EGLE Trusts In Mills

Alhaji Alhassan Bene Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere (EGLE) Party has expressed its trust in the President John Evans Atta Mills-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, calling on the rank and file of the party to rally behind the President to deliver on his promises.

Speaking to DAILY GUIDE at Nima, a suburb of Accra, Alhaji Alhassan Bene, National Chairman of the party said President Mills had demonstrated strong will, honesty and openness in the selection of his members of government who are to assist in the administration of the country.

According to him, this moment of the selection of members of government was so crucial that the President needs a sober reflection on who should be brought on board and for that matter the President ought to be given absolute freedom to concentrate on his work.

Alhaji Bene however indicated that with the contribution of his party towards the success story of the NDC, it was the hope of the EGLE Party that President Mills would not forget the party when giving out appointments.

Asked what kind of contribution EGLE made to the victory of NDC in the last elections, the Chairman stated that all the smaller parties came together to support the NDC to defeat the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the elections.

Alhaji Bene explained that in the run-off of the presidential election, Professor Mills, then the flagbearer of the NDC, sought the assistance of EGLE Party, National Reform Party (NRP), some members of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), some members of the People's National Convention (PNC) and the Reform Democratic Party (RDP) to rally behind him to wrestle power from the NPP.

He alleged that a consensus was therefore reached that should the NDC come to power, all the smaller parties that assisted the NDC would be considered for political appointments.

Alhaji Bene therefore urged President Mills to make good his promise to the smaller parties which had fulfilled their part of the bargain.

“We think it would be unfair if EGLE Party is left out of the team as the inclusion of the party in the government will reinforce the all-inclusive government of President Mills,” he said.

When asked if the EGLE had not been 'dead' after the departure of its leader Owuraku Amofa, he insisted that even though the leader left the party midstream through the action of its former leader, the late Ofori Atta in the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), the party never lost its focus and steam.

On the future of the party, Alhaji Bene noted that the leadership was putting the various structures in place throughout the country to enable it to compete in any election.

He was of the view that the existence of the smaller parties including the EGLE was necessary for the sustenance and survival of multi-party democracy in Ghana.

Alhaji Bene however declined to comment on whether the party would be ready to compete in any election in Ghana, especially the 2012 general elections.

The National Chairman, who contested the Wenchi Parliamentary seat on a joint NDC/EGLE ticket in 2004 and lost, urged party faithful to exercise patience for the President to put the right structures in place.

He debunked rumours that President Mills would be under the influence of former President Rawlings, and insisted that the current President was a strong-willed person who would not be dictated to or influenced by any person.

By Wisdom Peter Awuku