NDC Should Focus On What Matters -NPP

PRESS STATEMENT 10TH FEBRUARY 2011

Earlier today, the National Democratic Congress held a press conference, with

the title ‘Akufo-Addo’s Shocking Revelations’, to basically say nothing. The

event was summed up by the response that Aseidu Nketia, the General

Secretary, gave to a reporter who asked for evidence to support the lie that the

“political life” of the flagbearer of the NPP “has been characterized by violence

all along.” Mr Nketia’s answer was that it was up to the NPP flagbearer to

prove that he was not a violent man!

To the ruling party, which has mastered the art of diversion, the press

conference was just another opportunity to attempt to divert the attention of

Ghanaians from the economic hardships that the Mills-Mahama administration

has visited on Ghanaians. Prices of every good and service are shooting up. The

cedi is falling. Jobs are being lost daily. The President has himself admitted that

“lawlessness is on the increase.” To all these mounting national problems the

NDC is offering no answers beyond cutting sods without any credible

programmes of implementation.

The NDC is advised to begin to appreciate that the dream of a better Ghana

cannot be built with the brick and mortar of propaganda and lies. It is clear to

the NPP that the ruling party has given up on winning the battle to deliver on

their promise of a better Ghana so they seem to be concentrating on how to

retain power with or without the blessing of the majority of the Ghanaian

people. It is this agenda that the NPP is saying that we would not sit by and let

the electoral wishes of the Ghanaian people to be intimidated from

manifesting.

Our flagbearer’s firm and uncompromising position on ensuring a clean contest

in 2012 is based on the extra-electoral tactics employed by the NDC in Akwatia,

Chereponi and Atiwa and the shocking inaction of the security personnel in the

face of such blatant acts of intimidation, violence and electoral malpractices.

Let them not think that we would give them a free hand at repeating these

unhealthy practices in 2012. NPP will be no rollover in 2012. We are calling on

all our activists and supporters to stand firm and defend their democratic

rights. Should we apologise for making this call to protect the Fourth

Republican Constitution? Certainly not!

It is not for the NDC to define to Ghanaians who Nana Akufo-Addo is. For over

35 years that Nana Akufo-Addo has been at the forefront of fighting the

Ghanaian cause – for political freedom, human rights, democracy,

opportunities and prosperity – Nana Akufo-Addo never once used any

instrument of violence as his weapon.

NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY

Headquarters, Private Mail Bag, Accra-North, Ghana

Tel: +233 21 227 737 / 229 030 / 228 104 Fax: +233 21 229 048

Email: nppdcom@gmail.com

NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY

DEVELOPMENT IN FREEDOM True to the character of the founders of our political tradition, Nana AkufoAddo has used his courage, wisdom, words and legitimate persuasion to help

bring about the kind of democratic environment that we are all enjoying today,

which the NPP is committed to protecting and enhancing.

Nana Akufo-Addo’s record speaks for itself. His contribution to both national

and international peace and freedom can never be wished away by the

programmed amplifiers of false propaganda. It is a hopeless endeavour

destined to fail.

Nana Akufo-Addo did not win the respect of the international community as

Ghana’s Foreign Minister by sitting at home and minding his own business

while some nations in our region were burning. We all recall CNN reports of

him walking bravely to the Executive Mansion of Monrovia as shells were

pounding to persuade President Charles Taylor to leave Liberia for the sake of

that country.

Ghanaians are witnesses to the current stalemate in la Cote d’Ivoire, where an

incumbent party is refusing to stand down after losing an election by more

than 8%, or over 400,000 votes. Ghanaians have not forgotten how in 2008,

Nana Akufo-Addo responded to the Electoral Commission’s decision to declare

Prof JEA Mills the President-elect. On that same day, Nana Akufo-Addo chose to

calm down his millions of supporters across the country and went ahead to

congratulate President-elect Mills. That election was won by the smallest

margin in Africa’s electoral history: 0.46%. It took a principled patriotic leader,

a believer in democracy like Nana Akufo-Addo to not challenge the results in

spite of clear allegations of electoral malpractices in certain parts of the

country. Is this the kind of record that can be suppressed by NDC trademark

propaganda?

Nana Akufo-Addo’s commitment to a peaceful and prosperous multiethnic

Ghana is not in doubt. The NPP is proud to be the largest national movement in

Ghana today and our commitment to create a society of opportunities in every

corner of Ghana is one that others are happy to learn from.

Nana Akufo-Addo knows that the peace, security and future of Ghana’s

democracy are more important than his or his party’s ambition. His message to

the ruling party is not to take the NPP for granted. We are ready, prepared and

capable to resist any attempt by any person or group to intimidate this country

away from a free, fair and transparent general elections in 2012.

It is in pursuit of this determination that we are calling for the resumption of

the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) to begin a structured dialogue in

the process of ensuring clean polls in 2012.

Nana Akufo-Addo has nothing to apologise for in sending a clear message to

the ruling party that the NPP would not allow the democratic will of the

majority of Ghanaians to be abused by intimidation, violence or electoral fraud

in 2012. The NPP is proud to be led by a man who would not stand by and allow

Ghanaians to be cheated. The NPP will continue to express, through both our

words and deeds, that we are deeply committed to the democratic process.

The NDC should stop the diversionary tactics and focus on doing what is

important. They should fix the economy and deliver on their promise to deliver

a better Ghana. Propaganda will not pay school fees; it will not reduce the cost

of living or create jobs.

Let President Mills and his party be, for once, serious about doing a serious job

to bring economic relief to Ghanaians. They have lost touch with the concerns

of ordinary Ghanaians and diversion will not bring them back into touch.

Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie

(General Secretary)

DEVELOPMENT IN FREEDOM