CPP abhors NPP traditions - Delle

Accra, Jan. 6, GNA - Dr. Edmund N. Delle, Chairman and Leader of the Convention People's Party (CPP) on Friday described the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) as a reactionary tradition, whose concept and ideologies are not relevant in any modern democratic dispensation. "The reactionary stand of the Danquah-Busia tradition, which is represented in modern democratic times by the ruling NPP is what continue to define our difference as the CPP stand for a dynamic political philosophy," Dr Delle stated at a press conference in commemoration of the 56th Anniversary of the declaration of Positive Action.

"As a matter of fact, our differences are rooted in our ideologies and the political vision we have for this country. The difference is relevant today, as it was more than a half century ago," he said. The CPP stands for the creation of equal opportunities for all Ghanaians regardless of tribe; social status; gender and religion. On the other hand the NPP tradition had implemented a policy, which focuses on the private enterprise as its economic philosophy, under which we now suffer, the CPP Chairman said.

On the relevance of the commemoration of Positive Action, 56 years after its declaration, Dr Delle said Dr Kwame Nkrumah declared it to demand self-government from the colonial regime in order to redress deep-seated socio-economic grievances harboured by the people of the Gold Coast as a result of the harsh and negative effects of colonialism. Today Ghanaians are still suffering from the harsh economic policies of the NPP, corruption at high places, amassing of wealth by few political office holders and breakdown of state machinery. This is what the CPP under Dr Nkrumah fought against in the colonial regime by embarking upon Positive Action.

"Today we need Positive Action to liberate us from bad governance, nepotism, neo-colonialism and to be able to hold national officers accountable," Dr Delle stated.

"We can all testify to the impact of Positive Action by the CPP and the political inactivity by the NPP. No doubt after five years of NPP rule, our socio-economic problems are still staring us in the face". He said the ruling NPP had plunged the nation into a deep socio-economic crisis that is unprecedented in the nation's history, which are reminiscent of the pre-independence days when there was a clear struggle between progress, represented by the CPP and reaction epitomized by the NPP tradition.

He explained that over the past quarter of a decade, the nation's political leaders have promoted neo-colonial socio-economic policies to the detriment of the national interest, which have resulted in high levels of deprivation and poverty.

"The daily experience of hardship and suffering for majority of our people is unacceptable. Few are becoming richer while the majority is being pushed far below the poverty line," the CPP chairman noted. He said: "Corruption, of the political and bureaucratic types, has become the order of the day. The incalculable damage that corruption is doing to our national life is beyond comprehension, and until national political leadership tackles this canker it will graduate into official national policy". Dr Delle also accused the NPP of destroying national cohesion, which the CPP government promoted through various measures, through the practices of cronyism and patronage based on tribalism and political affiliation. "The sight of able-bodied young men and women walking the streets of our towns with a sense of hopelessness, no jobs or unable to afford school fees is a serious indictment on us as a nation.

"Children of school-going age sell dog chains, chewing gums, puppies, CDs, video cassettes and all manner of goods on the streets of our major towns and cities.

"The fact that the ruling government is not doing anything to alleviate the predicament of the youth means that we are creating a social problem that will come back to haunt us in future, we therefore need Positive Action to arrest the carnage", the CPP leader said.