The party said while its candidate, Professor John Evans Atta Mills stands tall on this score, Nana Akufo-Addo cannot be the rightful choice Ghanaians should bank on for the next leader of the nation.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, even at the level of our traditional leadership, we place high premium on the choice of individuals whose character traits reflect values of truth, nobility, sincerity and integrity," read Fifi Kwetey, Propaganda Secretary of the party at a press conference on Monday.
Fifi Kwetey said as the country prepares to elect a new leader in the December polls, there is the need for a thorough evaluation of the character of the two main aspirants, citing a comment by Joy FM's Programmes Director, Kofi Owusu, who had stated on the radio station's Super Morning Show programme that a most important issue to the American electorate is the honesty and truthfulness of the candidates.
Kofi Owusu was in the USA to cover the US election that historically elected Democrat Barack Obama, the first black man ever to be elected to that position.
"Without character, great ideas come to naught. They come to naught because it takes strength of character to bring ideas into concrete manifestation. It takes character and values to honour one's promises. It takes character and integrity to stand by one's stated plans and programs. It takes character and nobility to have the courage to continually tell the truth to the people. Above all, without character a president's pledge to uphold the constitution and defend the interest of our people will be of absolutely no value," argued Mr. Kwetey.
"We have nothing to worry about when it comes to the character of Prof Mills because he stands tall and unblemished and has an impeccable track record of credibility and believability."
The NDC said on the contrary, Nana Addo falls short of his own campaign claims of believing in Ghana, of being a peaceful and non-violent person and of being a human rights defender.
"…is it not ironic that someone who tries so hard to speak like a white Englishman is sermonising us about belief in Ghana? Even Kofi Annan, who spent many decades living and working abroad still speaks as a Ghanaian. Kwame Nkrumah also spent many years abroad but has always spoken as a Ghanaian. Their example is the hallmark of people who are proud of their heritage."
See the full statement by the NDC below
 |  |
| |
| Fifi Kwetey | |
Character Is The Single Most Critical Issue-
While Prof Mills Stands Tall, Akufo Addo Does Not Measure Up
Thank you once again ladies and gentlemen of the media for honouring our invitation.
We have over the course of the last several weeks engaged in a conversation with our people, through your media on the various issues that define the upcoming elections. We dealt first with healthcare and education. We then touched on the economy and issues of governance. In our last two interactions we focused on the lack of credibility of the promises found in NPP's manifesto and the credible policy platform of Prof Mills- policies that are anchored on our candidate's sterling credentials as a man of truth and sincerity leading a party that has a solid track record of concrete delivery.
Today, we want to touch on an issue that, in our estimation, is most critical. We want to set the records straight about the need for a thorough evaluation of the character of the two main aspirants.
Without character, great ideas come to naught. They come to naught because it takes strength of character to bring ideas into concrete manifestation. It takes character and values to honour one's promises. It takes character and integrity to stand by one's stated plans and programs. It takes character and nobility to have the courage to continually tell the truth to the people. Above all, without character a president's pledge to uphold the constitution and defend the interest of our people will be of absolutely no value.
In fact one of your colleagues in the media, Kofi Owusu of Joy Fm who is just back from covering the US election, stated this morning on Joy Fm that the single most important issue to the American electorate is the honesty and truthfulness of the candidate.
Ladies and gentlemen, even at the level of our traditional leadership, we place high premium on the choice of individuals whose character traits reflect values of truth, nobility, sincerity and integrity.
We have nothing to worry about when it comes to the character of Prof Mills because he stands tall and unblemished and has an impeccable track record of credibility and believability. We will therefore place our beam on Nana Akufo Addo of the NPP. Does he measure up to that high moral demand? This question is vital especially at a time when there is growing cynicism and doubt about politicians- a phenomenon exacerbated by eight years of broken promises, disillusionment and a sense of betrayal and outrage. Against this backdrop, it is critical that Ghana places utmost importance on the character and values of those who want to take the mantle of leadership.
How Credible Is Akufo Addo's Claim In Peaceful Elections And Non Violence?
