NDC can win 2004 elections with acceptable candidates

Mr. Yaw Gyan, Western Regional Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has stated that the party is capable of wresting political power from the ruling NPP in the 2004 elections if it is able to put up marketable candidates

He has therefore, called on the various constituencies of the party to start hunting for people of substance and with unblemished character whose loyalty to the party is unquestionable to present them as their candidates.

The NDC regional organizer was addressing a well-attended meeting of the Effia-Kwessimuitim constituency of the part at Effia near Takoradi.

The Party is charting a new course to strengthen internal democracy, according to Mr. Gyan, who said bereaucratic structures and the imposition of candidates on the electorate are all a thing of the past.

The Party would train polling agents to collate the results of the forth-coming elections to check the tendency to cheat or engage in any electoral fraud.

He advised supporters to lead exemplary life as another way to enhance the party's membership drive, adding "floating voters are constantly watching us and whether they will joins or not depends on our pronouncement and how we comport ourselves."

Mr Gyan also asked members to be warry of those who claim to be defectors to the party because in reality they may be infiltrators.

Col. (Rtd) Kaku Korsah, former Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Chief Executive alleged that there is the misuse of public funds by some heads of institutions and people in government to aggravate the precarious economic situation in the c country.

He said in spite of its policy of zero tolerance for corruption the government has not taken concrete measures to check malfeasance in high places and called on journalists to investigate these allegations and come out with the truth.

Col. Kaku Korsah said the National Reconciliation Commission is dividing the people instead of uniting them and added that he doubted the sincerity of some of the members of the Commission due to their pronouncements.

"We should not joke with the Commission else we would end up seriously dividing the people," he said.

He also called for transparency in the disbursement of the social investment fund and urged the President to make public the state of the country's external and internal debts.