The NDC USA remains shocked at the quiet reaction of the Ghanaian Civil Society, concerning recent utterances by the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party. Nana Dankwa Akuffo is recorded as having stated that “… we Akans are not the cowards, we are perceived to be by other tribes.” He is also quoted as saying that, “the little violence that we displayed in Atiwa, is just a tip of the iceberg of what NPP will do in 2012”; and “ 2012 is going to be a ‘do and die affair’, after all, all die be die”
Whilst the NDC USA is saddened and embarrassed that a Ghanaian leader can be quoted as publicly expressing such negative ethnic stereotypes concerning the ethnic make-up of the people of Ghana, we are even more troubled by the specter of violence that his words portend for the 2012 general elections.
The NDC USA wishes to ask the Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Why almost two years to the general elections of 2012, he is speaking about violence, glorifying fighting and maiming of fellow Ghanaians and establishing dying as the way to victory for the party he leads? Is this the kind of leadership Ghanaians need? Why is he boasting about the use of violence in the past, and the gains of violent action concerning elections that all Ghanaians pray remain peaceful? Is a good leader not supposed to appeal to the better angels of those he leads? In recent times the general consensus among political leadership in the USA for instance has been that, angry rhetoric and speeches that use violent imagery do not contribute positively to a nation’s growth or progress. Additionally, the political ‘market place’ is essentially an exchange place where ideas on ways to move a nation forward are to be exchanged; it is not a platform for encouraging deviant, undisciplined and anti-social behavior. This is an important lesson all involved in leading Ghana need to remember and model. GHANA DOES NOT NEED POLITICALLY MOTIVATED VIOLENCE; NEITHER DO WE NEED LEADERS WHO CALL GHANAIANS TO TAKE UP ARMS AGAINST ONE ANOTHER!
In spite of explanations that apologists of Nana Akufo Addo have attempted in efforts to excuse his unacceptable utterances, the NDC USA restates that there is no justification for inciting violence among Ghanaians. In their effort to assuage the jitters, that Nana Dankwa Addo’s words has given Ghanaians, some within the NPP have sought to claim that the presidential candidate was encouraging his party members to withstand intimidation. We dismiss this notion, by quoting the Presidential candidate’s words, “The little violence that we displayed in Atiwa, is just a tip of the iceberg of what NPP will do in 2012”. This statement is a clearly informing the nation that the NPP will use violence during the 2012 elections. The NDC USA calls on the National House of Chiefs, the Christian Council, the National Imam’s office, the Catholic Bishops Conference and all organizations working to ensure a peaceful electioneering process in Ghana to call on the New Patriotic Party to repudiate the implications of the statements made by their presidential candidate.
We remain encouraged by the leadership of President Mills, who has always used his political platform to model peaceful coexistence and a general acceptance of all Ghanaians. We salute your non-discriminatory attitude, Mr. President, towards all the different ethnicities and people of different religious beliefs that make up Ghana.
By Osborne K. Sam- Secretary, NDC USA; And Charles Kpdozo-Deputy Secretary, NDC USA and Secretary of the Metro-branch of NDC Washington, DC.
Source: GhanaWeb