Nana Akufo Addo has been trying hard to portray himself as a man of peace. This is another deception of our people. Let us examine his track record.
In the 1996 elections, Nana Akufo Addo contested the then Abuakwa Central parliamentary seat with Owuraku Amofa. While the results were being collated at the New Tafo Centre, Macho men believed to belong to Nana Akufo Addo started attacking NDC supporters. The NDC party Vice Chairman for the constituency, Mohammed Abu was brutally assaulted in the process and had to be rushed to the Koforidua Central Hospital. He lost the use of his limbs and has since remained a cripple.
In the 2000 parliamentary elections, the NDC candidate, Christiana Annor who was contesting against Akufo Addo had her home attacked by NPP thugs. To date, the hapless lady is still yet to recover from that psychological trauma.
Ladies and gentlemen, that's not all- in the night of the elections in 2004, Nana Akufo Addo's supporters went on rampage and burned NDC's constituency party office in Kyebi and in the process destroyed all party properties in the office. These are the deeds of the supporters of Akufo Addo, the man who today is claiming he does not believe in violence.
Given this history, are you surprised about the violence that erupted during the presidential congress that saw the emergence of Akufo Addo? Guess who were behind that violence? Not Alan Kyerematen's supporters- but henchmen of Akufo Addo aided by Lord Commey, whose own confession on tape reveals that he is the leader of an NPP gang of criminals who go about snatching ballot boxes at gun point. Paul Afoko is lucky to be alive and whole today- he is lucky that he did not suffer the fate of NDC's Mohammed Abu, who was crippled by Akufo Addo's thugs in 1996.
Even in this current electioneering campaign, NDC's posters and flags can barely be seen in the Kyebi township- Akufo Addo's backyard. The reason is because his supporters would simply not allow it. Does Akufo Addo believe in peace? We know that deep down his own supporters, who have taken a cue from his belligerent nature and have plunged NPP's primaries in mayhem and bloodshed and subsequently started visiting atrocities, murders, looting and arson on NDC supporters, know that their leader's claim to non violence is as hollow as his claim in Believing In Ghana.
How Credible Is His Claim Of Being A Human Rights Defender
A leader worthy of trust must say what he means and mean what he says. His word must have credibility, like Atta Mills' word. Nana Akufo Addo has for long boasted about his credentials as a human rights defender. Let's not even talk about the brutalities meted out to his NDC opponents in his constituency. Let's see how much commitment he has demonstrated since he became a member of government in relation to cases that required a human rights fighter to stand up and be counted.
What did Nana Akufo Addo do when Issa Mobila, an opposition leader in Tamale was brutally tortured and murdered in military custody? What has the so called human rights defender done over the last four years while Issa Mobila's family has been waiting for justice?
What about the brutal killings of innocent Ghanaians in Gambia under Akufo Addo's watch as foreign minister? Apart from the excuses he has offered, what concrete actions can he point out to as things he did at the level of Ecowas, African Union to ensure that pressure was brought to bear on the Gambian authorities?
Is it therefore any surprise that despite all his loud proclamations while in opposition about justice to victims of the Kume preko demonstration, the man did nothing in all his years as Attorney general to bring justice to them?
The least said about the immoral packing of the Supreme Court while he was Attorney General, to ensure the reversal of an earlier Supreme Court verdict the better.
Akufo Addo boasts about his belief in rule of law, civil liberties etc yet has no qualms stripping former President Rawlings of his privileges. How ironic!
Even the right of poor trees mean little to him. He had no problems about the savagery visited on poor trees near the Togo embassy simply because of his party's desperate need to build a round about in the memory of his late father.
Akufo Addo's Spurious Claim About Believing In Ghana
Ladies and gentlemen, do you really think that Nana Akufo believes in Ghana?
How can he believe in Ghana when he looks on approvingly while President Kufuor describes the hardworking people of Ghana as lazy? What about his NPP government's decision to procure medals worth a fortune from UK when Ghanaian jewellers could have easily made same? Where is his belief in Ghana when his government spent another whooping sum to import Ghana@50 cloth from China when Ghanaian textile companies are collapsing because of lack of patronage? What about the manner his government ignored the association of Ghanaian car rental companies who during Ghana@50, did everything to secure the contract to make rental vehicles available for the anniversary but Akufo Addo and his NPP would have none of that?
