NPP Has Kept Faith With Ghanaians

National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Peter Mac Manu, says the NPP government has done much to improve the lot of the people. According to him, since society was dynamic people's desire and aspirations continued to change and would always need more amenities to meet their needs.
“It is our duty as a ruling party to satisfy the needs and aspirations of the people we serve”, adding that “as we continue to satisfy them we should also note that more demands will come. That is the nature of human beings”. Mr Mac Manu was addressing members of the UK and Ireland branch of the party in London.

He catalogued development programmes and projects which had been embarked upon by the NPP government to help raise the living conditions of the people, and these included the provision of good roads, potable water, utilities, and investment ventures. He said the NPP was not discouraged at all by the acts of some members of the society who continued to discredit the party, apparently ignoring the good works being done by the government across the nation.

Mr Mac Manu reiterated that the party would not act on the dictates of individuals or any group of people, whether members or non-members, but would rather focus on executing the mandate given to it by the good people of Ghana to govern the nation and to ensure its holistic development.
On the issue of who would lead the party in the next general election, he said the party would soon come out with modalities and programmes, as well as the detailed time-table to elect its flag bearer for the 2008 general election, which would be in line with the party's constitution.

“We are aware we must elect a flag bearer to lead the party something which is important to us, but now we as a ruling party have more important issues to perform, we owe the electorate an obligation to deliver and that is our focus now,” Mr Mac Manu said. He said in electing a flag bearer, the party would go through the due process of giving notice, accepting nominations, and vetting, among others, to have one elected by congress, to lead the party in the 2008 elections.

Mr Mac Manu urged the party members not to be swayed by any misinformation about prospective candidates who wanted to contest the presidential primary, adding that the party had not received any official notice from candidates desirous to contest the primary.

Commenting on Dr Amoako Tufour's recent comment on the issue, Mr Mac Manu said Dr Tufour was only an individual and was entitled to his views. He, however, agreed that consideration was being given to the proposal that prospective contestants have to pay about ¢100 million. “The party needs money, especially in the constituencies where there is a lot of work to do in order to win the 2008 general elections,” he said.

Mr Mac Manu said in 1996 candidates who contested for the flag bearer position paid ¢20 million, in 2000 it was ¢50 million and indicated that when President Kufour went unopposed in 2004 he paid
¢100 million and indicated that the candidates be made to pay more. He was quick to add that the decision was left with the national executives to decide. He said among others that he wanted to move the party from the cities and towns into the hinterland to win more grassroots support. He observed that by so doing the party would be effective and more vibrant.

Touching on development in Ghana, Mr Mac Manu noted that a lot of progress and development had gone on under the NPP administration. The NPP National Chairman was in the UK at the invitation of the Conservative Party of the UK to attend its spring party conference, and to also answer questions on perceived corruption among MPs and the Ministers of State, national development, and the welfare of party members, among others