Rawlings Address to NDC Congress

ADDRESS BY FLT. LT JERRY JOHN RAWLINGS, FORMER PRESIDENT OF GHANA AND FOUNDER OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS AT THE PARTY’S 8TH NATIONAL DELEGATES CONFERENCE AT THE WAEC HALL, TAMALE – SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2010

Mr Chairman, Your Excellency President Mills and Vice President Mahama, Nanima, Council of Elders, Delegates, Members of the Diplomatic Corp, Representatives of other political parties, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to the 8th National Delegates Conference of the NDC here in Tamale. Last night a few of my colleagues went round to visit some of the delegates and came back at 3 O’ clock this morning to speak of the deplorable conditions they found some of them in.

Fellow delegates, there is a lot of pain on the chests of many of us. The country needs inspiration from us. Can we give it? There is a very painful truth out there. Are we ready to face it? Can we provide the quality of leadership needed to lead and empower the masses? Can we provide the socio-economic justice this country is asking for and is entitled to? Are we bold enough to rectify the wrongs of the past? Are we not in danger of perpetuating the misdeeds of the past?

I have said enough over the past one year. Will saying it again in this forum, make a difference? Will it evoke appropriate response and action? Or will it provoke the usual negativity and petty-mindedness from those who ought to know better?

Do we realise that we are dealing with the fate of a nation? Can we rise up to meet the expectations of this country as we did before? Some of you have had the privilege of serving this country previously under my watch and that of the power of the people. Ladies and gentlemen, I implore you to offer the same quality of service, commitment, guidance and truthfulness to the President, the leader of government.

Ladies and gentlemen, our conscience and our quest for nobility and Godliness in truth must now be the overriding influence in every decision that we take, especially today.

Let us keep at the back of our minds that this meeting is dealing with the future of our country - the peace and stability of this country. The fate of this nation is in the balance. Can we remedy it? We can, if we put a stop to the backstabbing, lies and treachery that is going on within the party and government. We survived the malice of the NPP, can we survive the treachery of our own?

I wish to thank the Chiefs and people of Tamale for always welcoming our party with open arms.

Ladies and gentleman, thank you and good luck.