NDC launches fund to assist victims of political violence

Accra, June 10, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has launched the "Heroes Fund Foundation" to assist party supporters and loyalists who have encountered misfortunes in the course of their service to the party.

The foundation is a non-profit making political organisation which would be governed by a seven-member board of trustees chaired by Ambassador Victor Gbeho.

Other members include; Mr Kamel Noshie, Vice Chairman, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, Mr Kwesi Attah, Mr Yaw Boamah, Ms Doris Addo and Mr Simon Mawutor as the administrator.

Mr Noshie at a press conference in Accra on Friday said the members would be entrusted with the administration, formulation of policies, raising and disbursement of funds.

"They will be expected to raise funds from both local and international sources, which would then be invested in profitable securities and other income generating ventures," he added.

He said complaints would be heard from party members who in the past devoted a sizable part of their lives to the services of the party but who today had become either victims or lost their lives in their service to the party.

Mr Noshie said the operations of the fund would be autonomous from the day- to-day running of the party, noting that, 93the main purpose of this office will be to address some of the numerous complaints lodged daily at the main party headquarters."

According to him, the foundation would consider proposals for supporting people engaged in small scale ventures, training of unskilled labour and payment of medical bills in certain critical situations.

He noted that the establishment of the fund was part of the party's social responsibility and in line with its social democratic credentials. Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, General Secretary of the NDC, said the establishment of the fund was conceptualized by the functional executive committee of the party in response to emerging challenges faced by the party.

"Our party since its formation nineteen years ago has thrived by and large on set backs of volunteers, driven by the spirit of nationalism and patriotism and the urge to leave the country a better place than we came to meet," he said.

He said there were many individuals within the party who had devoted the best part of their youthful life to the party to the neglect of their own economic and social development.

Testimonies were taken from supporters who had suffered political violence in one way or the other with some appealing to delegates to vote wisely in the forthcoming national delegates' congress to elect a creditable flag bearer for the party.