Hundreds of New Patriotic Party bigwigs and youths beaming with confidence and wearing broad toothpaste smiles Wednesday night turned the Nima residence of the party’s flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo into a durbar ground, where he declared the NPP will have no choice but to win the 2012 general elections.The occasion, planned to be a modest dinner in honour of former President John Agyekum Diawuo Kufuor, who turned 72 recently, and his wife Madam Theresa Kufuor, proved too alluring for the party’s faithful, some of whom travelled from the regions to celebrate their mentors.
Said Nana Addo; Next year will be a year of intensive preparations for our party as we gear up for the great battle of 2012. We have to win that battle. The welfare of our nation demands. We dare not contemplate any other outcome.”
The crowd hailed the proclamation with shouts of victory as Nana promised to be a strong, fair minded leader with deep convictions and a high sense of integrity, one who will promote reconciliation and unity in both party and nation and encourage the sense of enterprise of the Ghanaian people. He will also deliver on his promises and help create a brighter future for all Ghanaians under conditions of freedom, respect for the liberties of all and the rule of law.
“This is the vision of leadership that inspires me and I am counting on the active cooperation and support of all of you here, and millions beyond, to help make the vision a reality for the benefit of our nation’s development.”
In extolling Kufuor’s achievements on the occasion of his birthday, which also coincides with the 10th anniversary of his election victory in 2000 to lead Ghana as president, Nana Addo observed that “A few days ago, Ghana's Social Health Insurance Model was recognised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), and singled out for the coveted South-South Cooperation Excellence Award, in Geneva, Switzerland.
“A documentary on BBC in 2008 stressed the importance of the School Feeding Programme and the Capitation Grant and the positive impact the two are having on primary school enrolment in Ghana.
“In your time, “Ghana scored an excellent record of good governance. The separation of powers and the independence of the Judiciary and the Legislature were respected. The media enjoyed unprecedented freedom. The rule of law prevailed and the fundamental human rights of the people were respected. Poverty statistics indicate that in your period, rapid economic progress helped half national poverty rates, which fell from approximately 50 per cent in 1991 to 28.5 per cent by 2006. The GDP of our nation was quadrupled (or grew ten-fold per rebasing) in your time. Those who fiercely challenged that fact are today basking in the recent assertion that Ghana has now reached middle income status.”
Noting that the argument as to who is the best president in Ghana’s history will in due course be settled by the historians, Nana Addo pointed to what he said were disquieting developments on the horizon in the manner which Ghana’s oil reserves and revenues are to be treated.
He called on President J.E.A. Mills not to assent to the bill containing the amended Clause 5 that seeks to collateralize the oil revenue, calling the decision unfortunate and ill informed.
“The decision by the majority in Parliament to amend its own bill to allow for collateralization of our oil revenue is unfortunate and ill informed. Available evidence from the experience of other oil producing countries suggests that the policy of collaterization of oil revenues became prominent during the booms of the 1970s when oil rich countries, like Angola, Nigeria and Venezuela, excited by the prospects of increased future oil revenues, embarked on heavy borrowing, usually on projects with inflated price tags. The effect was that their economies were tied to their creditors whilst the subsequent servicing of these debts crippled economic transformation. Ghana risks joining this tried and tested cursed path.
“I would like to take this opportunity to urge the President of the Republic not to give his assent to the Bill containing the amendment to Clause 5, which removes the agency of restraint on government expenditure embodied in the original Bill, which was approved by his own Cabinet, as it is not in the interest of both current and future generations. To do so would be to go against his own Cabinet's considered opinion and the expressed wishes of the people of Ghana as were reflected in the view of the over 80% of Ghanaians who contributed to the nationwide consultations on how best to manage and utilize petroleum revenues.”
Nana Addo said the amendment to Clause 5 opens the possibility for Government to increase the debt burden of the nation to unsustainable levels as witnessed to the detriment of funding frontline social services and workers' salaries, when such borrowing (even on a far lower scale) resulted in Ghana becoming a Highly Indebted Poor Country. The President who is the first in our history to deal with oil revenues should set a positive precedent of prudent and far-sighted management of these revenues.”
Former President Kufuor, his emotions palpable, was profuse in thanks to his host and celebrants, and urged a united front in the party for victory. He said the path to victory in 2012 was even clearer than ever, however complacency was a veritable enemy.
He said the party’s goodwill extends beyond the borders of the nation and urged all factions to close their ranks to salvage the nation once more.
The former president and his wife were presented with assorted gifts.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
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