– DESPERATELY SEEKING SOLACE IN THE NON-EXISTING HEALTH PROBLEMS OF PROFESSOR MILLS

The National Democratic Congress has noted that in the face of the uphill task the NPP presidential campaign is facing in convincing the electorate to extend its term of office, it has now had to resort to smear tactics in order to try to give its campaign some momentum. What is even more unfortunate is that these tactics are being deployed by none other than our President, His Excellency J.A. Kufuor. One would have thought that in the dying months of his term of office he would be more concerned about his legacy and consolidating his reputation as an elder statesman. Unfortunately, it appears that this is not the case.

We are sure that Ghanaians would recall that the NPP indicated at the beginning of the year that they wanted to wage an “issues based campaign”. However as their campaign continues to straggle, and they have to commit more and more resources to bussing and renting crowds to turn up at their campaign venues one can see their campaign rhetoric becoming more strident, erratic and contradictory, and the smear-fest seems to have started in earnest. We of the NDC, believe that Ghanaians are intelligent and discerning enough to see through the spin and the propaganda and focus on the real issues of which of the men competing for the high office of President has the character as well as the competence to be trusted with the management of the affairs of this nation. On the specific issue of our Flag-bearer Professor John Evans Atta Mills’s health the NDC response is quite simple. Professor John Evans Atta Mills has no health issues at the present time. Earlier this year, he had surgery for cataract in his left eye, but other than that has no health concerns. Perhaps the President spends so much time out of this country that he has not been able to keep up with the campaign of the NDC, and so perhaps we can take the opportunity to inform him that Professor Mills has campaigned extensively in the Western, Central and Greater Accra Regions. We would like to let the President know that Professor Mills will be going to the Ashanti Region at the end of this week after filing his nomination and if he wishes, he can meet him over there. The fact of the matter is that the NDC is running a total campaign that involves its Running Mate Hon. John Mahama, the Founder – Former President Rawlings, the National Executives, right down to its Branch Executives at the Constituency level and all its party faithful who are committed and working in earnest to ensure the victory of the NDC in the December polls. Unlike the NPP that can rely on Government officials at the Regional and District levels in addition to its party executives to run its campaign, and has the benefit of unlimited use of state resources. The NDC is using all of its cherished members to run this campaign for Election 2008, and we are both overwhelmed and humbled by the support that the people of Ghana have shown towards our party and our campaign. We assure all Ghanaians that if we are given their mandate to take over the management of the Government of this country Professor Mills and his team will not let them down.

Having said that we still sympathize with the NPP’s predicament. In the NDC Presidential ticket of Professor Atta Mills and Hon. John Mahama, we have two experienced political figures who have already established their credibility with the Ghanaian electorate. Indeed both Gentlemen have reputations for being fair-minded, sincere, down-to-earth, caring and compassionate politicians. They have established over the last twelve years of their political careers that they have the vision, humility, endurance and character to lead Ghana in the right direction. The NPP has not been able to unearth any dirt on these distinguished Gentlemen in spite of all their best efforts, hence their desperate resort to smear tactics. We realize that the NPP is constrained in that though their Flag-bearer has been a politician for some years, their running mate is a political novice who is yet to establish any political credibility and reputation of his own. The fact is until he was announced as the NPP Flag bearer’s running mate – he was a political unknown and even in his home region has no political constituency.

In view of the constant innuendos and baseless allegations on the health of our Flag-bearer, we believe that it would be appropriate for the Ghanaian people to have information on the health status and fitness of all their Presidential Aspirants. We are therefore suggesting that all of the Flag bearers submit to thorough medical examinations and have the results of those examinations published for the attention of the good people of this country. We are of the view that this medical examination should include testing on their HIV status, whether they have any form of diabetes, cancer, hepatitis or any medical ailment that requires disease management on a permanent basis. We are quite confident that Professor Mills would have no problem with such a medical examination and would come out with a clean bill of health. We believe that the other Flag-bearers would also have no objections to Ghanaians having full and complete disclosure on their fitness and well-being and ability to lead this country being of sound mind and body.

We look forward to the response of the other Flag bearers on our suggestion. Until then we wish to assure all of those involved in the political contest that the NDC will continue to show Ghanaians that we care for them and have their welfare and progress at the centre of our policies and programs. We are committed to investing in people, investing in jobs, investing in the economy and maintaining a transparent and accountable government for a better Ghana. We look forward to making our commitments a reality for Ghanaians everywhere.

Hanna Tetteh

Director of Communications National Democratic Congress