NDC urges members to join ROPAB demo

Accra, Feb. 9, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has endorsed the use of demonstration as a weapon against the passage of the Representation of the Peoples Amendment Bill (ROPAB) on Saint Valentine's Day, a statement by the Party said on Thursday. A group calling itself 'Patriotic Ghanaians', has given notice to embark on a demonstration on February 14, to draw support against the passage of the Bill.

"The leadership of the NDC wishes to inform all its numerous members, supporters and sympathizers that the Party has decided to fully endorse the demonstration, planned by the group to show their love for mother Ghana on this St Valentine's Day," said the statement, signed by its General Secretary, Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketiah.

The NDC has maintained that the passage and implementation of the Bill "is a recipe for chaos and disaster for our nascent democracy".

The Party said it was also expressing concern about "the recklessness, persistence, and desperation with which the NPP government is seeking to push the Bill through parliament, irrespective of numerous voices of reason, including those of five minority parties, Trades Union Congress, National Union of Ghana Students and other civil society groups".

The Party reminded its members, supporters and all Ghanaians living in and around Accra who were interested in free, fair and transparent elections in the country that the passage of the Bill into law would lead to the rigging of vote by the NPP.

"Once the NPP is allowed to install this dangerous rigging machinery now, no amount of campaigning and vigilance by any other political party on polling day can stop it from stealing the verdict of the people in 2008 general elections," it held.

The Party therefore urged its members, supporters and civil society groupings to support the demonstration "to save the democracy we have sacrificed to put in place".