Accra, May 24, GNA - The youth wings of the Convention People's Party (CPP) and the People's National Convention (PNC) on Tuesday urged the leadership of the two Nkrumaist parties to unite or face mass youth agitation.
"The CPP used mass agitation 'the positive action' during the struggle for political independence of Gold Coast (Ghana); we are ready to embark on a relentless popular agitation to force our leaders either out of office or to adhere to the grassroots call for unity," the CPP/PNC youth stated at a press conference in Accra.
The press conference titled: "Speed Up The Unification Process," was used as platform by the Youth Wing of the two parties known as Positive Action Group to express their disgust at the apparent lack of faith by leading members of the two parties towards Nkrumaist Unity for Elections 2008.
The leadership of CPP and of the PNC recently agreed to endorse the decision of the two parties to unite.
The decision followed a stage reached at the previous Nkrumaist Unity Talks on April 15, this year, in Accra.
Addressing the press conference, Mr Oteng Anane, the National Youth Leader of the CPP explained that since the announcement on April 17, this year, that they would unite the two parties have not exhibited the needed urgency for unity and continue to seek for personal interest. "We would no longer tolerate any further foot dragging of the leadership or any other member, " the youth stated and called on the leadership to immediately come out with a Unity Time table.
The youth also condemned some leading members of the CPP who have adopted an entrenched position towards the unity talks, saying modern day elections are not won on the basis of slogans and symbols but on issues and organisation.
They therefore urged the leaders to collaborate for the attainment of lasting unity of all Nkrumaist Parties.
The two parties decided to adopt the name "Convention People's Party" (CPP) and the "Coconut" of the PNC as a symbol with the motto "Forward Ever with Honest Service."
A six-member committee drawn from the leadership of each party was formed to collate major decisions reached with respect to a common constitution and political platform for consideration by both parties. Meanwhile the Chairman of the CPP, Dr Edmund Delle, in an interview with Ghana News Agency explained that the two parties adopted a platform for merger, stressing, "We have only crossed the first hurdle in the establishment of good faith to guide our activities in the quest for unity".
The CPP Chairman urged the members to channel their concerns and suggestions through the Unity Platform.
"We must not forget that negotiations is about give and take, we cannot in one breath be calling for concession from our partners, whilst we stick to our position.
"If the unity is crucial to us, then we must be prepared to sacrifice for the attainment of unity, the grass roots are calling on us to unite," and asked "what is paramount, Unity with new symbol and slogan or staying fragmented with our symbols and slogans"? He said after that the document would be presented to the legal committee for submission to the National Delegates Congress of the two parties for consideration.
Dr Delle said after Congress, "then we will start the registration procedure at the Electoral Commission."
He said, "what we have done now is working out an organisational programme for the attainment of united progressive activism in the country." 24 May 05
