NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS (NDC) MAIDEN POLICY STATEMENT BY DR. KWABENA ADJEI, NATIONAL CHAIRMAN
THURSDAY 12th JANUARY 2006.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, On behalf of the National Executive of the NDC, I welcome all of you to this Press Conference, the first to be organised by the newly-elected National Executive of the party after the successful National Delegates? Congress held at Koforidua Eredec Hotel from 21st to 23rd December 2005.
That our Congress was successful is not in doubt. The huge media interest reflect how important and successful the NDC has become as a Party. Delegates freely debated the issues, freely voted for candidates of their choice for the various positions on the National Executive, and freely adopted a far-reaching Resolution dealing with critical issues of political, economic, social and electoral importance to the future and the fortunes of this country.
On the fringes of the Congress, there were a few unfortunate isolated and irresponsible acts of waywardness and skirmishes, which are often unavoidable concomitants and irritants of mass events of such nature.
As contained in our statement of December 30, 2005, we regret all such incidents. We apologise to all those who were victims of these acts of waywardness. Even though we of the new Executive were not involved in or responsible for the organisation of the Congress, as the new leadership of the corporate NDC, we take full responsibility for any and all acts of omission and commission, which made it possible for those incidents to occur. We shall however defend those who are being unjustifiably accused and are being hounded by the security agencies. We also promise to work to ensure that under our leadership, there shall be no recurrence of any such incidents.
We hasten to add that these isolated incidents have however been blown out of all proportion by elements in the society whose long-term agenda has been to portray the NDC as unacceptable alternative to the NPP and thus have a vested interest in diverting attention from the positive outcome of the Koforidua Congress.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media,
In events following our Congress, we have read media reports of the resignation of our former National Chairman, Dr. Obed Asamoah, one of our former National Vice Chairmen, Mr. Kwaku Baah, our former Regional Chairman for the Ashanti Region, Mr. Nti Fordwour, Madam Frances Assiam and a few others who describe themselves as ?Obed Asamoah loyalists? We have also read of media reports that others may follow suit.
We regret these resignations and will make every effort to try to convince those who say they have resigned to return to the NDC family where they belong.
But it is significant that apart from the former National Women?s Organiser who did not seek re-election to her position, all those who have allegedly resigned contested for positions at the Koforidua Congress and in the! case of Mr. Nti Fordwuor at the Ashanti Regional Congress and lost.
On the contrary, there are several perceived ?Obed Asamoah loyalists? who contested the elections and won resoundingly and who have neither resigned their positions nor resigned from the party. Indeed nobody who won any position in the elections at Koforidua has resigned, and they are all working actively and effectively as members of the new Executive in order to move the party forward.
That makes the reasons given by those who claim to have resigned as arising from so-called intimidation and violence at the Koforidua Congress a little suspect.
We especially regret the charge of hooliganism and violence levelled against the entire NDC membership by the former National Chairman and which he used as ! the reason for his resignation from the party. We have noted however that neither the former Chairman or the many others who contested and lost the elections have disputed the results.
The truth is that the Congress itself was very peaceful and orderly and the marathon voting, organised under the auspices of the Electoral Commission, was free and fair.
The Congress was also organised by the former Executive chaired by the former National Chairman Dr. Obed Asamoah. The former National Vice Chairman, who has resigned, Mr. Kwaku Baah, was the Chairman of the Party?s Electoral Committee and in that capacity chaired the Committee that vetted candidates for the various positions.
Even though as a matter of corporate requirement, the new Executive has accepted respons! ibility for the events at the Congress, it is important that the former Executive also accepts shared responsibility for whatever lapses occurred.
The language of Dr. Obed Asamoah?s resignation statement however compels us to reluctantly put in the public domain certain facts that we would have wished to remain as ?internal affairs? of the party.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media,
On the Friday before the Koforidua Congress, ie December 16, 2005, a booklet authored by so-called ?Friends of Obed Asamoah? and titled ?What Obed Asamoah stands for? but which has been traced to the former National Chairman was outdoored at Koforidua. The do! cument which was supposed to outline Obed Asamoah?s vision for the Party only set out to castigate and damn the Founder, the former flagbearer and other members of the party.
On the following Monday, December 19 2005, the former National Chairman addressed a Press Conference at which he apologised to persons who perceived themselves to have been wronged by him and extended a hand of friendship to all within the party, promising not to repeat any of the acts and omissions that he had been accused of in the past. He made no mention of, neither did he refer to the booklet that only thre! e days previously had been outdoored in Koforidua on his behalf.
The next day, Tuesday December 20, 2005, the former National Chairman met with some senior Party members whom he believed were not in favour of his candidacy at a leading hotel in Accra. The Minority Leader, Honourable Alban Bagbin was the Moderator at that meeting.
At that meeting, the former National Chairman who has been a proponent of internal democracy proposed a single slate for the Congress which would make the pending democratic elections at the Koforidua Congress unnecessary.
This proposal did not find favour with those present at the meeting who insisted that the delegates should be given the right of choice at the Congress. The meeting ended with the understanding that all would go for competitive elections.
