CPP unveils elaborate manifesto
The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has launched an elaborate election manifesto that integrates a robust development plan intended to promote inclusive society.
The CPP, which has languished in opposition for about five decades after the overthrow of the founding father of the party – Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah – in 1966, also launched two policy documents of gender and communication.
Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, the Flagbearer of the party, urged electorates to reject the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the December 7 polls, accusing them of lying and meddling with Ghana’s economic fortunes and being “pirates”.
“NDC and the NPP are the same, we have had enough of them, they are nothing short of pirates, they have suffocated us with their lies, we must end this 24 years of “piracy,” he said amidst deafening cheers, blurring of horns and clapping.
“[They] merely continue to offer us what they’ve been offering us and that is their greatest specialty; lie upon lie…,” he said “and there is a special word to describe continuous lies because continuous lies is no longer a lie and that special word is mendacity.”
“We must bring back our dignity as a nation, a nation without dignity is susceptible to abuse and corruption and that is what we see before us today in all spheres of our national life.
“We are abused by our leaders who fail to care for our people and our society has become endemic to corruption,” he said, “24 years of arguments, vindictiveness, rancor and darkness, it is okay, we have had enough.”
Mr Greenstreet told regional party officials, its 222 parliamentary aspirants and supporters to work hard to win the 2016 elections with its renewed vow -”Nkrumaist new covenant with the people, “apamfoforo”.
“I can never send you to battle naked, we want you to go back to that kind of change we are talking about,” he said, rolling over his two fist to indicate a political change that require the CPP blocking NDC and NPP flagbearers.
The party’s leadership has committed to “crucifying” the NDC and NPP, he said, “we [have] agreed with the national executives that this final leg of our campaign will be ‘operation crucifixion and resurrection’.”
Professor Edmund Nminyem Delle, the National Chairman and Leader of CPP, said the sense of purpose and urgency which CPP brought to national development has been missing since 1966.
“It is time we restore it, our people can wait no longer,” he said, adding that “the manifesto answers the people’s cry for a new covenant (Apamfoforo) in Ghana.
“We believe that, the state has a binding commitment to use its powers to promote high rates of economic growth and development as well as to ensure that, the wealth thereof is shared equitably among Ghanaians – North and south, East and West”.
He said the party would work to create a prosperous, just, safe, caring and united society where there would be adequate food, shelter and ample opportunities for every Ghanaian to develop their personal and social potential to the fullest.
“We shall instill in our people a culture of discipline and excellence, respect for law and order, compassion towards one another,” he said.
He also told the supporters that “unless political power is placed in the hands of the CPP the search for real and lasting solutions for our political and social economic problems will remain exclusive, God bless our Home Land Ghana, forward ever backwards never.”
He said the legitimate government of Dr Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown by “evil men” which drew back Ghana’s economic forward match and imposed imperialism on the country exposing it to foreign dominance.
“Ever since the forward march of this country was truncated by evil men in 1966, through the overthrow of the legitimate government of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana has not seen or witnessed any realistic development,” he said.
“The situation became worse when we returned to multiparty democracy in 1992.”
The Manifesto, which was reproduced in brail and sign language versions, reflects views and intentions of the CPP on various development issues of domestic and international importance.
The development policies are informed by the party’s idealogy of Dr Nkrumah and cover four broad areas of social policies, economic policies, responsible governance and international relations to support job creation and address vast social problems.
The main principles driving the development policies of the CPP include self-determination, social justice and pan-Africanism.
Source: GNA