The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has touted the achievements of the party in the political history of Ghana. The NDC is celebrating its 29th anniversary today, [Thursday], June 10, 2021.
According to Asiedu Nketiah, the social-democratic political party played a very instrumental role when Ghana’s 1992 Constitution was being written.
He said the 1992 Constitution which stood the test of time laid the platform for the country’s democracy to thrive till this day.
At an event to commemorate the party’s 29th anniversary, Mr Nketiah said the NDC’s achievements cannot be compared to any other political party in Ghana.
“You will agree with me that maybe our performance will be better. But as we stand here, the NDC remains the most successful party in Ghana since our independence. So we have every reason to be proud of our party. When it comes to development, NDC arguably is a political party that has a track record that will be difficult to beat by any other political party in this country,” he said.
NDC’s history The NDC is a social-democratic political party in Ghana. It was founded by the late Jerry Rawlings, who was the Head of State of Ghana from 1981 to 1953 and the President of Ghana from 1993 to 2001.
The symbol for the party is an umbrella with the head of a dove at the tip. The party colours are red, white, green, and black, and the party slogan or motto is “Unity, stability, and development.”
Internationally, the NDC is a member of the Progressive Alliance and Socialist International.
Following the formation of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), which ruled Ghana following the military coup d’état on 31 December 1981, there was pressure from the international community to restore democracy.
The NDC was formed as the ruling party ahead of elections in 1992, in which the late JJ Rawlings was elected president, and in 1996 he was re-elected as the NDC candidate. Omane Boamah praises party Former Communications Minister, Edward Omane Boamah in a piece to celebrate the party asked Ghanaians to be proud of the NDC because “development is our goal.” He wrote:
NDC built unprecedented Regional and District hospitals & CHPS facilities that have provided and still provide quality healthcare to Ghanaians over the years.
In recent years, the University of Ghana Medical Centre, the Ridge Hospital project, the Bank of Ghana hospital, the Maritime hospital have been added and have saved many Ghanaians from death particularly during this COVID-19 period.
In addition, NDC established Universities, built schools including Community Day Senior High Schools, primary schools and early childhood development centres to provide access and improve education for pupils and students.
Furthermore, in the power sector, NDC established the Aboadze Thermal Power Plant, initiated the West Africa Gas Pipeline Project (WAGPP), established the Atuabo Gas Processing Plant which brought about over 800 mega Watts of thermal power (the fastest in the history of Ghana) to solve dumsor in 2016 and has an unmatched record in rural electrification in Ghana.
Comrades and fellow Ghanaians, there is more that should make you proud of the NDC because we are unique and positively distinguished from the NPP (our ‘noisy neighbours’): massive telecommunications, roads and transport infrastructure such as the National Data Centre, the Accra Digital Centre, the over 800 kilometres Eastern Corridor Fibre Optic project from Ho through six regions to Bawku with a link from Yendi to Tamale, interchanges, port expansion among others.
Looking into the future with hope, I believe there is more that must be offered to restore confidence in governance and in Ghana’s democracy.
There is more we can do to encourage free speech, protect journalists, promote freedom of assembly and to demonstrate, fight corruption and ensure law and order becomes the tool for Ghana’s accelerated socio-economic development.
Fellow Akatamansonians, let’s stay together and work very hard for victory 2024 to rescue Ghana, our motherland.
Happy 29th Anniversary.
Credit: Citinewsroom