Perhaps the former National Chairman had a premonition of defeat, hence the last-minute manoeuvres.! Indeed, rather uncharacteristic of our former National Chairman, his campaign strategy was most lackadaisical. For example, the former National Chairman hardly moved out of his Accra base, preferring instead to rely on agents and errand boys many of whom appear to have let him down rather badly.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media
For us, however, all that is water under the bridge. No matter what has happened, we regret the resignations that have occurred, and we appeal to all those who have resigned to return to the fold. We would have wished that those involved would have kept the commitments they made that should they fail to win at the Koforidua Congress they would not want to carry the historical responsibility of being the ones to do anything to divide the front of the NDC. Indeed we recall the words of the former chairman himself in his statement of Dec 19th 2005, announcing his candidature ! for chairmanship asking all party members to pledge to accept the decision of Congress, the highest making organ of the party. But we promise the teeming supporters and sympathisers of the party that we will work hard to steer the vessel through the troubled waters to the calm seas. We will do what is right to ensure that we restore hope among the rank and file. As former President Clinton said on his historic visit to Ghana ?challenges remain but we must see them as a call to action and not a source of despair?.
The fact is that in every mass organisation there will always be strife and struggle. But with a strong will we can overcome. The new executives of the NDC believe in bringing together not only our supporters but all Ghanaians. The NPP needs a divided NDC to survive. The NPP needs a divided Ghana to survive and does everything to keep us divided as a people.
But in spite of all the machinations to divide our front our commitment to truth and noble principles will ensure that we prevail. We promise to build a new NDC that will be the envy of all other political parties, a united, stable NDC focused on attaining political power for the accelerated development of the country.
Upon the ashes of the resignations shall arise a new N! DC, reborn, renewed, rejuvenated and re-energised to take the fight to the ruling NPP.
To be able to do this, however, we need the understanding, cooperation, objectivity and neutrality of two important institutions in the country ? the media and the police.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media,
Journalists who were actually at Koforidua would be the first to admit that the congress was well-organized. Those journalists who have blown the unfortunate incidents at our Koforidua Congress out of all proportion were not even there and have depended on hearsay and stories from third parties. Yet whatever happened at Koforidua does not compare to the violence and mayhem that characterised the ruling NPP?s constituency, regional and national congresses.
It was only the ?Chronicle? that very capably chronicled the various dastardly incidents of violence and atrocities, including murder that occurred at the NPP Congresses. I will like to give you some few examples.
At Oforikrom in Kumasi, there was a violent clash at the constituency meeting and the police had to fire warning shots to disperse the angry delegates;
At Akropong-Akwapim, one delegate was murdered;
At Kade, police arrested eleven macho men hired to disrupt the Congress;
At Kpone-Katamanso, there was exchange of blows between the Vice Chairman and the Youth Organiser, inviting the intervention of the police;
At Sunyani, the former Wenchi East Women?s Organiser was knocked out cold by the Regional Organiser and ended up in hospital;
At Manya Krobo, there was a free-for-all fight among the delegates with the constituency secretary virtually pummelled to pulp;
At Bolgatanga, the Regional Secretary was assaulted by a party activist; At Bawku, several people were injured in a clash between two party factions; At Krowor, the constituency chairman narrowly escaped lynching but a police officer was turned into a punching bag with blood gushing out of his lips; At Bole, two factions engaged each other in a serious battle, which ended up at the Bolewura?s palace.
Last but not the least, at the NPP Delegates Conference held at the University of Ghana last December, there was a violent clash between supporters of Lord Commey, NPP National Organizer and Moctar Bamba who challenged him for that position.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media,
These were only a few o! f the incidents of NPP violence on NPP reported mostly by the ?Chronicle?, for which the people of Ghana are grateful. But what about the other media houses? What were they doing or seeing or hearing? Which is more serious ? a murder at a party meeting or physical assault at a party congress?
What about the events that prevented the National! Chairman of the NPP from attending his own party?s Congress and addressing his own party delegates? Was it not newsworthy enough that the chairman of the NPP who by their constitution has to call Congress into session went ?AWOL? at the last minute? Was it not newsworthy enough or was that not important enough for media coverage, media discussion and media commentaries?
We also have some concerns to be addressed to the police. We have taken note of the speed with which the police and national security are conducting investigations into the alleged incidents at the NDC?s Koforidua Congr! ess, including sending a team to Koforidua to photograph the scene of the Congress and to Tamale to attempt to arrest the alleged perpetrators of the Koforidua violence.
We would have wished that the same speed had attended the investigations, if any, into all the incidents of violence at the NPP Congresses referred to earlier and many more, because the list of violent acts by NPP members and supporters in recent years is indeed very long. The police must not only be fair, but must also be seen to be fair in the handling of all cases of political violence. If the police fail to act! on the basis of the law without regard to the political colouring of suspects, it would lose its credibility completely. Our reservations aside, the new executive of the NDC is determined to fashion a new relationship with the media and the police that will ensure a qualitative improvement in the country?s democratic agenda.
