NDC national congress: Youth predict doom

A National Democratic Congress (NDC) youth group is predicting doom ahead of the party’s national congress in Tamale due to alleged corrupt practices by some party bigwigs. The group, NDC Youth with Conviction of Principle (YWCP) told journalists at a press conference on Tuesday that just as the youth congress was “an absolute sham, we may just anticipate an even worse scenario at the main congress." After last Saturday’s youth congress in Sunyani which saw Mr Ludwig Hlordze being elected as the national youth organizer of the party, there have been allegations about bribery and vote buying from delegates. Some ministers and their deputies as well as castle staff have been fingered for “burying their conscience and engaging in machinations that led to such a fraud against NDC youth.” Even the president himself has had his own share of the allegations that he sent a castle delegation to “implement plan ‘B’ and prevent embarrassment to (him) the president” by ensuring that his candidate won. "What then is the difference between the NDC and the NPP if we are to allow these things to continue?" spokesperson SaCut Amenga-Etego quizzed. This notwithstanding, vice presidential spokesperson John Jinapor has assured that the upcoming national delegates congress which is due to take off on Saturday 16th January 2010 at Tamale promises to be successful- one devoid of corrupt practices and violence. “We should expect a very united party, strong and poised to win 2012” election, he said on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme Wednesday. Asked whether there is a plan to prove to founder Jerry Rawlings that the NDC does not belong to him after all, Mr Jinapor told host Shamima Moslem that “I do not think the founder has claimed bonafide ownership of the party as if it is a spiritual church where you have a founder, leader and all that… because eventually, the founder will one day face off… and the NDC has come to stay.” Admitting that the ex-president is an important personality who cannot be ignored, he noted that “we are not there to contest individuals.” By: Dorcas Efe Mensah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana