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Don’t give in to negative
propaganda-President Kufuor
Koforidua (E/R), Jan. 6, GNA – President John Agyekum Kufuor
has told the rank and file of the ruling New Patriotic Party
(NPP) not to give in to negative propaganda, to create a gap
between them and the Government.
“Everything is going for us. We cannot give in to complaints
and cynicism when the fruits of our labour are maturing and
are ready for harvest.”
They should therefore remain steadfast, work hard and
continue to sacrifice to put Ghana in the ranks of advancing
nations of the world.
President Kufuor was addressing an annual delegates
conference of the party held at the EREDEC Hotel in
Koforidua on Saturday.
Held under the theme: “Moving Forward in Unity”, it provided
the chance for the party to evaluate its performance and
chart a pragmatic course to present itself to the electorate
with a united front.
More than 2000 delegates from all the 230 constituencies in
the country attended. There were also representatives from
the party’s overseas branches in the United Kingdom, Italy,
United States of America, Canada and Germany.
President Kufuor said the Government’s achievements were
tremendous and were something the party members should be
proud of and take credit for.
He said for the first in decades, the national reserves have
exceeded Two Billion dollars, multi-lateral inflows would
also be over 317 million dollars this year as a result of
the 100 percent debt forgiveness, with the economy
stabilising and inflation verging on single digit.
Besides, evidence of infrastructure development was showing
throughout the country and that there had also been the
introduction of interventions like the National Health
Insurance Scheme, the capitation grant, National Youth
Employment Placement Programme and the Venture Capital among
others.
“Let us be telling our success story to the world. Nobody
can tell it better than ourselves.”
President Kufuor however, reminded them that they could ruin
things for themselves, if they did not hold in check certain
negative tendencies, citing for example, the many complaints
about the activities of party members aspiring to be
flagbearers.
He said, in a benign manner, he has monitored the movements
of Ministers with presidential ambitions, while keeping
close watch on their respective ministries to ensure that
they performed the duties expected of them.
He declared that none of them would be allowed to wreck the
party’s chances to retain power in the year 2008.
President Kufuor told the delegates, that the choice of
candidate to lead the party was not about who was more
knowledgeable or better resourced.
Rather, the search was for a leader who appreciated the
party’s time-tested values and traditions, could hold the
party together and has the humility to hold himself
accountable to the party and the nation.
“We must remember that parties by themselves do not choose a
President. It takes the nation at large to do that. That is
why we must look for the person who is acceptable to a
sizeable portion, indeed majority of the citizenry”, he
added.
Mr Joseph Henry Mensah, Chairman of the National Planning
Commission and a stalwart of the party, said the most
important task facing the NPP now was to build up the
party’s machinery and to get itself battle ready at all
levels.
The priority is the message and the machine to keep the
party in power, come 2008 and not the Presidency.
He said the rank and file should feel sufficiently
enthusiastic and work their hearts out.
Mr Mensah said it was regrettable that, the aspirants have
not heeded the advice, not to rush into campaigning.
There were fraternal messages from the National Democratic
Congress (NDC), People’s National Convention (PNC),
Convention People’s Party (CPP), Democratic Freedom Party (DFP)
and the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP).
GNA
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