We recognise for instance the need to restructure and redefine our relationship with the media. Very soon we shall designate our official spokespersons who shall speak on behalf of the party. There is the need to distinguish between when an official of the party ! speaks for the party and when he or she speaks in their personal capacity. This distinction we have not drawn very well in the past and this has contributed to some of the bad press we have had.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media,
The NDC means well. Born out of the revolutionary PNDC Government, we created history by being the ones that enabled the smooth and successful constitutional transfer of power for the first time in the history of this country. That is the legacy that we have left for this country, and those are our democratic credentials. The tag of hooliganism and violence that is sought to be attached to us will not stick, because it is not supported by the historical facts.
On the contrary, what we believe is important for the country today is to return to the agenda of the NPP scandals that threaten to undermine the democracy that we have struggled to build.
The corruption associated with the ?Hotel Kufuor? affair is a threat to our democracy.
The moral turpitude associated with the Giselle Yazji affair is a threat to our democracy.
The possible international pariah status associated with NPP MP Eric Amoateng?s heroin-trafficking escapade is a threat to our democracy.
The collection of ?kickbacks? by President Kufuor at the Presidency revealed by his own Party Chairman is a threat to our democracy. Indeed such is the threat of corruption posed to our democracy under Pres. Kufuor that the World Bank Cou! ntry Director in an interview published in the Dec. 30th 2005 edition of the Daily Graphic stated that the people of Ghana should move away from asking how much money came in to the country, to how efficiently funds were being used. His concluding words were ? it is part of the corruption issue and I will not mince words?
The creation of a private army of ?Action Troopers? to steal and substitute ballot papers to undermine the sovereign will of the people expressed at elections revealed by the NPP National Organiser is a threat to our democracy.
These are the real threats to our democracy that the people of Ghana face, and these are the real threats that the media, the police, civil society, religious bodies and our traditional authorities must join hands with the NDC in fighting.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media,
We also recognise that changing the conditions of existence of our people is an even more fundamental imperative of the democratic demand. In our 2004 Manifesto, which unfortunately we did not have the opportunity to implement, we spelt out how we intended to do this.
For 2008, my executive and I will put together a capable and competent team that will spell out our vision and our mission even more clearly, for ours is a vision and a mission not just for a property-owning class, but also for all Ghanaians. For what is a democracy if it cannot provide the basic necessities of food, clothing, housing, education, health, transportation, and general welfare for the citizenry?
The signal for our Vision 2008 was giv! en in the Resolution which the delegates at the Koforidua Congress passed, among which were the following: ?We recognise the pain and anguish of our women and children, the trials and tribulations of our farmers and fishermen, the hardships facing our workers and the frustrations of our youth and students, and commit ourselves to providing effective leadership, vision, focus and direction, which will place our beloved country on the path of accelerated progress and prosperity;
! We condemn the increasing arrogance, corruption and indifference to the plight of Ghanaians on the part of the Government of the NPP and its officials, and their inability to demonstrate maturity, sensitivity, compassion and commitment in dealing with the problems that our nation is currently facing We call on the security agencies to investigate what is obviously a 'confession' of the NPP National Organiser which was brought to the attention of the public in the so-called ?Essekugate? tapes relating to organised violence, the hijacking and removal of ballot boxes and other acts designed to subvert the electoral process with a view to determining whether there have been any breaches of the Constitution and to further investigate t! he consequences of such action;
The entire membership of the NDC is committed to building a united party devoted to the process of democracy and democratic governance and the pursuit of democratic form of government that will fulfil the hopes and aspirations of our people. This is our solemn pledge?.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media,
We of the new executive also hold the solemn pledge of the Congress delegates as our solemn pledge as well. We know we will succeed, because we are determined to succeed and because we have the resounding mandate of the Congress delegates.
We recognise that we must set our own ho! use in order first. The immediate agenda of the new executive therefore include the following:
1. We plan to raise the needed resources to settle all outstanding arrears, debts and bills owed by ! the party, including those arising from the Koforidua Congress;
2. We plan to undertake a tour of the regions and the constituencies to acquaint ourselves at first hand with the problems of the party at the grassroots level; and give our activists the recognition they deserve.
3. We shall concentrate our attention on branch, ward and constituency organisation and on the activities of the branch, ward and constituency executives;
4. We shall mobilise all the experienced and seasoned cadres, former office holders and activists of the party and assign roles and responsibilities to them in the task of re-energising and re-empowering the party.
The outcome of the Koforidua elections clearly show that delegates chose unity over division hence ours will be an open-door po! licy to forge internal cohesion and unity. In this regard, the new executive will be receptive to all views including those who may differ or disagree with decisions we take. We will not pander to any vested interests. The larger interests of the Party will be supreme at all times. 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 interests of the Party remain uppermost in our march towards victory 2008.
We are confident of success.
We shall succeed because the youth, the workers, the farmers, the fishermen, the ordinary Ghanaian are not only behind us; they are also looking up to us;
We shall succeed because history is on our side.
We shall succeed because our vision is for the Ghanaian collective, not for the property-owning Ghanaian only.
We shall succeed because we believe in the Almighty and we know that with Him, all things are possible.
We thank you very much for your attention.
