A NEW group of familiar voices, the Young Patriots, yesterday held their maiden news conference to express concerns overthe growing culture of insults, lies and character assassination dominating politics in Ghana, stressing that they are ready to meet insult with insult if that is the only language the ruling National Democratic Congress is prepared to meet the New Patriotic Party and its leadership with.

Their spokesperson, John Kumah,who is a post-graduate student, said they had hoped that politics will be issues-based but, sadly, the ruling party appears to have given up on any hope of it delivering on the promise to bring relief to Ghanaians, and has rather substituted the 'Better Ghana Agenda' for a 'Better Propaganda Agenda'.

The Young Patriots said, “It is becoming increasingly clear that this culture of lies, personal attacks fabrications and smear campaign against NPP leaders is a deliberate political campaign strategy of the NDC.”

They cited cases where NPP leaders without any provocation or evidence were described by the NDC “as thieves, drug addicts, drug barons, fruit cakes, uncivilized, uncouth, drunkards, perverts,” etc.

The NPP youth group warned, “if this culture of insults and personal attacks are not stopped then we the Young Patriots of the NPP would henceforth take a stand. We would stand up against this campaign. Every insult, personal attack, fabrication, lie, smear campaign against our leaders shall be met with an equal and opposite insult, personal attack, fabrication, lie and smear campaign against NDC leaders.”

“It is a wakeup call. We do not want this situation. We do not want this culture of insults. We deeply regret that it is persisting. We have no option but to take this stance against it,” they said, lamenting over the apparent silence of religious leaders and civil society on this negative culture.

Blaming President JEA Mills of speaking against insults yet rewarding those who insult his opponents the most with appointments, the NPP youth group said it is the inaction of those who could have acted ”that makes evil to triumph.”

They have urged “President Mills to call his appointees and party activists to order. We urge the clergy, civil society to speak out clearly against this culture and strategy of personal attacks and insults.”

The group cited the major problems facing the nation, like unemployment and crunching poverty, should rather be allowed to take centre stage in the political discourse.

Their hope was that debates would focus“on ideas, policies and programmes that can truly deliver jobs to the teeming unemployed and lift the mass of our people out of poverty.”

However, they have been exasperated by the strategy of NDC government appointees and party to turn every issue into “personal attacks, fabrications, wicked lies, and smear campaign against NPP leaders and functionaries.”

The young NPP activists who addressed the press yesterday made it clear that they were ready to sling stones against mud if that is what it takes to return politics to matters of real concern to the Ghanaian.

Among the 'fire-for-fire' group of young NPP activists were Yaw AdomakoBaafi, HopesonAdorye, MicahelAmpong,Richard Nyamaaand AsamoahGyamfi.