Stephen Akwetey Sticks To His Promise

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Comrade Stephen Akwetey
Comrade Stephen Akwetey

Speech Delivered By Mr. Stephen Akwetey At The Sod Cutting Ceremony For The Construction Of Constituency Offices For The National Democratic Congress (Ndc) In The Greater Accra Region, On Sunday, 28th September, 2014.

Comrade Stephen Akwetey
Comrade Stephen Akwetey

 

Mr. Chairman, the Founder of the great NDC and former President of Ghana, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, the Chiefs and Traditional Authorities of the Shai Osudoku Traditional Area, Constituency Executives, Cadres, Party Activists, Distinguished Guests, Friends from the Media, Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am exceedingly glad to be granted the opportunity to address this gathering, not because I am an aspiring Regional Chairman of the party, but because every opportunity to re-connect with our party grassroots ? the base of our political and economical power is an honour and not a privilege. Our gathering here today is a clear indication that our people value and cherish the core values of our party and they would seize every given opportunity to restore those sacred values without any hesitation.

Today marks the re-engineering of the priorities and aspirations of our party loyalists and activists within the Greater Accra Region because we have taken a bold and visionary step to eliminate the problem of finding a conducive and secure venue for party activities at the constituency level. The NDC has existed for more than twenty (20) years and it is extremely unacceptable that the party cannot boast of owning a permanent constituency office across the region. We have continuously operated from rented premises and offices given to the party by well meaning loyalists. Henceforth, this regrettable phenomenon will cease to exist

Mr. Chairman, in my bid to become the next Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the party, I have promised that every Constituency will have a permanent ultra modern office to ensure an effective and efficient party mobilization and administration. Ordinarily and as is the norm with political campaign promises in Ghana, many people would expect me to wait and win the position before fulfilling these wonderful promises. But on the contrary, my training as a Cadre has thought me that I do not have to wait till the iron is hot to strike, but I must make it hot by striking. Besides, I have taken an inspiration from an old Arabian proverb, which says, ?a promise is a cloud, but fulfillment is rain?.

The essence of this occasion is to demonstrate to all and sundry that we believe strongly in action and not mere words or the usual rhetoric. Hence, it is an undeniable fact that the old Latin adage, ?facta non verba? which translates to mean ?deeds, not words? is noticeable for all to see. Let me also use this opportunity to inform our party members that architectural drawings for each constituency office in the Greater Accra Regional have been completed. The evidence on the ground, strictly matches the words we speak.

 

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, the construction of a permanent office in each constituency in the region is only a subset of our agenda of prosperity for all and not just a few. We intend to fully implement and realize other thematic areas including, but not limited to rebranding, re-organization, education, health, mobilization and empowerment.

The only way by which we can retain power in 2016 is to tackle and solve the litany of problems which confront our people. We must desist from applying cosmetic and unsustainable solutions intended to pacify our people in the short term with gifts such as flat plasma TV sets and branded NDC mobile phones which are being used to hoodwink our people. The NDC deserves a better and solid programme which will ensure that our people?s economic livelihoods are ensured, guaranteed and sustained. We must begin to realize that the essence of political power is for positive development that will benefit the vast majority of our people. All these will need a leadership that is incorruptible, sincere, compassionate, visionary and action-oriented.

The time has come for the empowerment of constituencies across the region to operate as independent self sustaining entities capable of generating incomes and revenues to support their regular programs as agreed to by them. Our bold vision is for NDC to venture into new grounds and establish proper business modules such as farms, security companies and catering shops to help provide sustainable jobs for its teeming membership in dire need of such jobs.

There is the absolute need of the ordinary men and women who constitute a majority of our core members, to take their rightful place in the party and society at large. We must do away with the canker of using party grass root members as vehicles for electoral victory, only to be later abandoned to their own fate until such a time that their services are needed again to perpetuate us in power. We must give full meaning to the over used rhetoric that power belongs to the people. This is the reason for which one of my cardinal slogans for this campaign is ?REVIVING RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR GREATER WORKS?.

Mr. Chairman, we cannot achieve these objectives by relying on the same ineffective leadership which has compounded the problems of our people through the lack of transparency and an unconditional commitment to the realization of our goals. Change is eminent and I invite all of you to lend me your maximum support and co-operation to ensure that we properly reconnect with our grassroots, which is the base of our political power. Let us all be guided by the basic fact that words may show a man?s intelligence, but actions show his true meaning. I urge you all not to wait until you are ready to take action; instead, take action to be ready. LET US TAKE ACTION TO WIN THE 2016 ELECTIONS NOW!!

I thank you for your attention.

Long Live the Great NDC

Long Live Ghana

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