Country Before Party – CPP

The Convention People’s Party (CPP) , the Party that gave birth to Ghana, yesterday expressed serious concern about the turn of events in the ongoing Biometric registration exercise culminating in the arrest and detention of Hon Kennedy Ohene Adjapong.

Speaking to Citi fm last night, the Chairman and Leader of the CPP, Hon Samia Yaba Nkrumah MP said “We are very concerned” she said Ghana’s democracy has enabled her and many others to be able to contribute to the development of the country and thus must be protected. “Leaders must check their emotions” she said.

The CPP Leader went on to say that national cohesion was a key consideration and that Ghana’s unity was sacrosanct. She appealed for calm saying that we must all put “Country before Party” In various interviews during the day the General Secretary of the party Mr Ivor Kobbina Greenstreet and the Director of Communications Nii Armah Akomfrah had both unreservedly condemned the comments of Ken Adjapong as dangerous, and that inciting violence was not the way forward for Ghana. That Ghana’s peace and stability was too important for any individual to seek to undermine. The Convention People’s Party noted that the back-drop to Ken Adjapong’s incendiary comments had to be looked at.

The various acts of lawlessness and violence surrounding the voter registration must be checked and must be seen to be checked.

The CPP wishes to assert that every qualifying Ghanaian is entitled to register and no one should seek to disenfranchise them. That specifically at Odododiodoo the ongoing attempts by NDC and NPP candidates to resolve differences in the constituency should be allowed to take root and succeed. No one in that constituency should seek to prevent others from registering on the basis of tribe or ethnicity. The police must also understand that its actions or inaction can have consequences and thus the Law must be seen to be enforced. The country expects that people who are captured holding knives and cutlasses and allegedly seeking to prevent others from registering or threatening the peace should be investigated and prosecuted. Persons identified as involved in violence or assault should similarly be investigated and prosecuted.

The Government should be seen to be taking issues of violence and breaches of the law seriously which means that any behind the scenes discussions with security chiefs must be publicly demonstrated to instil confidence in the country that the President is indeed dealing with the concerns raised.

Ghana is a unitary state which has enjoyed peace and stability during the fourth republic. It is in the interest of all Ghanaians that we preach the message of peace and also the need for all to put country before party at times like this.

Nii Armah Akomfrah Director of Communication www.conventionpeoplesparty.org