PNC leadership endorses unity talks

Accra, June 8 GNA - The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the People's National Convention (PNC) has endorsed the understanding that was reached by the leadership with the Convention People's Party (CPP) on the unity talks. A statement issued in Accra on Wednesday and signed by Mr Gabriel Pwamang said the Standing Committee of the Party after a lengthy deliberation held at Tema on June 4, this year agreed to the proposal and were "encouraged by the CPP leadership's unequivocal appreciation of the historical duty that has fallen on both of us and in fact, all progressives to lead Ghana out of the crisis of confidence in democratic governance and offer hope to the mass of our people."

The statement said the NEC requested the leadership of the party to proceed with the unity talks on the basis of the draft constitution and the joint political programme. It said, "detractors, sceptics and reactionary forces who are uncomfortable with the re-emergence of the Nkrumahist movement started their game of disaggregation by claiming that the clear understandings reached by leadership of the CPP and the PNC were unsatisfactory."

Their claims characteristically concentrated on the issue of name, symbol and slogan and this unfortunately drew reactions from groups, individuals and party structures from the CPP and PNC. It said the "comments said nothing about the agreed draft joint political programme which is what majority of Ghanaian voters ... are interested in." It said the NEC also briefed the party on the planned Nkrumahist Home Coming Conference being sponsored by the London based Nkrumahist Forum to be held sometime this year.

The statement said, "in line with the transitional arrangement contained in the draft constitution as well as the provisions of the current PNC constitution, NEC agreed to hold an early congress of the party to consummate the unity."