The Ashanti Regional Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Alexander Sawyer Attivor, has said the persistent internal wrangling in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is not good for the development of the country's fledgling democracy.
"Being the biggest opposition party in the country, the NPP has a major role to keep the government on its toes at all times but because of the troubles in the party, members are losing focus from that responsibility."
"The national leadership of the party must act fast to find a solution to the problems, not only in the interest of the NPP but also Ghana", he said in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Kumasi at the weekend.
Mr Attivor said under normal circumstances, members of the NDC should have been happy because the NPP was beset with problems and confusion because they could make political capital out of it.
"But I can tell you for a fact that no Ghanaian would be happy to see the NPP collapse and that is why everybody is looking forward to the return of peace to the party", he added.
In his opinion, the problems of the NPP had become very difficult to solve because initially, the leaders and those with influence in the party used money to cover them up.
"Now that they are out of power and the money does not circulate so freely about again, everybody is determined to let their voices be heard", he said.
From his observation, most of the followers of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Alan Kyerematen are so determined to prolong the factions created in the party because of money.
"It is therefore not a surprise at all that they have disregarded the party structures and are following personalities. Even at the branch and constituency level elections, there were many problems because everybody wants to win a position so that he or she can use it to get closer to either Nana Addo or Alan Kyerematen", he noted.
He said if the leadership and the council of elders of the party did not act fast to solve the problem, then the NPP should be ready to face a tougher time in future.
"Whoever wins the flag-bearership of the party would have lots of problems with how to satisfy his own supporters and those of the faction that lost and how to unite the party for it to have a focus", he said.
Asked whether the NDC was not secretly enjoying itself due to the woes of the NPP because that could brighten the chances of the NDC to retain power come the 2012 general elections, Mr Attivor said "I don't wish the NPP bad and that is why I will advise especially the leadership of the party to be truthful to themselves and their followers."
The NDC Regional First Vice Chairman asked the NPP to learn from the NDC, which admits whenever its problems come up and works extra hard to find a solution.
"The earlier the NPP took some steps the better for them", he said.
He said the NDC was resolved to work very hard to poll at least 40 per cent of all votes to be cast in the Ashanti Region in the 2012 general elections.
He said the region was already working towards achieving that and mentioned that the party had started a massive re-organisation, especially at the grassroots.
He said the party also had plans to move to the constituency level where the party was planning to organise orientation for members as to how they should conduct themselves now that the NDC was in power and how to go about their membership mobilisation.
According to him, the party had very good plans for the development of the country and therefore they needed the mandate of the people in retaining power to continue the good work that they had started.
"That is why we shall not become the least complacent in our membership drive," he said, and asked supporters of the party to remain solidly behind the government.
Mr Attivor appealed to the public to be patient with the government as it is putting the right structures in place to facilitate the development of the nation.
He was very optimistic that the government would soon open up more jobs for the youth.
Source: Daily Graphic |
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