NDC, A Moving train?

VIOLENCE, NOT OUR ?BABY? ? Chairman

THE National Democratic Congress (NDC) has dismissed the tag of violence being pinned on the party, following its recent congress at Koforidua and emphasised that it enjoys no monopoly over such unlawful acts.

Indeed, the tag of hooliganism on the NDC and violence won?t stick, because it is not supported by historical facts, it maintains. Addressing a well-attended press conference in Accra yesterday, Dr Kwabena Adjei, the newly-elected chairman of the party, described as ?unfair? the negative press coverage given to some incidents, outside the main Congress Hall, which were minimal, as compared to some incidents, which characterized primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). He listed cases of NPP violence, which included a case, in which gun-shots had to be used to break up a whole meeting.

Expressing strong optimism about the future prospects of the party, Dr Kwabena Adjei assured Ghanaians that the party remains on course. ?We shall succeed because the women, the youth, the workers, the farmers, the fishermen and indeed all the good people of Ghana are not only behind us but also looking up to us.

?We will succeed because we will ensure that all ex-cadres, former Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MPs, DCEs, constituency and branch executives and executives of the 31 December Women?s Movement are fully included in all our party and their resources abilities and skills fully utilized to invigorate the party. ?We shall succeed because our visition is for the Ghanaian collective, not for the property-owing Ghanaian only.

?We shall succeed because history is on our side.

?We shall succeed because we believe in the Almighty God or Allah and we know that with and in Him all things are possible.?

He then paid tribute to the performance of the Minority in Parliament. ?We acknowledge the unique contributions of the NDC Minority in Parliament under the able leadership of Hon. Alban Bagbin. They will remain indispensable in ensuring that the interest of our great party remain uppermost in our march towards victory 2008.?

The chairman pledged the new executives? determination to remain focused on the tenets and principles, upon which the party was founded.

His administration won?t operate in isolation, he said, adding: ?We shall open our doors to all shades of opinion?.

Dr Kwabena Adjei also promised to ensure that there is a level playing field for any one, who aspires for any position in the party.

The Chairman then turned to the agenda of scandals that threaten to undermine ?the democracy that we have struggled to build.

He listed the cases to include:

? The corruption associated with the ?Hotel Kufuor? affair.

? The possible international pariah status of Ghana associated with the NPP MP, Mr Eric Amoateng?s heroin-trafficking escapade.

? The recent approval of the US$30 million loan by the NPP Parliamentarians to build a Presidential Palace, without any project design and value for money assessment to support the ostentatious lifestyle of the NPP?s top political elite in the face of guinea worm infestation.

? The emerging scandal in Parliament involving the procurement of generators valued at about ?1.2 billion without the approval of the Parliamentary Service Board.

? The collection of ?kickbacks? by President Kufuor at the Presidency revealed by his own Party Chairman.

At question time, Mr Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary, likened the progress of the party to that of a moving train, which receives people on board, just as some move out. And the departure of some members, he said, is seen in that light.