Politics of Friday, 8 August 2003

Source: Chronicle

EGLE Chairman Under Fire

MR. DANNY Ofori- Attah, the chairman of the council of elders of EGLE party has come under intensive criticisms from the council for stating that the party was in alliance with the People's National Convention (PNC) without authority.
An executive council meeting at the party's national headquarters to discuss the issue was reportedly aborted following differences over the fact that the party has not officially abrogated its alliance with the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The national propaganda secretary of the party, Mr. Francis Lokko, said EGLE would not abrogate its alliance with the NDC until the leadership of the party has reached an agreement on it.
He said Mr. Ofori-Attah's pronouncement that the party has gone into alliance has created confusion among the members, adding that the statement should be disregarded and treated with the contempt that it deserves.
Mr. Lokko said EGLE couldn't go into alliance with the PNC because it (EGLE) is still committed to Rawlings.
"We would continue to support the NDC because of the symbiosis which Mr. Rawlings. Rawlings cherishes development. We would go into alliance with any party with similar policies and ideologies with the consent of the members of the party," he said.
The acting national chairman, Alhaji Rahman Jamatutu said EGLE has never met to discuss alliance with any party. "For now the EGLE is still in alliance with the NDC."
Alhaji Jamatutu said the EGLE would continue to rally behind the NDC despite their defeat in the last elections.
The change of political power was due to the economic problems of the country in the last days of the NDC government but since the NPP assumed power nothing has changed to improve upon the lot of the people.
"I am not seeing my way clear with the NPP government. HIPC has worsened the economy and most people cannot get three square meals a day."
Alhaji Jamatutu said the impression that the NDC created the economic mess is wrong, adding that during the NDC days the economy was under pressure from the external factors, but it is not the same under the NPP.
According to him the unfulfilled promises of the NPP would be used as a yardstick to boot the government out of power in next year's elections.
The national organiser of the party, Mr. Benjamin Bediako told The Chronicle that the abortive meeting was to discuss issues that came out after the publication that the party was in alliance with the PNC. He said the meeting would also intended to form a national organizing committee.
Mr. Bediako attributed the failure of the meeting to lack of effective communication and was optimistic that in three weeks time the meeting would be held to deliberate on other thorny issues
The members present were Madam Nancy Sifa Ella, a member of council of elders from the Volta region, Mr. Timothy Adaakok, Upper East regional organizer, Ayisha Yaya, deputy national women's organizers and others.