General News of Wednesday, 10 September 2008

Source: GNA

Rawlings is still relevant in Ghana politics - Ganyaglo

Kpalime-Duga, Sept. 10, GNA - Mr Francis Ganyaglo, Volta Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Tuesday observed that Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings' personality and values would forever remain relevant to Ghanaian politics.

His passion for the truth and probity must therefore find expression in all national affairs, Mr Ganyaglo said.

Mr Ganyaglo was speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Kpalime-Duga in the South-Dayi District on the second day of Ex-President Rawlings' visit to parts of the Volta Region. He said former President Rawlings' drive against corruption and crime had become a tradition that "cannot be wished away".

On his role in the campaign strategy of the NDC, Mr Ganyaglo said Rawlings' presence anywhere in Ghana re-energized party structures and put national issues in their proper perspective.

Flight-Lieutenant Rawlings addressed rallies at Have in the Hohoe-North Constituency, Kpeve, Peki-Blengo, Kpalime-Duga and Tongor-Dzemeni, all in the South-Dayi Constituency. His presence at Kpeve disrupted business at the Kpeve market then in session. He also pulled a big and ecstatic crowd at Peki-Blengo and Dzemeni.

At Toh-Kpalime the crowd prevented his convoy from moving on until he got down from his car, took a brief walk among the crowd to receive appellations.

The thrust of the former President's message everywhere he went was that "corruption under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government had grown from a negative practice into an adorable culture". Mr Modestus Ahiable, Volta Regional Chairman of the NDC said the import of every policy now in Ghana was to make money for some NPP activists.

He condemned the practice now for government to order the deduction of huge sums of monies from the Common Fund allocations of District Assemblies in payment for spurious services or purchases. Dr Kwame Ampofo, Member of Parliament (MP) for South-Dayi said claims by the NPP that policies it initiated had ensured big economic growth were propaganda.

He said the national economic breakthrough occurred during the PNDC/NDC regime when growth was raised from minus seven per cent to 5.2 per cent.

Dr Ampofo introduced Mr Edem Asimah as the NDC candidate for the constituency and urged the teeming crowd to vote him into Parliament.