Akufo Addo claims to believe in Ghana? How so, when instead of his government ensuring that Ghanaian farmers grow more edible cassava to bring down the cost of food, his NPP government chose to invest in a cassava starch factory in order to satisfy foreign interests?
Where is Akufo Addo's belief in Ghana when his government after condemning rice import bill which stood at $100m and sending into jail Ghanaians who had tried to improve Ghana's self-sufficiency in rice production through the Aveyime rice project, has now taken rice importation beyond $400m?
Belief in Ghana? Where is that belief in Ghana when his government has presided over the sale of our lands in the poshest parts of Accra to foreigners? Under Kufuor and Akufo-Addo, as foreign minister, Ghana has abandoned its non-aligned foreign policies that allowed Ghanaians to believe in themselves. We have abandoned Nkrumah's maxim that we face neither East nor West but only Forward. Ghana, under them, has become virtually a vassal state of the USA. A painful reminder of how Akufo Addo's relative J.B. Danquah mortgaged this dear nation by becoming a paid agent of the CIA in the past. Belief In Ghana indeed!
If Nana Addo and the NPP believe so much in Ghana, why does President Kufuor have to make so many trips abroad, and accept nearly every invitation he receives and travel with so many people on his delegations? For some 13 years after coming to power, President Rawlings consciously sent other Ghanaian officials to all summit meetings of the United Nations and the Commonwealth and did not accept invitations for State visits to even the United States or Britain. He focused his earlier trips mainly in Africa and for African causes in Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America. It was only in 1995, after solidifying Ghana's internal democracy, its institutional foundations, and doing voluntary manual work in the cocoa fields, railway lines and in gutters of Nima, that President Rawlings felt justified in making various official trips to the major Western capitals. This is the evidence of a leader who believes in Ghana and Ghanaians.
Finally, is it not ironic that someone who tries so hard to speak like a white Englishman is sermonising us about belief in Ghana? Even Kofi Annan, who spent many decades living and working abroad still speaks as a Ghanaian. Kwame Nkrumah also spent many years abroad but has always spoken as a Ghanaian. Their example is the hallmark of people who are proud of their heritage.
Ladies and gentlemen, time and space would not allow us to mention how Akufo-Addo's NPP awarded the entire printing contract of the Ministry of education to a foreign publishing firm, completely marginalising the 30-plus Ghanaian printing companies which for years had done well to meet the Ministry's printing needs. The printers had to go to court before the NPP government saw the need to do something about the problem.
Can Ghana Trust Akufo Addo's Words & Promises?
Ghana deserves a leader whose promises can be trusted and who does not deliberately mislead the people.
Nana Akufo Addo fails badly again on this most important score. Let us just examine a few of the blatant lies he has been telling on his campaign trail.
He claims that his government has provided free education at the basic level. Even his close associates like Dan Botwe have openly admitted that education at the basic level is not free but only constitutes an attempt to subsidization it. Not even the fact that the paltry capitation grant of 25 pesewas hardly gets paid on time, sometime in arrears up to several terms will make the NPP candidate back down on the deliberate distortions. Nana Akufo Addo continues peddling this lie even though we have charitably advised him repeatedly to stop insulting the intelligence of suffering parents who are struggling to pay the huge expenses involved in educating their children today.
The NPP candidate also continues to deliberately mislead the country that his government has provided free healthcare when everyone knows that 100% of the NHIS is being financed by the people described by his government as "LAZY"- the so called lazy Ghanaians, through the national health insurance levy, SSNIT monthly contributions and payment of premiums are fully funding the NHIS which Nana Akufo Addo continues to describe as free.
Akufo Addo has also been claiming on his campaign trail that his NPP government has constructed 27,000 km of roads over the last eight years, another deliberate deception of our people.
