What Nana Konadu Said At Her Last Press Confab Before Sunyani Congress

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Category: Politics

Created on Wednesday, 06 July 2011 00:00

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What Nana Konadu Said At Her Last Press Confab Before Sunyani Congress

Press Conference by Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings July 6, 2011

Ladies and Gentlemen of the media,

It is with great pleasure that I take this opportunity to address the media in these last few days before the Congress. Over the last several weeks, my campaign team and I have had the great opportunity to travel the length and breadth of this country to address delegates and party executives in their various constituencies.

I am pleased to say that the campaign trail to be the flag bearer for NDC has been an extremely positive experience and we are especially thankful to all the delegates, particularly our party members and you the media for the warm reception we’ve received, time and again, throughout the 10 regions.

Ladies and Gentlemen, as you are all aware, I resigned my position as Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress on April 13, 2011 to respond to numerous calls to contest for the flag-bearership of the NDC. With great humility, I accepted the challenge, with the determination and commitment to restore and revive the positive energy in our party from the grassroots.

My decision to contest also arose against a backdrop of growing division, apathy and despondency among our party faithful. Under the current leadership, our party has been divided into factions that never exist before and, this, in effect, is killing the spirit of the NDC. In the past, our party has always been open to various opinions and consensus was reached without the creation of factions.

Today, our party structures are suffering from total neglect; from disempowerment at the grassroots. Power has been usurped from the very people who fought so hard to bring us back into power and from those who contributed most to support our party and lead it to victory in 2008.

Ladies and gentlemen, our Party is facing a crisis of leadership. The truth is, the performance of our current leadership has betrayed the hopes and aspirations of our primary stakeholders and our grassroots supporters, who worked tirelessly to ensure our victory in the 2008 elections.

Today, our party is in an unhealthy position and, unfortunately, our country is in no better position today than it was when we took over from the opposition almost three years ago.

Many of you here, and those listening at home and abroad had high hopes when the NDC won the 2008/9 elections. You had hopes that our government would do things differently from the party it had taken over from.

The truth is, our current leadership has lost touch with our grassroots supporters. We must build and re-build our party structures. We must re-energize and empower our grassroots. And we must restore trust and confidence in the principles and integrity of the NDC.

Ladies and gentlemen, some of you may wonder: Is Ghana ready for a woman president? YES, she is!

I will demonstrate a strong commitment to restoring public trust in politics. I will build a stronger and a fairer society. Party unity is supreme. And the foundation of this party rests on 3 pillars: Unity, Stability and Development and I plan to restore these values and revive the spirit and vitality of the NDC.

The nation is weary, and the party is disappointed because our leadership failed to uphold the principles of the NDC.

My interaction with delegates throughout the country has given me the assurance and hope that we are on the right path to victory. My campaign team and I visited delegates in every constituency, interacted with them and my message of hope and assurance has gone down well with the majority of the delegates. Many of them have pledged unflinching support for my candidacy and have enthusiastically stated that they will Be Bold in Sunyani and are prepared to throw their weight behind me. The delegates have also assured me that my candidature is timely to stop the damage that has been inflicted on the party.

A Nana Konadu leadership will ensure that this is never repeated.

I call on our teeming supporters to travel to Sunyani and join the fanfare. Even if you cannot enter the venue of the Congress, nothing prevents you from travelling to Sunyani to create a true party atmosphere and join the journey of real change for the NDC.

Ladies and Gentlemen! I have assured the delegates that:

•a vote for me is a vote for the NDC.

•a vote for me is a vote for the future and sustainability of the party.

•a vote for Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings is a vote for our great nation, Ghana!

Remember, your vote is your power. No one has the right to take that away from you!

In conclusion, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am confident that I am going to win the race in Sunyani. I am restating this to the delegates: that once I am given the mandate in Sunyani, I will win 2012 in the first round – one touch! So come July, 9th, 2011, I urge all delegates to BE BOLD, and I assure you that Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings will emerge the next leader of the NDC party.

With God, all things are possible.

Thank you.


Source: Peacefmonline.com