NPP defends property-owing democracy concept

Accra, Nov. 12 GNA - The Executive Director of the Danquah Institute, on Thursday said the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) ideology of "Property owing democracy" is not about a few elite owing properties to the detriment of the majority of the people.

Mr Gabby Okyere Darko said the concept is about providing opportunities for all Ghanaians to be able to develop their God given talents, the right to own a property, respect for civil liberties and free enterprise. Mr Okyere Darko was speaking at a public lecture organised by the Accra City Campus (ACC) Tertiary Education Student Confederacy (TESCON) of the NPP in Accra.

The programme, which attracted NPP bigwigs and students from other tertiary institutions, was on the theme: "Property owning democracy: The ideological roadmap to economic self-reliance." Mr Okyere Darko said it is rather sad that people who are ignorant about the concept are trying to distort it by making all kinds of interpretations and relating it to the feudal system. He called on the TESCON members to arm themselves with all the necessary materials to be able to defend and educate Ghanaians about the party's ideology.

Ms Ursula Owusu, an NPP activist said the NPP administration led by former President John Agyekum Kufuor left the Ghanaian economy with hope contrary to the assertion by some officials of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the economy was mismanaged.

She maintained that the NPP was proud about its record in office because of the numerous projects and other major social interventions that it introduced, which was unprecedented in the country's annals. Ms Owusu said although Ghana had not hit oil and gas during the tenure of office of the NPP, it was able to grow and transform the economy into a middle income status.

She said since the NDC came to power in 2009, it had contracted huge loans with the hope to mortgage the country's newfound oil. Mr Rahaman Bugri, President of ACC-TESCON, stressed that the attempt by opponents of the NPP to corrupt the concept of the property owing democracy was unfortunate.

He said the adversaries of the party over the years had embarked on a systematic campaign to malign the principles, which J.B. Danquah and his liberal colleagues held dear.

Mr Bugri said unfortunately the NPP underestimated the impact of that propaganda, which resulted in the painful defeat of the party in the 2008 elections.

He said even though some people subscribe to the opinion that political ideologies had outlived their essence, TESCON is deeply convinced that the survival of any political tradition depends largely on the principles on which it was founded.

Mr Bugri urged members of association to remain fully committed to the realisation of the dreams of the forbearers of the tradition. "We do this fully aware of the enormity of the task at hand," he said. He said the major task in 2012 would not be how to win elections but how to get the verdict, adding that the party would be guilty of helping the purpose of the NDC if it underestimates their deeds. 12 Nov. 10