue to carry themselves as the super men in the party.

30 years of Revolution:

When the 29th Anniversary of the 31st December Revolution was celebrated in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region in 2010, none of the NDC bigwigs attended but the 2011 edition of the same celebration at the Revolutionary Square near the Flagstaff House saw many party bigwigs because they are cajoling for the return of the former President Rawlings, the founder of NDC to lead the 2012 electioneering campaign.

Have the people who say they can do without Rawlings now realized that it takes political maturity to win election but not hovering from radio station to radio station spewing lies in a bid to destroy the pillar of the party?

The dignitaries and National Democratic Congress (NDC) bigwigs who attended the ceremony last year include Lieutenant General Arnold Quainoo, Colonel Gbevlo Lartey, National Security Coordinator, Mr Martin Amidu, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Ms Sherry Ayitey, Minister of Environment and Science.

The rest are Mr Paul Victor Obeng, Chairman of the National Planning Commission, Mr Nuamah Donkor, former Minister of Health, Mr Kofi Totobi Kwakye, former National Security Co-ordinator, and Ms Ama Benyiwa Doe, Central Regional Minister, Dr Kwabena Adjei, National Chairman of the NDC, Dr Don Arthur, special Adviser at the Presidency and Dr Ayerebi Acquah, former Minister in the Rawlings Administration.

As a journalist, I was in Kumasi to cover the 2010 edition and none of the above mentioned dignitaries were there because they say they have nothing to do with the 31st December Revolution and that Rawlings is a bad person. Why the sudden change now; Have these people come to the realization that 31st December Revolution is part and parcel of the NDC and that Rawlings meant well for NDC when he criticized the government on strange happenings in the party? They must bow down their heads in shame for subjecting their founder to emotional torture.

Some people may disagree with Jerry Rawlings’ opinion but today, his soaring popularity is a thumb up verdict on all his outbursts for the past three years for which the government dogs of war, Mr Kwesi Pratt Junior and his group, sought to crucify him for going public with what the government has been trying so hard to cover up. It is quite amazing to have heard that Kwasi Pratt Junior of all people allegedly described Mills’ government as “Ananse Government” when he was the same person who labelled Rawlings a demon for daring to criticize Mills’ government. How different were his utterances on Mills’ government from Rawlings’ outburst that the government was moving in reverse gear?

Mr. Kormi Afevi, one of the strong sympathizers of NDC, explained that the NDC as a party has failed to fulfil its electoral promises. He said the recent embarrassing response of Ablakwa to the Andani youth was a childish one. According to him, incompetence, lack of experience and the perception that nobody is in-charge of affairs is taking root in the minds of Ghanaians who are the kingmakers. “Talking about not being in charge; how can it be that one cabinet minister sends a memo to another to pay Woyome that hefty amount without the knowledge of the President?” he asked.

He said NDC has failed to bring justice to the people of Dagbon and many Ghanaians. “The Dagbon case was one of the promises NDC made during the 2008 electioneering campaign but has failed to deal with the case to the satisfaction of many Ghanaians. So do you now understand Mr Rawlings when he tells you he has no message to campaign on in 2012?” he asked.

He said, on his recent visit to his hometown in the Volta Region, he engaged his die hard NDC aunt called “Tasi Abla” in a conversation. According to him, his aunty complained that the Fante caucus in the NDC had used Jerry Rawlings while secretly hatching their own plans behind him.

He said the bane of the NDC is that the Ahwois, Hannah Tettehs, Eddie Annans, Martey Newmans, backed by their media bench men, have sacrificed the NDC at the selfish doorstep of a few, adding that there are people in the Volta region like “Tasi Abla” who have seen this. Hence they will not go out and cast their votes. They will stay at home in protest at the apparent crucifixion of their beloved son Jerry John Rawlings.

“Take it or leave it. The only difference between the NDC and the NPP is Jerry Rawlings. He will speak against corruption and ineptitude wherever it occurs. He has therefore become a stumbling block to the corrupt educated elites who will do everything including financing newspapers and Radio stations from ill-gotten funds to vilify the man and assassinate his character. The climax of the sorry state of the NDC was last two weeks when it was announced that government will put in a defence to the Woyome issue in court. When I heard Benjamin Brantuo addressing a press conference in defence of Woyome, Alex Segbefia putting in a strong defense on Joy fm, David Annan vehemently defending his client, I came to the conclusion that things are falling apart and unless urgent steps are taken, it will not be long before the center is blown apart.

Source: The Citizen Newspaper (+233 27 7314655) thecitizen.news@yahoo.com