NDC Has Deflated Its Electoral Fortunes - Rawlings

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has noted that the governance style of President John Evans Atta Mills had deflated the electoral fortunes of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in this year�s elections. He accused the regime of running a corrupt and undisciplined administration, generally neglecting the values of probity, accountability and social justice, the ideals forming the NDC. The Ex-President was addressing a rally to mark the June 4 Uprising, at the weekend at Aflao, on the theme, �Integrity for Sustainable Development�. �I wish the NDC wins the 2012 elections, but how can you win when you reject and are afraid of June 4 values and driving out the right people with integrity and accountability,� he stated. Ex-President Rawlings said the government had neglected party foot soldiers and remained adamant to pieces of advice. He expressed frustration at what he described as �efforts by the government to undermine the celebration of June 4, a political landmark in the annals of Ghana, which the former President stressed was �a divine intervention, for a new value system based on social equity and justice�. He paid tribute to the security personnel for rallying up to the June 4 uprising, declaring, �I would not discuss matters of government indoors as some are suggesting to me because June 4 was not launched indoors�. The ex-President said he thought government could have dealt with Mr Alfred Agbesi Woyome, now facing trial over a 51 million cedis judgment debt, more appropriately. Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, former First Lady, said the NDC needed emancipation and transformation from mental slavery to restore real power to the people and the ideals of social justice that ensured the ability of the people to survive. She accused the government of trying to destroy the 31st December Women�s Movement, a quasi political NGO, she founded to champion the cause of women. A large number of people, many pouring in, strings of long buses attended the rally. The chiefs of Aflao, high government officials and party functionaries were however absent. The large contingent of security personnel drafted from various stations had little to do as the event rolled and ended peacefully. Other speakers, including Kofi Adams, Special Aid to Mr Rawlings, Michael Teye Nyaunu, Member of Parliament of Lower Manya Krobo, Dr Josiah Aryeh, a Former General Secretary of the NDC, took turns to criticize the government. Some chiefs, opinion leaders and youth from the Aflao Traditional Area had last week attempted to stall the rally through a press statement describing it (rally) as inopportune for Aflao. Organisers, however, dismissed their claims as invalid and pressed on with preparations. The Ketu-South District and the Regional Security committees had met to discuss the import of the rally with Mr Henry Ford Kamel, Volta Regional Minister, dismissing rumors of attempts to stop the rally. He told Journalists at a soir�e on Friday in Ho that the Regional Security Committee was only interested in ensuring the rally passed off peacefully.