General News of Thursday, 29 May 2003

Source: gna

NDC accuses NPP of sabotage

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ashanti has accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of trying to sabotage its planned march for survival in Kumasi.

NDC accused the party of resorting to threats of violence and physical attacks to intimidate and scare NDC supporters and sympathisers away from the march.

These were contained in a statement signed by Mr Emmanuel Nti Fordjour, the Ashanti Regional Chairman.

It said "several members of our party including the regional chairman continue to receive anonymous phone calls threatening us with physical attacks should we go ahead with the protest march."

The statement, therefore, called on the leadership of the NPP in Ashanti to advise its supporters who are bent on creating confusion.

The statement said "Ghana remains the only Island of peace and tranquillity in a sub-region engulfed in civil strife and carnage" and called on all to show more sincere and genuine commitment towards the preservation and maintenance of "this enviable status".

This, it said, called for respect for individual rights and freedoms guaranteed by the constitution.

The statement appealed to the security agencies to act even-handedly to ensure that all political mischief-makers to disrupt the peaceful march do not have their way.

''No amount of intimidation, threats of physical attacks or even death could force the NDC to chicken out and abandon its planned protest in Kumasi'', the statement said.

The NDC called for tolerance among political parties to move democracy forward.