The Young Nkrumahist Movement (YNM), a group that sympathises with the Convention People’s Party (CPP), based in the Upper East Region, at the weekend called on supporters and party delegates to ensure that only committed and loyal persons are elected as executives at all levels ahead of Election 2012.
A statement signed by Mr Mohammed I. Akumbey, Mr Yusif Adalia and Mr Steven Assina, officials of the group, copied to GNA in Bolgatanga, blamed the poor performance of CPP in previous elections to lack of effective structures at the grassroots.
“The CPP recorded zero in certain polling stations across the country in Election 2008 and it is very painful and frustrating that a party with a rich history of unprecedented achievements in infrastructure and social services provision comparable to none cannot even pass the 2 per cent mark in a national election today”, it said.
The statement indicated that “It is even more frustrating that out of the 230 constituencies in Ghana, the CPP can boast of only one seat in Parliament, and this is a clear indication of the party’s neglect of grassroots party participation.”
It called on the CPP to reverse the situation by restructuring its electoral areas and polling stations nationwide, and to employ committed leaders to spearhead the party at all levels.
The group lamented lack of party offices and means of transport in most constituencies in the Upper West, Upper East and Northern regions and that most of the party offices, which were acquired during the tenure of the 2004 national leadership of CPP no longer existed whilst the few surviving ones were in deplorable conditions.
The statement said the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) since 1992 had only paid lip services and shown very little commitment towards the growth of |Ghana’s economy.
It said that “the suffering Ghanaian masses have found a Messiah in the CPP, to rescue them from youth unemployment, food insecurity, high cost of living, lack control over national economy, armed robbery, corruption, drug abuse and other social vices.
“Today, Ghana is far from what it ought to have been. Our local industries, firms and hotels now serve foreign interests only. Agriculture, which was once the backbone of our economy, is gradually being dragged into the mud. There is currently no coherent approach to economic management in the country. The result has been a direct disconnection between policy and performance. In fact, has it not been for increased donor support for the country in past nine to 11 years, Ghana’s economy would have been in serious crises”.
The group expressed the joy that some dedicated party members have decided to contest for national executive positions in the impending congress.
The statement cautioned aspirants against the buying of delegates and rather devote the time and resources to building effective party structures at the grassroots level.
It asked the CPP to revitalising its women’s and youth wings for effective mobilisation and organisation, and called on the party’s Central Committee to settle misunderstandings for the smooth organisation of the party’s conferences.