Nduom belittles NDC & NPP

…as party launches manifesto

The Convention People’s Party Presidential Candidate (CPP), Dr. Paa kwesi Nduom has challenged other political parties especially the New Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who are comparing party records not to forget that the CPP under Nkrumah remains the best Ghana has experienced.

“The CPP administration left power adequate for domestic and industrial use, that is why Valco in Tema could work and still exported power to neighbouring countries. No government can match that record”

Launching the 2008 election manifesto, Dr. Nduom said the CPP administration left for Ghanaians a working Railway system, a flying Ghana Airways and most importantly Black Star Line ships which was the pride of many Ghanaians who worked abroad including him.

“A CPP administration left over 50 enterprises that were working and providing jobs to Ghanaians, we produced corned beef, matches, car tyres, glass, sugar, canned tomatoes, radio, jute bags, shoes and many more” he said.

He informed Ghanaians that currently the country is facing economic challenges that nearly halted the economy in 2000 with increasingly higher inflation (currently at 18.41%), higher cost of borrowing (Prime rate 17%), a currency facing difficulties, high government debts to suppliers and contractors, low quality education, railways system in crisis, power and water challenges, higher unemployment and young people feeling there is no hope in Ghana.

“I am convinced that I have an effective approach to government that would move us out of the Third World to the First World.

“We know the problems that confront us as a people. We know what we should do to grow our economy and develop the country.

Dr. Nduom cautioned the NPP to stop making noise over innovations which the CPP introduced 50 years ago and was even implemented efficiently than what is seen now.

“The NPP says that NHIS, Capitation Grand and National Youth Employment Programme are innovations in our country, “Not true”. CPP under Nkrumah, Ghanaians had free hospital care, free and compulsory education in addition to the workers brigade, what are those people talking about, they should stop it” Dr. Nduom fumed.

Members who were present at the manifesto launch were excited when he said the CPP administration lead by him will introduce a policy direction for the economy contained in the manifesto to do away with the roller coaster economic results that Ghana has experienced since 1993.

The day had it fair share of torrential rain, but that did not mar the enthusiasm of the members of the party who were mostly youth, who danced to boobobo music and sang the “yeresesamu song”

Dr Kwaku Osafo, Chairman of the Political Committee of the party, said the CPP was the “only party” that could restructure the economy, and called on Ghanaians to rally behind the CPP to ensure that the country was transformed from its present state.

Informed by the party’s ideology of Nkrumaism, whose three main principles are based on self-determination, social justice and pan-Africanism, the CPP manifesto also prescribes three short-term priority areas that the party would address – public safety, essential social services and job creation.

The CPP, as per the manifesto, intends to create an environment, where all Ghanaians have decent jobs to enable them to improve their lives, have access to modern, decent and affordable accommodation, create access to essential social services such as water, electricity and sanitation irrespective of income, improvements in public and community safety, free basic education up to the secondary school, and creating an attractive environment for both domestic and foreign investment to flourish.

The 96-page manifesto launched under the theme: “New Dawn. New Vision”, spells out the views and intentions of the CPP, focusing on four broad developmental areas, namely, social policy, economic policy, responsive governance and international relations for accelerated economic prosperity.

The Chairman of the party Ladi Nylander, the manifesto committee chairman, Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, the National Organiser, Evelyn Anabilla and other national executives, aspiring members of parliament and regional executives were present at the function.