Accra, Dec. 31, GNA - Mr Kweku Eshun, an aspiring candidate for the General Secretary position of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), on Thursday charged members of the party to imbibe probity, accountability, freedom and justice which constitute the ideals of the party's founder, former President Jerry Rawlings.

He said the party gave birth to the government and as such those elected to manage the day-to-day affairs of the country must always remember and recognize to serve the needs of the electorates first. Mr Eshun was speaking at a press conference to kick-start his campaign for the General Secretary position of the NDC party in Accra. The campaign which was launched in conjunction with other aspiring contestants for various positions in the party, attracted a large following including big shots like Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, candidate for vice chairman, Dr Offei Agyeman, former Parliamentary aspirant for Ayawaso Central, Mr Joshua Hamidu-Akamba, aspiring candidate for Deputy General Secretary and Joseph Johannes, newly-elected Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NDC.

Mr Eshun said he wanted to be General Secretary because he had a strong sense of purpose and understood what the party required in 21st century politics, adding that he did not believe winning the last election meant the NDC should fold its arms and enter into a state of drowsiness. He said as a General Secretary his major preoccupation would be to collate the views of millions of Ghanaians who were still waiting for the change they voted for.

He said with the support of the rest of the party structure he would use the views gathered as a basis for recommending to government to ensure that the needs of the people were always factored into national policy making.

Mr Eshun said he would also ensure that the party was truly unified for national development.

"We have to do away with talk of factionalism and divisiveness and work at ensuring that every individual or group that has played a role in the success and development of the party is brought on board to help maintain the equilibrium," he said.

Mr Eshun also accused some members of the national executive and many others in government positions of disregarding the covenant that the NDC signed with the people of Ghana.

He said those in positions of authority were operating as if the government was living on an island and had no recourse whatsoever to the rest of the country and its people.

He said it was the duty of the party as the mother body that won the election to hold government in check and ensure that it abided strictly by the party's constitution, manifesto and ideals.

"We cannot as party executives look on as the government that operates in the name of the NDC cuts a crooked path while we claim it is straight. "We have to call a spade a spade and stop the politics of fear where government brooks no criticism and the party hierarchy becomes an extension of weakness. That is an anti-NDC attitude." Mr Eshun also alleged that saboteurs from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were still sitting in powerful state institutions while the government struggled to resolve the economic and political problems engulfing the country.

He said the government should do the right thing by removing these people from such sensitive institutions.

Mr Eshun further accused some members of the national executives of attempting to alienate the 31st December Women's Movement (DWM) from the party in a bid to score cheap political points. He said 31st DWM had played perhaps the most significant role in keeping the NDC alive and asked if it was a crime if today everywhere you went the women's organizer happened to be a member of the movement.