NDC Reacts To NPP Manifesto Launch

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has congratulated the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for its manifesto and campaign launch on Saturday. A statement signed by its Propaganda Secretary, Mr Richard Quarshigah, said although the NDC was yet to thoroughly critique the event, it found it pertinent to point out �for now one of several unfortunate remarks made at the NPP launch intended to make Ghanaian politics a lot more ugly , especially at a time there is growing call on politicians to help sanitize our political environment�. It noted for instance that at that launch, the NPP Chairman, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey reiterated �his Party�s commitment and belief in the NPP�s �all die be die� mantra which it said, did not only alarm our Ghanaian society, but had also been outlawed by the court of public opinion. �From the very moment Nana Akufo Addo, who now claims to believe in peace, uttered this �all die be die� mantra, which found expression in NPP politics; it was met with outright public resentment. In spite of the several calls on Nana Addo by various groups to renounce his obvious call to violence, the NPP rather took refuge in rationalizing the infamous mantra,� it added. The statement noted that although the peace loving and forgiving Ghanaian people decided to let matters rest in spite of the posture of the NPP, �the persistent and consistent repeat of the �all die be die� mantra especially by the NPP National Chairman with the intent of inciting some members of a rather peaceful society to take to violence, betrays the NPP�s commitment to a peaceful December 2012 polls�. It reminded the NPP of the Bible observation that, � An evil-hearted man is filled with venom, and his speech reveals it� It said if Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey �s comment was not a reflection of the NPP�s position, �then it will be refreshing for the Party to call him to order as well as dissociate itself from the blood spilling comment�. The statement, therefore, drew the attention of the National Peace Council and all other stakeholders interested in peaceful elections to take note of Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey�s violent pronouncement and take the necessary steps to rein in such politicians from disturbing the peace and stability of the nation, especially when the same Party Chairman last Friday in a radio interview told the whole world that the incessant calls on Ghanaians to maintain the peace is overblown.