Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings
FORMER PRESIDENT Flt. Lt. Jerry
John Rawlings has reiterated his concern over what he sees as ‘lack of respect’
coupled with ‘incessant insults’ within the rank and file of the opposition
National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to him, respect
for authority and leadership, which was among the core tenets of the party that
he personally formed, has suddenly been relegated to the background nowadays.
“There are some NDC
members who can really insult. These people, with mouths like acid, can insult
you proper,” Mr. Rawlings claimed.
Addressing the National
Cadres Conference at Ejisu in the Ashanti Region last Saturday, the NDC founder
observed that unlike the NDC, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) does not insult too
much.
NDC
Vs NPP
“The ruling NPP also
insults as it is with every human institution, but the NPP doesn’t waste too
much time on insults as the NDC does,” Mr. Rawlings observed, attracting wild
applause from audience.
Continuing, he said
insults and lack of respect for leadership would not help the NDC in any way,
especially as the party was working to recapture political power.
Wicked
& Selfish
The NDC founder also
lambasted some of his party leaders for being ‘too wicked’ and ‘selfish’,
adding that such negative attitudes were serving as a stumbling block to the
effective growth of the party.
“NDC, NDC, some of your
leaders are very wicked. The NDC has some leaders who are ‘self-centred,” he
said bluntly.
Justifying his strong conviction
that some NDC leaders were very wicked and selfish, he said it didn’t make
sense for the NDC to discriminate against a powerful group like the Cadres.
Sidelined
Cadres
According to him, the
Cadres, from all indications and happenings in the party, had been sidelined
and disrespected by the current NDC leadership “and that is very appalling”.
Mr. Rawlings recounted the
tireless efforts the Cadres made to make the NDC stronger, especially during the
formative years of the party, pointing out that nobody or group has the right
to sideline the Cadres.
Money
Rules
The NDC founder also
expressed extreme anger over what he described as “moneycracy”, which is now
the order of the day in the NDC, saying NDC ought to return to the tenets of
the party.
The National Cadres
Conference was graced by some top NDC members; notable amongst them were Prof.
Joshua Alabi, Johnson Asiedu Nketia and others from all the 16 regions of the
country.
They used the occasion to fraternise, discuss the current happenings in the country, especially in the NDC, and what the Cadres could do collectively to help advance the cause of the NDC.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi
