NDC advised against over-concentrating on durbars for campaigns

Kumasi, July 11, GNA - Wards and Branches of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have been advised not to concentrate solely on durbars, rallies and other forums in their campaign to win the Election 2004, but also supplement such initiatives with house-to-house campaigns and personal contacts.

Mr. J.B. Salifu, Secretary for the Asawasi Constituency branch of the NDC, who gave the advice, said even though durbars were effective tools for drawing people to the Party, "that alone cannot help the Party to win elections, unless it is supported with house to house campaign drives".

Mr Salifu gave the advice when he addressed a forum of the Aboabo Number One Ward of the NDC in Kumasi, at the weekend.

The forum was held to review activities of the ward and adopt more pragmatic strategies that would help the NDC to win Election 2004. Executive members of the eight branches of the ward attended it. The Constituency Secretary said, even though, the NDC was certain to win the presidential slot and the Asawasi Parliamentary Seat, it still had to work much harder and cease taking things for granted.

Alhaji Othman Yahya, NDC Executive Member of the Asawasi Constituency, urged ward and branches to desist from over-dependence on the Party hierarchy for financial assistance before embarking on any of their programmes.

He made it clear, "the Party hierarchy is not a goldmine", and for that matter it behoves the wards and branches to also embark on ventures that would help them mobilise funds to supplement whatever might come from the National Secretariat of the Party, for their programmes. Alhaji Yahya, however, entreated the wards and branches to ensure that whatever programmes they drew up for implementation were in conformity with that of the national programme, so as not to undermine the focus of the Party.

Mr Omaru Farouk Gado, Deputy NDC Organiser for the Constituency, reminded members of the need to be bold and tolerant even in the face of provocation by their political opponents.

He urged them not only to be bold during campaign periods, but also be vigilant during the forthcoming polls, since it was only through vigilance that the chances of the NDC winning the general election could be guaranteed.