Election 2008 is for ideological change – NDC declares

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday declared Elections 2008, a battle for ideological change, from property owning democracy to social democratic governance. "Almost eight years under the governance of a property owning of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the governed continue to suffer in poverty whilst the governors continue to publicly display their opulence," Mr Danny Annang, NDC Greater Accra regional chairman has said. Mr Annang stated that during general elections in 2000, NPP successfully hid the true meaning of their property-owning democracy, from the current generation of Ghanaians leading to a vote for an ideology they hardly understands. "But thank God, eight-years of governance have exposed them. We have noticed how they continue to share the national resources among family members and close associates." Mr Annang said NPP had used the craving for a change in 2000 to lure the vote of the Ghanaian electorate, including the support of other political persuasions, young upwardly mobile middle class professional elite, to their fold, but now the stakes have changed. "Now most Ghanaians have experienced what property owning democracy is all about - owning of mansions by few people who are connected to the government and the party, acquisition of property, amassing of wealth and show of filthy affluence," he stated. Mr Annang said God had used the intra-party politicking currently going in the NPP to elect a flag bearer to expose the party. "The arrogance, splashing of money on delegates to influence their votes are dangerous to democratic growth of the country and must be rejected." The NDC Greater Accra Regional Chairman who spoke to the GNA after supervising the Krowor Constituency delegates Congress of the party to elect a parliamentary candidate for Elections 2008, said NPP had created the impression that it is in the interest of ordinary Ghanaians that it continued to rule. "This is a false impression, they are afraid of their own shadows, they are using the cloak of power to consolidate their ill-gotten wealth, and we must wake-up and question the sources of their wealth," Mr Annang stated. He said the NDC stands for the freedom of all not only individual liberties, but also freedom from discrimination and freedom from dependence on either the owners of the means of production or the holders of abusive political power. "We stand for not only equality and social justice before the law but also economic and socio-cultural equality as well and equal opportunities for all including those with physical, mental, or social disabilities.” Mr Annang said the NDC would in due time roll out its manifesto to the people of Ghana to judge and use as basis for entrusting the State into the hands of Professor John Evans Atta Mills. Dr Nii Okley Quay-Kumah polled 144 of the valid votes cast to beat his challenger Mr Ebenezer Bortei Borketey-La who had only 19 votes. The election was supervised by the Electoral Commission. Both winner and loser pledged to work together to claim the seat from the ruling NPP. The Congress was attended by delegates from the 70 polling stations within the constituency, regional and national executives and some NDC members of parliament.