TURNING THE TIDES

By Chief Obosu Mohammed
NPP Member, Mfantseman

Dear Patriots,

Charity begins at home; there are no truer words than this. I have chosen this day of my birth, to write this spirited piece to you my fellow patriots. The chronicle of some events within our party has greatly saddened me as our party takes a dive; however, it is never too late to swim out of the tide.

The story of how our forebears began this struggle and paddled this tradition of ours in their epoch should remain a guide to our generation. Our long stay in opposition coupled with our stock of distinguished and seasoned men capable of successfully steering the affairs of this nation must provide a motivation and awaken our appetite for political power – there can be no better time for the NPP to be in power than 2016. This victory begins at home, the burden of which we must share and bear in unity.

The stage for victory has been set; we cannot continue to derail our efforts! Let us not be the party where everyone is the wisest. Let us not be the party that is characterised by insults, suspicion and mistrust amongst ourselves. Let us not be the party that segregates it's own (them and they). Let us be bonded by virtues that build trust, compassion, tolerance and a bond of friendship so strong that we could agree to disagree. And to direct our energies to where it is required most.

Patriots, the struggle for power is not within, it must be directed at the territories of our political opponents who have continually subjected our people to immeasurable hardship, spiced with pervasive corruption and profligacy. The NPP is no longer saddled with any internal national contest – it is over! We have elected National Executives, who have been duly mandated to shepherd us to deliver the ultimate. It is important for us to remember this, to respect and protect our leaders whilst supporting them in the discharge of their duties if we are to make any meaningful gains. We must be weary of sowing seeds of discord amongst ourselves by ill thought and action. We must rise above the trivialities of communicable disdain set by agents who only seek our fall; for in this lays our message of hope to Ghanaians. United of decision behind Nana Akufo Addo as Presidential Candidate for 2016, our duty remains to move this great party to victory.

Winning an election is a shared responsibility, and this responsibility is shared in various duties and task to each according to his talent. In the performance of the task, however, we must not forget how each one ties in with our goal as a family. This task must bring us together, bridge our gaps and unite us. We owe this responsibility to well-meaning Ghanaians who sympathize with our cause to make Ghana work again.

As I suggested to our Presidential Candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo during my recent visit , the 2016 general elections is no longer about an individual ambition, it is about the "Save Ghana Project". Ghanaians home and abroad are looking for a champion who will restore hope to our hopeless economy. The market woman who has lost faith in her trade; the civil servant lamenting conditions of service, the ailing patient unable to pay medical bills; the spare-parts dealers about to exit business; the student who look on to a bleak future of unemployment, just to say a few, are all looking out for a champion who will stand –up for them. In Nana Akufo Addo they find that champion.

We have no excuse to fail this time; our country is ripe for a change in government. Our claim to fame as a party is our ability to change and adapt, for we are the example of the antidote we prescribe for Ghanaians. Our struggle for power in the past 6 years must only heighten our desire to see this change as we finally come to the climax of an age long relentless fight to release Ghana from the grips of collapse. For in this action, situates our need as a party to unite and cause that change within and with-out our Party.

In our quest for victory, we cannot make enemies of our own. Victory for Ghana is a game of numbers and the first step is to win the numbers at home. Our enviable lessons from previous defeats must guide our energies to be well and meaningfully placed towards winning elections and not geared towards hurting each other; for the deepest wounds are the ones we inflict on family.

Thank You!