General News of Sunday, 7 September 2008

Source: GNA

NDC would uproot culture of impunity-John Mahama

Somanya (E/R), Sept. 7, GNA-The National Democratic Congress (NDC), would uproot the culture of impunity from the body politic of Ghana to ensure that law and order worked to the advantage of all. It said the culture of impunity that had engulfed the nation to the extent that those with known party leanings who committed crimes were left to go free was not the best that the country was looking for. Mr. John Dramani Mahama, running mate of Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, flag bearer of NDC said the security of the individual and the nation as a whole needed to be maintained and urged the New Patriotic Party (NPP) not to continue to turn a blind eye on criminal activities of its supporters. "The peace we all crave for should not be based on preaching one thing and practicing the other." He said some people in the northern part of the country who were supportive of the NPP were known to have guns in their possession and involved in shooting incidents yet they were walking freely in Tamale. Mr Mahama, who is on a 10-day campaign tour was addressing rallies at Somanya, Nkurankan and Asesewa said, "a party that prided itself in the rule of law must not be seen to be enforcing the law with partisan zeal" He said propaganda to demonize the NDC and its founder Jerry John Rawlings had failed and that the achievements of the NDC were glaring enough for the people to see. Former President Rawlings remains indestructible and although his achievements belong to history, it was left to Ghanaians now to build on them to ensure "prosperity for all and not for the few who believed in property grabbing." He added that, the NDC had adopted social democracy in which the people are the focus of development. Mr. Mahama said the NDC would introduce a universal health insurance scheme to replace the chaotic district health schemes being practiced now and would be run more efficiently and ensure that drugs meant for the people reach them and that no one would be allowed to squander drugs meant for HIV programmes. Mr. Mahama urged the youth who are the important resource base of the country and future leaders to be wary of the HIV pandemic and to refrain from promiscuity.