YOUTH FOR LEADERSHIP STATEMENT: A Response To Alhaji Bature

September 24th Accra Ghana

The Youth for Leadership has viewed with great nostalgia the loose and unsavory comments made by Alhaji Iddrisu Bature on a radio discussion about the former president and founder of the great National Democratic Congress (NDC) H. E. Dr. Rawlings. These are disgraceful and unreflective statements which we wish to condemn in no uncertain terms. Alhaji Bature must first desist from attributing to himself the title “leading member” of the NDC because if he were as he claimed, he would have appreciated the history of the NDC better mindful of what he said and says about the founder of the NDC.

Much as the article (president Mills in dire need of advisors) of Mr. Amenga Etego SaCut is a personal one, it largely reflects the opinion of our movement the Youth for leadership and a broad section of the NDC youth. The point simply made is that, the leadership style of president Mills hasn’t been cohesive, but rather divisive. This has been informed by the fact that, he has not shown gratitude to the foot soldiers of the party, the financiers of the party, media supporters as well as the founder of the party who identified and supported him to lead this party and country. This attitude basically has been the cause of the friction and tension in the NDC party as witnessed.
In talking about camps and factions, Alhaji Bature should have known better that, former president Rawlings cannot have a camp within the party he founded. He is the only true embodiment of the NDC. Dr. Rawlings could therefore not seek anything more than the success of this government, the unity and strength of the NDC. Unfortunately, people like Alhaji Bature when given the opportunity to council president Mills do that by thinking of their bellies first. They think that in denigrating the former president J.J. Rawlings and singing praises to the president H.E. professor J.E.A. Mills, they will create a new class of favorites around the president.
Let it be put on record that, the Youth for Leadership was formed with these primary goals and objectives:
• Promote, sustain and perpetuate the ideals of the Rawlingses—probity, accountability, selflessness\voluntarism, fellow-feeling and the quest for social and economic justice...
• Giving support to the course that was started by the Rawlingses
• Serve as witness’ to the gospel as preached by the Rawlingses in the communities in which we are found
The objective
• Organize on mass bases the younger generation with the view to carrying forward ‘Rawlingsism’ into posterity.
• Reposition the Rawlingses and their Legacies more positively in contrast to the prevailing negative propaganda being churned out by opponents of the former presidency
• Pursue the entire work of the Rawlingses on behalf of society.

These are the honest intentions of the Youth for Leadership. The successful achievement of these objectives benefits no individual or group other than the NDC party. How could anybody from within the NDC begrudge us or feel offended by our existence? YFL’s existence dated back to the days when NDC was in opposition and we enjoyed the full support and backing of the NDC party. We are on record to have held countless number of our general meetings at the NDC party national headquarters without opposition from the party. Current NDC party executives and members of government delivered speeches on our platform. Many of the pulling agents at the 2008 general elections of the NDC party were recruited from our ranks. Why then should the leadership of the party want to distance itself from the Youth for Leadership, discourage and castigate us, when we have a unique opportunity while in government to give the party a better image by telling the true story of the party founder?
We would want to take this opportunity to call on the leadership of the NDC party to desist from the tendency of denouncing every person who they disagree with. This does not reflect a party that prides itself in representing the masses. We think that, it will be in the interest of the NDC party, a party we love cherish and hold so dearly to register all supporters who in one way or the other might have no party ID cards. It behooves on the party to listen to all concerns and find ways of fostering unity rather than running away from its obvious members. Let us not forget the wise saying that the very people you find on your way up the ladder will be the same people you will find on your way down. These very people can help push you up the ladder faster and can also aid by creating a passage for your swift free fall.
In the light of this, we would want to state that, SaCut Amenga Etego is a well known NDC member who has actively taken part in the party’s activities including the just ended 2008 general elections. He was an NDC student leader who has never shied away nor hidden his identity as a member of this great Akatamanso family. The supposed statement made by the Ashanti regional youth wing of the party questioning the membership of SaCut is simply baseless, naive and unfounded. The fact that SaCut is not a registered member of the Ashanti regional branch of the NDC does not in any way make him less an NDC member.
The Youth for Leadership is therefore calling on all party members and supporter most especially the disgruntled foot soldiers not to feel disillusioned. They should remain forthright, committed and dedicated to the course of the great NDC, the only party founded by H.E. Flt Lt. Jerry John Rawlings. We reckon that both party and government are going through challenging times and so has this country. Let us remember that it took the courage, principles, determination and imagination of the founder and this party to bring us this far, on the high way to progress. The NDC will again show the leadership that this country deserves. There is plenty room in the Youth for Leadership for all. Rally around and let us champion the course of the founder. Thank you
KIZITO M. AKUDAGO
(NATIONAL CHAIRMAN)
YOUTH FOR LEADERSHIP