*4,000 delegates expected
Today, about 3,500 card-bearing members of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) drawn from all the 230 constituencies in the country will converge on the VIP Wing of the Accra Sports Stadium to hold the party’s first hugely anticipated national convention.
The one-day convention which is on the theme: “Educate, Inform & Organise for Victory 2012,” will start at 9:00 a.m., and end around 1:00pm.
The main purpose of the convention, according to the party, is to formally present to Ghanaians the party’s constitution, rules for governance (constitution, leadership) and arrangements for participation in the 2012 parliamentary and presidential elections; to encourage the general public to join and support the PPP and to promote a national membership drive.
The convention would as well be used to enlighten Ghanaians on the true state of the party and present its progressive political platform; that is the 10-point Agenda, which is built around four solid pillars—Stewardship, Education, Healthcare and Jobs.
During the convention, some of the aspiring parliamentary candidates of the party would also be introduced to members.
The climax however would be the introduction of the sole presidential aspirant, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, to the party members. The party has ‘AWAKE’ as its slogan.
The party, in a press statement, noted that leadership has lined up other activities to spice up the occasion and which would afford delegates and supporters of the party in attendance the full opportunity to fraternise.
The party stressed that this would offer supporters as well as sympathisers the opportunity to acquaint themselves with ethics and values of the party.
The party particularly mentioned that it would not condone politics of insults and in-fighting.
It would be recalled that Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, the 2008 presidential candidate of the CPP, resigned from that party on December 28 last year and immediately announced the formation of an independent progressive movement which was transformed into a fully fledged political party, now PPP.
This was after the Electoral Commission (EC) awarded the party with a provisional certificate to commence activities as a nationally recognised party after meeting the criteria set out by the EC including presenting 170 representatives in all districts in the country.
Prior to that, the erstwhile Independent Progressive Movement embarked on a whirlwind regional campaign exercise which saw national, regional and constitutional executives being elected en-masse.
This progressive wave was greeted with overwhelming enthusiasm with hundreds of supporters present at every congregation.
Interim National Secretary of the PPP, Mr. Kofi Asamoah Siaw, stated that the party was determined to present itself as a third political force and the best option for Ghanaians in the 2012 elections.
Mr. Siaw said the party is positioning itself to wrestle power, insisting the NDC government had failed in the area of policy formulation.
Earlier in the week, Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, met with a cross-section of journalists in Accra where he disclosed that given the mandate to form the next national administration, the PPP would implement its ‘Agenda for Change’ using the spirit of inclusiveness built on three main points.
These are one, making sure it brings the best Ghanaians on board to do the job of running the country; two, ensuring the full participation of women and the youth, and; above all, providing a leadership that is incorruptible.
On corruption, Dr. Nduom posited that the PPP would double efforts to fight it adding that the accrued amount would be used to pay for programmes and projects on education, healthcare and job creation in ways that will really transform the fortunes of “our people.”
“Our preparedness to fight corruption in the country has at least been demonstrated in our call for the separation of the Attorney-General’s office from the Ministry of Justice… [and the need to] strengthen the IRS with technology,” Dr. Nduom reiterated.
Dr. Nduom further sought to change false public perception about the party stressing that the PPP is not a breakaway political party or an appendage of any party but a separate and independent party that wants to improve the quality of lives of Ghanaians.
Among the many innovations the party intends to introduce into Ghanaian politics is the continuation and completion of various projects the country has sought to undertake since independence.
A member of the party’s Interim Executive Committee, David Ampofo, earlier in the week, also refuted the assertion that the PPP was a ‘one man party’ or ‘Nduom party,’ stressing that PPP is a platform and not about an individual.
He averred that “the PPP was not a bunch of disgruntled youth, but people who want to do what people know have to be done but don’t do.”
Mr. Ampofo, a former spokesperson of Dr. Nduom during his 2008 election, further disclosed that PPP does not have and would not recognise what is popularly called foot-soldiers, saying it was a dangerous phenomenon which ought to be stopped.
The communication specialist decried the assertion that PPP was going to fail as other new political parties in Ghana’s history, averring that PPP was different and had come at the right time; “90 percent of success is coming at the right time,” he opined.
Apart from calling on the youth of the country to join the party in droves as it has a vision for all categories of people, the PPP also declared its intention to work towards the goal of ensuring that 20% of its parliamentary candidates are women.
The party believes the convention and its aftermath would silence critics and doubting Thomases on its impact and certain future.
