NDC MEMBERS DEMONSTRATE

All does not seem well with the ruling party, the National Democratic Congress, (NDC), as many of its members are disenchanted with the continuous insensitivity on the part of their executives both at the regional and national levels.

The latest to register their displeasure are NDC members and supporters in the Agona West Constituency of the Central region.

Last week Thursday, March 11, 2010 wearing red bands, NDC members in Agona West took to the streets of Swedru in protest against the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the area, Mr Jacob Obeng Forson, whom they accused as corrupt.

“Mr Obeng Forson is corrupt and must therefore be removed as early as practicably,” charged the NDC protestors.

They also contended that Mr Obeng Forson was insensitive and was someone who careless about the party’s members within the constituency.

According to the supporters, the MCE has been making life unbearable especially, for NDC faithful in the area.

On the allegation of corruption, the NDC Propaganda Secretary in the constituency, Mr Kwesi Dawood, who led the demonstrators, alleged that Mr Obeng Forson has made his first born the boss of Zoomlion in the district.

“Within a short period of his appointment, Mr Obeng Forson has been able to build a mansion and bought a Nissan Saloon car for his wife,” Mr Dawood one of the aggrieved supporters alleged.

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The charged NDC members explained that the MCE refuses to grant audience to party members who visit his office.

“Anytime we send our grievances to him he tends to look down upon us,” the protestors told Today.

This development, they contended, was making the party unpopular in the constituency, warning that should this continue unaddressed, it would be difficult for them to vote for the party in the 2012 general election.

“It will also make it difficult for us to convince and persuade floating voters to vote for the NDC in the forthcoming general election,” noted one of the angry protesters who spoke on anonymity.

The demonstration, which was heavily supervised by security officers through the principal streets of Agona Swedru, took a new twist when the mood of the supporters changed as they started chanting war songs.

This happened when police officers detailed to accompany the protestors fired warning shots to calm them down.

The NDC supporters marched straight to the district assembly to make their demands known to the MCE, but he was nowhere to be found even though his official car was parked in front of the assembly.

This, however, infuriated the supporters as some of them combed the entire assembly in search of the MCE. And after a thorough search for the MCE in all most all the offices of the assembly they still could not find him.

Presenting the petition to the Personnel Officer of the assembly, Mr Leonard Mensah, after reading it out, the propaganda secretary said they could not sit down unconcerned while the MCE sabotages the chances of the party in the constituency.

Mr Dawood added that the MCE has liaised with some New Patriotic Party (NPP) members in the constituency whom he has been sponsoring instead of NDC members, since according to them, the MCE claims they helped to be appointed.

According to the propaganda secretary, NDC party faithful who fought for the party to recapture power were becoming cynical to the party because of the selfish and opportunistic behaviour of the MCE.

Dawood indicated that the MCE abandoned the NDC whilst in opposition and joined the Nkawkaw branch of the NPP when the NPP was in government. He said Mr Obeng Forson has contributed nothing to the NDC in the last two elections.

He added that the MCE has become ‘a baboon’ in the party since he is the one benefitting after they (monkeys) have worked for the party to come to power.

The MCE, according to Dawood, once told them in the face that he bought his position from some bigwigs in the NDC in the region with support from some members of the opposition NPP, and that until he makes enough money to offset his indebtedness to his financiers, and make his investments for securing the MCE position, he will not be under any obligation take up the responsibility of NDC members in the constituency.

He noted that the MCE should have provided a constituency office for the party using these monies instead of blowing it on unnecessary things.

In this regard, the supporters have called on President John Evans Atta Mills to, as a matter of urgency, remove the MCE or they will show the party the red card in the 2012