The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Aseidu Nketia, has launched his campaign to contest the National Chairmanship position of the party.
At the launch in Accra yesterday, Mr Nketia said he was clear in his mind what needed to be done to bring the NDC back into government, hence his decision to contest for the national chairmanship position.
Mr Nketia, who has been the NDC General Secretary for the past 17 years, said he was now experienced, trustworthy and fearless to serve as the chairman of the party.
“We have built the structures within the period we have been in opposition and the NDC will come to power in 2025 to save the country from its current woes,” he said.
He added that, “Ultimately, my chairmanship will result in a resounding victory for the NDC in the 2024 elections. That would not only be a political success for the NDC, but it is also in fact, a national emergency and imperative”.
Touting his achievement as the General Secretary of the NDC which has pushed him to seek the mandate of the party’s delegates to serve as its chairman, he said it was during the period that the party acquired its ultra-modern head office at Adabraka in Accra.
He said it was during the same period that the party established the Institute of Social Democracy to deepen knowledge about the party’s ideals, as well as the establishment of the Atta Mills Library which he said was open to all party members and the general public.
Aside from that, he said it was under his leadership as the General Secretary of the party that a document detailing the history of the NDC, and to an extent the political history of the country, was launched.
Mr Nketia said he was also deliberate as General Secretary to make the NDC more attractive to the youth by offering scholarships to young people to study for various qualifications.
“We also expanded the regional, youth and women representation of the party by introducing the electoral college of the party,” he said
New era
He said he was leaving the role of General Secretary after 17 years to make room for others in the party who had established themselves to take up the position.
However, he said, the party needed someone with the right attitude and experience to lead it as chairman.
“We need a leadership that has the moral courage to stand up to a marauding NPP in the 2024 elections. The NDC needs a chairman who is not amenable to any influence, inducement, or compromise by external forces. It is these qualities that I humbly bring to the table in this contest for the chairmanship position of the party,” he said.
Mr Nketia added that, “The NDC must, therefore, be properly organised and have a leadership that exhibits untainted integrity, fearlessness, trustworthiness, proven temperament, selflessness, discipline, accountability, transparency and emotional intelligence”.
Failed mandate
Mr Nketia explained that the NDC needed to return to power because the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government had failed to deliver its promises to Ghanaians and had during the period brought undue hardship by running down the economy.
“On the evidence of the kind of governance we have seen in the last six years, failure to wrest the leadership of our dear country from the NPP will spell doom for Ghanaians as they would have been condemned to more bad governance and total maladministration,” he said.
He added that, “The people of this country have no tolerance left for the horrendous misrule of Akufo-Addo and his nation-wrecking NPP government. Ghanaians can no longer tolerate the insults being heaped on them by Akufo-Addo himself and his close associates. Ghanaians are fed up” he said.