North America-NDC Press Release

ROPA L AND A DIVIDED GHANA

North America NDC (NACC-NDC) on behalf of the entire membership wishes to congratulate the Concerned Ghanaians group, all opposition political parties, the TUC, Students and organizers of the unified opposition against the divisive Representation of the Peoples? Amendment Legislation. We are proud of these gallant men and women for their self-respect, moral integrity and fight for fairness and justice for Ghana.

North America NDC (NACC-NDC) takes due cognizance of the selfless devotion to the cause of freedom and unity of Ghana by Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah nearly half a century ago, as exemplified by his willingness to endure jail to secure our political independence. We further recognize Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah's triumph against intimidation and violence that included 'bomb throwing' perpetrated by the diabolical "Mate Mehu"(literally, Separatist) Group, the ancestors of the ruling NPP Government who blatantly and unashamedly called for the division of our nation in their fruitless efforts to derail Ghana's Independence of March 6th,1957, an anniversary coming up days from now, which NPP, without shame,! is pompously celebrating in the face of the poverty they have engendered, and their desire to divide Ghana with the ill-advised ROPA Legislation.

North America NDC (NACC-NDC) further recognizes the supreme sacrifice of patriotic citizens who led the good people of Ghana on June 4 1979 to reverse the economic downward spiral, degradation, squalor, human indignity and poverty that nation wreckers plunged Ghana.

History will judge that gallant people against ROPA Legislation cautioned the intransigent and arrogant NPP about the consequences of collating votes from localities where residents can neither be authent! icated nor verified. That is the thrust of the issue and we call on all responsible citizens to reflect deeply on this. ROPA legislation goes to the critical core of the electoral system: citizen?s confidence in the electoral system.

We unequivocally condemn the brutality unleashed on unarmed and defenseless peaceful demonstrators by segments of Ghana Police we believe constitute the dreaded, lawless and corrupt band of post-2001 recruited people called ?Kufuor Police? who refused to obey orders of their Commanding Officers to stop their unwarranted assault on February 21, 2006. We find these acts of betrayal by men supposed to be peace officers disgusting and contrary to the tenets of the 1992 Constitution. Civil society must not tolerate this uncivilized behavior.

The cowardly acts of the lawless "Kufuor Police" that resulted in severe injuries on 27 people, whose only 'crime' was to demonstrate peacefully in accordance with their Constitutional Rights on February 21, 2006, must be condemned in no uncertain terms. None of the 27 patriots acted in any antagonistic way towards the "Kufuor Police".

Elements working in concert with the national security and of NPP affiliation have boasted in drinking and chop bars that they were embedded amongst the uncountable masses that thronged the streets and initiated stone throwing and rubber tyre burning. The 'Kufuor Police' has failed to investigate this and have resorted to Subterfuge and Machiavellian Tactics of throwing civil invitation to leaders of the demonstrators for a meeting onl! y to turn on them and arrest them.

We condemn the tactics and actions of the 'Kufuor Police' as setting a dangerous precedence and call on them to discontinue any intended prosecution of peace loving citizens.

We stand behind the forces of progress and offer assistance to the 27 victims of Kufuor Police brutality in their time of need.

We will continue to resist the machinations of the so-called illegal foreign-funded Diaspora Committee's attempts to get NPP Government to immediately enforce ROPA Legislation in the 2008 Election on "Pilot Implementation" by extending the franchise to its members living only in Canada, USA, Germany and the United Kingdom.

We applaud the NDC Minority MP?s who ?after consultations with coalition partners and upon appeals received from mediating religious and civil society groups, and a broad segment of the public? decided to suspend its boycott of Parliament and resume work on Thursday 2nd March 2006.

We concur with the views of Minority Leader Alban Bagbin that despite the President?s refusal to heed wise counsel that led to his hasty granting of Presidential Assent barely 24 hrs after ROPAB passage, the opportunity still exists for a mediation that could lead to a review of the offending legislation and a forum for forging a consensus.

We call for the withdrawal of the divisive ROPA legislation until such time that Ghana can truly identify all her citizens living everywhere on earth and provide each equal opportunity to exercise their franchise in their respective voluntary Diasporean abode.

In conclusion we call on NPP to desist from fostering division on a unified country in the manner their ancestors sought to do in the Independence struggle.