Against the backdrop of these deliberate lies by the NPP candidate, does it come as a surprise that he has no hesitation making grandiose promises all over the place? He promises to deliver 50,000 affordable houses to the people every year. He forgets that the people in eight long years are yet to see one completed affordable housing unit delivered by his NPP. He promises to transform Ghana from a third world country into a first world country when in 12 long years as MP (8 of which he was a top cabinet minister), he has not been able to bring any appreciable modernization to his constituency- and neither has his government accomplished the promised modernization of the capital city.
The lies and deception just go on. Ghana deserves a leader like Prof Mills whose word is credible, who does not mount political platforms to deliberately deceive the people and make empty promises.
Ladies and gentlemen, have you taken the time to go through Nana Akufo Addo's CV? Please do and find out from him why unlike all other flagbearers, he is unable to give a year by year detail of his academic journey from secondary school through the University? Specifically, please do the people of Ghana a favour by asking the NPP candidate why there is such a gaping gap between June 1958 when he finished secondary school and Sept 1964 when he entered the University of Ghana. Do find out what the NPP candidate is concealing and please inform the people of Ghana accordingly.
Ghana deserves a leadership of truth and integrity. Nana Akufo Addo clearly does not measure up.
Ghana Deserves A Diligent & Hardworking Leader- Which Akufo Addo Is Not
A meticulous, hardworking and diligent leader cannot demonstrate some of the blatant failings that the NPP candidate has demonstrated time and again.
Nana Akufo Addo as Attorney General woefully failed to realise that the State had preferred wrong charges against the two Abudu gentlemen who were seen parading with body parts of the Ya Na. Even after the court had dismissed the charges as wrongful, Nana Akufo Addo as AG again failed to appeal those charges. Is this the hallmark of a man who is meticulous, diligent and hardworking? Or perhaps was it deliberate on his part to help the Abudus escape justice?
At his interaction with the IEA, the NPP candidate boldly declared that his government would raise the District Assembly Common Fund from 5% to 10%. Nana Akufo Addo has been a member of parliament over the last twelve years. Yet he does not know that the parliament of which he is a member has already increased the District Assembly Common Fund to 7.5%. Ladies and gentlemen, do you see the problem we have on our hands? Ghana deserves a better man than that. Ghana deserves Atta Mills, a man who is diligent, disciplined, hardworking and meticulous.
It takes a man who is not diligent and meticulous to send Tsatsu Tsikata to court with a charge sheet that read "The President versus Tsatsu" instead of "The Republic Versus Tsatsu".
Is it any surprise that Nana Akufo Addo was a key member of the ruling NPP that had no problem following 419 Scam loans and chased them sometimes into hairdressing saloons?
That is why Ghana deserves a better man like Atta Mills.
Curiously, even Prof Mills who towers over Akufo Addo in all these areas does not describe himself as the best. The NPP candidate describes himself as the best. The best? The best in what? In diligence and hard work? The best in telling the truth and making credible promises? The best in non violent conduct? The best in defending human rights? The best in believing in Ghana? Or is it the best in academic performance while he was at the University of Ghana with Prof Mills? We in the NDC are not given to rating people on the basis of academic capacity but since Nana Akufo Addo calls himself the best, we would want to enquire whether the Third Class he obtained at the University of Ghana is what makes him the best? Or is it the fact that he is the only main presidential candidate in the current race that failed to obtain the needed 50 percent plus votes that makes him the best.
Ladies and gentlemen, we cannot overemphasize the imperative need to have a leader who is humble and has impeccable character. Prof Mills' humility is known all over Ghana. Despite his unblemished character, his remarkable track record as a man of truth, integrity and solid intellectual character, the people of Ghana know that in him they will find a leader who is humble, affable and modest and who will by no means go about parading himself as the best. He would rather leave the great people of Ghana to pass that verdict themselves.
Character, we repeat is the single most critical issue in this campaign. While Prof Mills stands tall, Nana Akufo Addo does not just measure up.
Thank you once more ladies and gentlemen of the media.
source : myjoyonline.com
No comments:
Post a Comment