Haruna demands whereabouts of President

The National Youth Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Haruna Iddrisu is sighting President John Agyekum Kufuor for contempt of Parliament.

He says the failure by the President’s office to declare his whereabouts during the period he left to undertake some official obligations in Canada is unconstitutional.

A Press statement from the President’s Press Office announced that President John Agyekum Kufuor will leave Accra on Friday 14th September, 2007, for Ottawa, Canada, on an official visit that was to see him hold bilateral talks with Canadian Prime Minister, Mr. Stephen Harper and the Governor-General, Ms Michaelle Jean.

Indeed the President left the country but none of the meetings publicized came on fueling speculations that he never got to Canada at all.

Mr. Iddrisu addressing a youth gathering in Koforidua, the capital of Ghana’s eastern region said the President’s failure to honour the duties he sighted in a letter to the Speaker of Parliament is misleading adding, any misleading information given to Parliament is contemptible.

The vibrant youth leader also took a swipe at former NDC Chairman, Dr. Obed Yao Asamoah on his recent comments against the NDc and its flagbearer, Prof. John Evans Attah Mills

Dr. Asamoah had said that the NDC cannot win any elections now because its flagbearer, Prof Mills was not marketable

Haruna Idrissu said Dr. Asamoah’s comments were unfortunate and will not be treated seriously by the party.

He said the NDC would want to “remind him (Dr. Asamoah) that no condition is permanent”.

He said Dr Obed Asamoah’s utterances “amounts to nothing but a mere wish, and should be treated by everyone as a mere wish as somebody wishing another person a failure.”

He added that the new terms made under ROPAL to allow a minimum of five hundred Ghanaians the legitimacy to vote is contrary to article 52 of the constitution.

He told the gathering that any attempt to implement ROPAL will be “a recipe for conflict because it will clearly undermine the credibility and legitimacy of the election results” adding that “contested election results, its outcome have been nasty throughout the world”.

He added that the NDC demands a reform in the method of announcing election results, through the introduction of an ICT system to eliminate the bloating of figures.

Haruna Iddrisu says no member of the NPP government can challenge the integrity of Professor Atta Mills, in his quest to lead the NDC to victory in election 2008.

He said the party is coming out with a new Professor Mills campaign—a campaign that will emphasise on his accomplishment, compassion, judgement and character.

He asked all party members to ensure that the “Operation Win Your Ballot Box” achieves victory in 2008.