Cape Coast, May 24, GNA- Ms. Ekua Bentsiwa Sam, Central Regional Co-ordianator of the 31st December Women's Movement (DWM), on Wednesday debunked the notion that the Movement was the brain-child of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

She explained that the Movement was founded by the former first lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, as a non-governmental organization in 1982, before the re-emergence of partisan politics in the country, and deplored the tendency of linking the Movement with the NDC. Ms Sam, made the denial, at a forum organized by the regional branch to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Movement, at Cape Coast. She stressed that the DWM was not founded "to engage in any form of confrontation with any group of people or organisation" but to bring all women under one fold with the view to promoting and protecting their welfare.

Ms. Sam said it was in pursuance of this objective, that the movement worked to achieve a lot for women and all Ghanaians in general. She said the Movement established many day care centres, clinics and also ensured that women took their rightful positions in society. Ms. Sam said women were also trained in vocations like batik, tie and dye, and soap production as well as in cassava processing, snail rearing and oil extraction, to enable them earn incomes to support themselves.

She said the DWM also put up radiotherapy units at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and the Tamale Teaching Hospital and spearheaded the passage of the Interstate Succession Law to particularly protect widows and their children from being denied their share of their deceased spouse's property. Mr Allotey Jacobs, the Regional Propaganda Secretary of the NDC, in a solidarity message, commended women for their role in the political struggle of this country, particularly for struggle for independence. He praised the former first lady and President of the Movement, for advocating the cause of women during the Beijing Conference in 1993 and for Movement's role in the performance of the National Council on Women and Development (NCWD).

Mr Isaac Sam, Deputy Regional Director of the National Commission on Civic Education, educated the members on the re-denomination of the cedi and reiterated that the new currency was being introduced to make economic transactions easier and convenient.

He entreated all Ghanaians to be tolerant of each other's views, especially during and after the 2008 elections, to enable the nation to move forward.