NPP are bankrupt of ideas - CPP UK

The CPP National Youth Organiser, Mr Oteng-Anane said in London on Sunday 21st May 2007 that the ruling NPP is bankrupt of ideas and must be voted out of power come 2008 elections.

Mr Oteng-Anane, who was the main guest speaker at the CPPUK monthly meeting in London, said the government was aware of the energy situation when they came to office in 2000. He said he was puzzled and amazed that despite the warnings from various agencies and organisations, including NGO’s, the Kuffour government did not bother to explore other alternatives until the energy problem degenerated into crisis.

Mr Oteng-Anane said the CPP is the only party that is capable of finding lasting solutions to the current energy crisis in Ghana. He said the load shedding is having a very disruptive impact on businesses and household. The Youth Leader said as results of the power disruptions most companies are laying off workers and this is affecting the economy. He said in some communities women have to walk over 10 kilometres to fetch a bucket of water due to power disruptions. Mr Anane said the impact on gender and its associated problems would hamper the poverty reduction strategies already in place and stated that this can push the little gains already made a decade behind. The Youth Leader questioned the managerial skills of the Kufuor government and explained that with almost 7 years in government, the NPP have not delivered what they promised the Ghanaian people when they were voted into office in 2000.

Commenting on the NPP poverty reduction strategy, Mr Oteng-Anane said the policy is not having the intended impact as the NPP anticipated because more people are now caught up in the poverty trap than when they came to power. Mr Oteng- Anane questioned the so called “Experience Team” that the NPP promised Ghanaian people to solve their problems and create jobs in 2000 and said, “They are bankrupt of new ideas”.

Mr Oteng-Anane said the NPP government is as bad as the last NDC administration and stated that CPP is the only party that is capable of addressing the needs of the Ghanaian people and creates employment for the numerous jobless roaming the streets aimless and helpless. The Youth leader said the CPP will give provide skills and training and financial support to youth enterprises. Mr Oteng-Anane said the in - coming CPP government would put youth employment at the top of its priorities and ensure every youth in Ghana is given opportunity to contribute to the development of the country. Mr Oteng-Anane said, “The youth would be made partners in development. We would ensure every youth is given the opportunity to fulfil his/her true potential”.

On the issue of the emerging “Street Children” and its social-economic impact in the country, the CPP Youth leader said travelling up and down the country, he has come across children, some as young as 12 years old, who have become the breadwinners for their families. He said these children should be in school, but because of the level of poverty pertaining in their communities, the children are forced to abandoned school to fend for themselves. At times very emotional, the energetic CPP Youth leader appealed to the Ghanaian Diaspora to continue to support their families’ home because without this vital support our country would be bankrupted in no time. Mr Oteng-Anane told his compatriots that the task of developing the homeland falls on all Ghanaians, at home and in Diaspora. Mr Oteng-Anane the time has come where leaving decisions about Ghana’s development to be NGO’s and Bretton Wood institutions to decide is no longer an option. Mr Oteng-Anane cited the case of Malaysia and said the 7 year development plan drawn by the Nkrumah government in the 1960s was modified by the Malaysians in the 1980s and pursue it vigorously! The Youth leader rhetorically asked, “What does this tells us about our past leaders after Nkrumah?” Mr Oteng-Anane said the current crop of CPP leaders would not allowed anyone to hold them hostage by ideological dogma. He said the current CPP party is social democratic party and a broad church.

Speaking about the health of the nation, Mr Oteng-Anane, often emotional, cited a case at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where a young mother was detained for almost 5 months because she was unable to pay for the delivery of her new born baby. Mr Oteng-Anane said this situation cannot be allowed to continue with this present government in place and pledge that the CPP would bring in policies where the marginalised and the poor would be supported and given the skills to make meaningful contributions towards the development of the country.

Mr Oteng-Anane said the CPP will emerge from their August congress stronger and well prepared to offer the Ghanaian people practical solutions to address the problems of the country. Mr Oteng-Anane was praised by the CPP members and non-members alike for his passion and drive to help the poor and the jobless youth in Ghana.

Mr Oteng-Anane’s crusade to get the youth involved in politics is phenomenal. Mr Oteng-Anane is emerging as one of the dynamic youth leaders’ in the country and someone who is tipped to go higher in Ghanaian politics.