Ghanaians are yearning for change - CPP

Koforidua (E/R), March 27, GNA - The Convention People's Party (CPP) at the weekend called upon Nkrumaists to heed what he called "the clarion cry" of Ghanaians for a political change in 2008.
     "We must unite to eliminate tendencies that militate against national unity and development.
     "The bad governance and mismanagement of national resources by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has plunged the country into poverty, hunger, injustice and unemployment among other forms of hardship and our people are yearning for a change," Dr Edmund Delle, CPP National Chairman and Leader, stated at Koforidua.
     He was addressing supporters of the party including leading members of "The Patriots" a group within the party who had thronged the Koforidua KAMA conference hall for the official opening of the refurbished CPP Eastern regional secretariat on Sunday.
    He noted that Ghanaians had been living together as one people with a common destiny but the "ethnic politics" of the NPP and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had divided the country.
     Dr Delle called on Ghanaians to vote for the CPP in the up-coming elections to unseat the NPP to ensure national unity, peace and harmony as well as effective management of the country's economy.
     He said the CPP was the only "truly nationalistic" party capably of uniting the country for economic development, stressing, "Within the CPP there are no social, educational, tribal or status classes. We are all "comrades" irrespective of ones social standing."
     On the initial antagonism among leading members of The Patriots and party's national executives, Dr Delle stated, "that belongs to the history books...We are united forever, never again would we allow out front to be divided".
     "Any interested group or individual should know that the CPP is united as the National Executives has opened its doors to all Nkrumaist groupings to come to the centre. You cannot belong to CPP and operate under any other canopy." Dr Delle stated.
     He said, "Ghanaians would not forgive the current leadership of the party if we fail to unite Nkrumaists to take over the reins of government in 2008".
     According to the CPP Chairman the electorates had seen and known that both the NPP and NDC were not what they perceived them to be and now saw the CPP as the "only potential force" to assume the mantle in 2008.
      Dr Delle told CPP activists, "Let us not waste time on inconsequential issues and focus on coming together to prove to Ghanaians that the CPP is ready to takeover the reigns of leadership and governance of the nation".
      The Eastern Regional Chairman of the Party, Nana Owusu-Sekyere, appealed to people who he said were continuing to tell lies about the country's first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah and the CPP to stop.
     He said, "No nation can be built on a foundation of lies. We are suffering today because we have been lied to for so long about the record of the CPP and Osagyefo. Let the truth be told about the social, economic and political progress that Osagyefo gave us."
     Nana Owusu-Sekyere commended the Patriots for securing 12 party offices in the Eastern Region and said "We say to the Patriots, ayeekoo and we encourage all Nkrumaists to emulate their example and help rebuild this great party."
     He assured CPP supporters and sympathisers that the ground was now "fertile" and the time "ripe" for CPP to reclaim power.
     "Wherever we go people are saying, CPP, we are waiting for you and we say to them, Ghanaians, we are ready for you," the Easter Regional Chairman said.
     He noted that it was only the CPP that could offer the change that Ghanaians were yearning for to "deliver" them from economic hardship and social deprivation.
     A CPP government unlike the rest would play a dominant role in the economy to ensure equal opportunity and prosperity for all, he stated.
     "Let me say here and now that we make no apologies for a strong state role in our economic and social development. Those who doubt the importance of the state in economic and social development should look no farther than China today.
     "Indeed all those free-market economies, such as United States of America and United Kingdom have a strong state role. We see no reason why Ghana should be different.
     "We insist that it is because the state in Ghana has failed to play its rightful role that poverty and suffering are on the increase and it will take the state to reverse it," Nana Owusu-Sekyere, stated.   
     Dr Nii Moi Thompson, Professor Agyeman Badu Akorsah, Mr Bright Akwetey, Dr Kwaku Sarfo and other leading members of the Patriots attended the ceremony as well as other leading members of the Eastern Regional branch.
27 March 07