Press Statement By The Organized Youth In Ashanti (OYA) IN RESPONSE TO MISGUIDED REACTIONS TO PRESIDENT RAWLINGS’ ADMONISHMENT TO THE NDC

We are using this primarily to respond to some effusions that have come from some of Ghana’s most misguided and scheming journalists who are masquerading as a so-called senior journalists in the electronic media to consistently display nothing but naked envy and hatred for the former president of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings and have fruitlessly been waging a ceaseless war to malign him.

Also some so-called leading members of the NDC and opposition elements have variously reacted to the former president’s statement a couple days ago. This myopic stance by Kwaku Baako that for 19 years, Mr. Rawlings presided over this country and could not solve all our problems so he should not criticize any other to come after him is the most ridiculous point any sane person can raise.
It is interesting how these schemers who call themselves journalist-especially those two talking heads, the two confusionists, the so called senior journalists, the two most dangerous threats to our polity, Kwesi Pratt and Kwaku Baako have taken the press statement so personally-a statement which we see as a warning signal and a wakeup call from the NDC founder to NDC members based strictly on a consistent principle.
It was a call for NDC members not to abandon the values and virtues that form the bedrock of the party so as to remain allies of the people who put us in power. What is their problem? Have they become NDC members? Or is this the case of showing ‘primitive loyalty’ to President Mills because they come from the same village? Haven’t they waged the fruitless war against the NDC founder long enough to realize that not even their combined effort can be able to pull back the former President from his convictions? They couldn’t do it in 1981. Eight years in opposition, they couldn’t do it. They will fail now too. These two, together with Alhaji Bature and the rest of the them on that fruitless mission should be reminded that unlike their ignoble selves, J. J. Rawlings is a living legend of our time and has built an enduring legacy in the NDC - a legacy that is worth protecting from intruders and false pretenders - and we’re the vanguards of that legacy. Where is their own legacy? What can they boast of building apart from scheming and talking off their heads in their efforts to pull down what others have built with sweat and toil.? They may also be reminded former President Rawlings was never made by the media, and cannot be unmade by the media. The people of Ghana stand with him. These people should desist from meddling in NDC affairs before they get their fingers burnt.

What did the former president say in his statement that is not consistent with him? He has always vowed to stand by the truth no matter the cost. He has always warned the people against intrigues from their leaders. It is amazing how Alex Segbefia, Deputy Chief of Staff thinks that the NDC founder’s wakeup call to the party people should have come through a less open medium. How convenient can it get for those in government?

Those who have come round to enjoy the
booty of this struggle and transformation dating back to June 4 1979 have suddenly forgotten where it came from, when it started and how it started. Luxury and ego has made them forget all that and feel they must be equally matched. May they be reminded that it is not the same, cannot be the same and will never be the same.
When Prof. Mills went away to Canada to teach, President Rawlings kept the NDC alive with endurance. When people like Kofi Totobi Kwakyi was ‘ill’ in all eight years, and Kwamena Ahwoi ‘retired’ from politics during opposition time, and Kwesi Ahwoi went to work abroad, it was President Rawlings who held the fort. John Mahama had time to concentrate on African Union matters during the same period when the NDC needed to be sustained. It is also declassified information that John Mahama and Haruna Iddrisu got compromised by Francis Poku with cash inducements which made them burry their conscience and truth when they were supposed to be defending their avowed principles of the NDC. But today, all these people think former President Rawlings does not know appropriate channels of communication. How more interesting can it get?

The CJA ministers such as Samuel Ablakwa and Omane Boamah as well as Ludwig Hlodze and Nii Lantey Vanderpuye - these whose actions have been given endorsement by President Mills - have served as hatchet men who act completely oblivious of the values and virtues that form the bedrock of the NDC. They have engaged in actions and utterances that have sought to denigrate the former president. Even tampering with the foundation of the NDC by questioning the status of the founder.
Just recently, Deputy Information minister Samuel Ablakwa had to admit and apologize to Mrs. Rawlings for giving credence to distortions that were made in the media concerning her statements during a ceremony on the Accra City campus of the University of Ghana - a distortion we strongly believe was planted by the same gang of hatchet men in their continual WAR against the NDC founder - a frontal WAR with the very virtues, views, values and principles that gave birth to the NDC to which they call themselves members. They have made all sorts of discredited attempts to gag Mrs. Rawlings through these deliberate lies because of rumours of her presidential ambition. They have suddenly forgotten about fair play. And only rumours of her ambition have sent them machinating. President Mills and vice president John Mahama must also be reminded that if they cannot oversee fair play within the NDC, they must forget about our support for their own participation in any presidential race.

Unfortunately there are people in high places in the NDC government and the media who have lost their conscience and because of their gluttony, and avarice, they’re trying very hard to run down the image of this Icon of Africa even though he is speaking the truth.

Indeed about 3 weeks ago a presidential aide and one national executive of the NDC were in Kumasi, they held a meeting with some selected constituency executives from all the 39 constituencies in Ashanti with majority of the regional executives and some non executive party faithful present. This meeting took place at the Yaa Asantewaa Guest House of the RCC. Many issues were raised, and even names like Kwesi Ahwoi were touted by these so-called national executives as a possible successor to President Mills. These kinds of intrigues will not and cannot be tolerated in the NDC. The NDC founder is our inspirer and we shall not allow ourselves to be misused.
It is with a manifesto that the NDC won election 2008; this Manifesto has become a social contract between the NDC party and Ghanaians. He therefore has a responsibility as party founder to make sure that the message which is captured in the manifesto that promised social justice, promised punishment for economic and political crimes, integrity in and transparency in government which have given people high expectations are not thrown to the background.
And why should party leaders be going round holding meetings and saying all manner of things about the former president and founder of the NDC and his wife. Do we want the NDC founder to keep mute over some of these unfortunate happenings in the party? The onus to address these concerns raised by the NDC founder lies with the national executives of the party-not opportunists and crooks who parade as so-called senior journalists and political animals. Those who are bent on destroying the Rawlings legacy from within or outside of the NDC must desist from it or be well prepared for there is a young vanguard of the Rawlings legacy who are prepared to protect and defend it-even if it will cost us an arm and a leg.
Long Live NDC
Long Live J J Rawlings
Long Live Ghana