Rawlings demands urgent reforms in NDC

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has warned of serious problems for the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2016 elections if the party fails to urgently embark on significant reforms to clean up its image.

In a statement, Mr. Rawlings, who is also the founder of the NDC, said the next presidential candidate of the party must be elected by a more representative electoral college similar to that being implemented by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Mr. Rawlings said the NDC needs what he calls significant reforms to face the challenges of the dynamic global political climate.

According to him, he does not think that the necessary reforms required in order to clean up the party’s image are being treated with the urgency they require.

Addressing the chiefs and people of Dzodze in the Volta Region to mark the celebration of the Deza Palm festival, Mr. Rawlings warned that, if the party fails to act quickly in cleaning up its ranks, it will face a problem in 2016.

The former President recommended the expansion of the party’s Electoral College and added that, if implemented, it will allow a larger group of people, better representatives of various local communities to elect officers of the party including the flagbearer.

He acknowledged that other political parties, including the NPP following its 2008 electoral defeat, have already implemented the Electoral College reforms.

Mr. Rawlings, however, challenged the NDC to do better than the NPP and come up with a larger and more representative electoral college, noting that such a reform is long overdue.

He said party officers and executives with integrity must support the reform: “Let us not do anything to undermine the attempt to hand the party back to the people. To do so will be risking the life of the NDC.”