Some seventy youthful supporters of the ruling NPP in the Ayawaso West Wugon constituency in the Greater Accra region have defected to the NDC, citing unfulfilled promises, and accused the NPP of taking Ghanaians for granted.
Making a formal application to join the NDC at a short but impressive ceremony held at Abofu, the defectors said that they have decided to join the NDC because having had the chance to see both the NPP and NDC govern this country, they are now firmly convinced that Ghana is better off under an NDC government than under an NPP government.
Led by their Chairman, Mr. Robert Ocran, their Organiser, Mr. Patrick Nkrumah, and their Secretary, Mr. Amos Asante, the defectors pledge their irrevocable support to the NDC.
Addressing the defectors, Mr. Justice Atchoe of the Youth Forum of the NDC welcomed them to the NDC with the words, “we in the NDC know that it is only a matter of time before the people of Ghana see through the propaganda of the NPP. We believe that Ghanaians are not as gullible as the NPP leadership appears to believe that we are. We have always known that when the dust settles the good people of Ghana would come to see that the NPP is nothing but one huge media hype.”
He told the defectors that the NDC being a Social Democratic political party believes not only in equitable distribution of wealth, but more importantly “the NDC believes in the pursuit of social justice for all.”
“As has been attested to by yourselves, the NDC is a party that seeks to provide equal opportunity for every Ghanaian. We believe that the state has a responsibility of protecting the less fortunate and vulnerable from the economic hardships that they have no control over. Now that you have joined our ranks, I urge you to remain steadfast and never look back. I know that the NPP would try to lure some of you back with fantastic offers, but the truth is that whatever they may offer cannot replace the promise of human-centred policies that the NDC holds for not you individually but for your families and the whole country,” Justice Atchoe urged the defectors.
Other speakers who addressed the defectors include Mustapha Mohammed of the Youth Forum, Alfred Triddles, Musah Mohammed, and Sir Goerge, all of the Youth Forum.
Speaking to The Ghanaian Lens later, the organiser of the defectors, Mr. Patrick Nkrumah, said that they are determined to work very hard and assiduously to help the NDC win the 2008 election.
“Our destiny, and that of our children, lies in our hands, we either sit back and allow the NPP to stay in power with their arrogance and property grabbing ways while the rest of us go hungry, or we help the NDC to win and pursue policies that would give every Ghanaian who applies himself of herself an opportunity to make it in life. We have opted for the later option and we will not look back,” Patrick Nkrumah asserted.
