Son parti, l’Union pour la République et la Démocratie (URD) du Mali est membre à part entière du Réseau qui compte 47 membres. Il en a toujours été un membre actif de part l’engagement de son leader.

Nous souhaitons à Soumaïla un bon retour auprès de sa famille. Que sa santé, eu égard à la dure épreuve de captivité durant plusieurs mois, lui permette de reprendre ses activités sereinement.

Il nous faut ici rappeler que la paix et la stabilité en Afrique nous interpelle toutes et tous. Cela est un combat de chaque instant.

Nous acteurs politiques libéraux devons en faire une priorité afin que les peuples que nous représentons puissent retrouver l’entente et la sérénité d’antant gage du développement économique et social que nous souhaitons accélérer pour le bien-être de nos Nations.

Soumaïla, bon retour chez toi!

Le Président du Réseau Libéral Africain.
Me Gilbert Naamdouda OUEDRAOGO

Honorable Dr. Christoph Hoffmann  (MdB) for political talks in Bamako

Dr. Christoph Hoffmann, Member of the German Parliament (Bundestag) has visited Mali from 20-24th of September 2020.  Dr. Hoffmann is the first German politician to visit the country after the Coup d’Etat on August 18th. As speaker for International Cooperation of the liberal Free Democratic Party  (FDP) and member of the parliamentary commission for economic cooperation and development, Dr. Hoffmann follows closely the political developments in West-Africa. With the recent events in Mali, he saw the need for a personal fact finding mission that would allow him to better evaluate the political developments and get a more objective picture of the situation on the ground.

In the four days of his mission in Bamako, Dr. Hoffmann met with development organisations, groups of the Malian civil society, from the human rights sector and women associations, the UN led international stabilisation force as well as the West- African Economic Community (ECOWAS). His visit at the headquarters of the liberal partner party and largest parliamentary opposition, Union pour la République et la Démocratie (URD), was a highlight of his stay. Accompanied by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF),  Dr. Hoffmann met with the executive committee of the URD.

The discussions focused on the eventual liberation of the party’s president Soumaila Cissé as well as the URD’s role in the transition process.  There was a general consensus that Mali needed liberal political solutions more urgently than ever. In this context Dr. Hoffmann highlighted the importance of Rule of Law and Transparency as cornerstones for a functioning state. Dr. Holden, the West Africa Director of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation emphasized the important cooperation between FNF and URD and pledged continuous support for the URD. As the transition process will be of limited time, the URD will have to be prepared for those general elections that will eventually decide on a new president and parliament. This is a challenge but also a tremendous chance for the liberal cause in Mali.

In the course of his mission in Bamako Dr. Hoffmann also met with the  Vice-President for West-Africa of the African Liberal Network (ALN), Mr Ousmane Ben Fana Traoré as well as with Ms Fatoumata Sako, from the liberal Malian Parti pour le Développement Economique et la Solidarité (PDES).

I am Ashura Michael, a young deaf human rights and gender advocate from Kenya.

Participating in the Africa Liberal Network’s 2020 Women Leadership Programme is one of the greatest privileges of my life. As I prepare to enter the political arena in the next Kenya General Election 2022, the Africa Liberal Network’s Women Leadership Programme has equipped me with skills including resource mobilization and multimedia communications. My incredible mentor has supported me as I thought through a range of ideas for my campaign, from developing a campaign plan to assembling the right team. Equipped by the wonderful team at the Africa Liberal Network, my confidence as a woman in politics has grown tremendously. In the process, I have developed into a strong and mature leader.

The program has not only positively advanced my chances of launching into my dream career, it has also shaped my advocacy, ensuring that I have equal access to opportunities. I am now equipped to facilitate, support and empower other women to lead. Of course, this advocacy extends equally to persons with disabilities.

I was recently named one of 2020’s most influential young Kenyans in the category of Leadership and Governance, and as one of the top 15 Kenyan women trailblazing the corporate suite in 2020 (Law and Policy).

I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Gender and Development from University of Nairobi and am currently studying towards my Bachelor’s degree in Law at the same institution.

I hold the following additional qualifications:

• Diploma in Law;
• Certificate in Civil Leadership from the University of Illinois;
• Certified Political Leadership and Governance from the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Foundation;
• Certificate in Advancing young women Agribusiness Entrepreneurs and Innovator from the Michigan State University.

I am also one of the succeeding participants of the Africa Liberal Network’s Women Leadership Programme 2020.

My experiences truly represent the ideal that every human has the right to live in an open opportunity society, where every person enjoys the same rights and has the same opportunities to fulfil their highest, truest expression of themselves.

I am a passionate advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities; thus, I complement my passion with studies in law, development and governance. But academic knowledge equally needs to be complemented by action.

I was a member of Young Voice, a Leonard Cheshire disability project to support young persons with disabilities through campaigning for disability rights and equal access. I have also been a co-chair for Youth Council of UNICEF’s Global Partnership on Children with Disabilities. I previously served as Secretary General of Kenya National Association of the Deaf, Youths Section. I have worked as a Gender and Social Inclusive Officer at Peace Ambassadors Integration Organization and a Special Interests Representative of Youths Synergy Kenya. I have been a Board Member of Positive Young Women Voice and served several national and international organizations.

Active campaigning has been a central part of my journey as a leader of the youth, working to realize the rights of youth, women and persons living with disabilities. I am the Founder and Director of Free a Girl’s World Network (FGW-N), an organization that aims to empower the girl child to explore her world freely without social-cultural and economic boundaries.

I am a Mandela Washington fellow 2016 alumni and I have travelled the world sharing and championing the rights of persons with disabilities, women and youth.

I have always felt the need to engage broadly with society, to speak out for the oppressed, to fight for those who can’t fight, and to represent not only the disabled in Kenya but everyone in my country. For this reason, I have also been actively engaged in my political party to make sure that persons with disabilities are not left behind in the political arena. I oversaw the 2016 formation of the Orange Disability League, as a supporting arm of my political party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM). I currently serve as an executive member of the League.

As Kenya’s official opposition, led by the former Kenya Prime Minister, The Right Honourable Raila Odinga, Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is a full member of the Africa Liberal Network and a full member of Liberal International.

During the 2017 Kenya General Election, I campaigned for nomination to represent women in the Senate. Although I was not nominated., I appreciate the lessons and the exposure I gained from the experience. I continue to serve and represent women as a member of the Daughters of Raila, a collective network platform advocating for the inclusion of young women in particular, in the political leadership decisions of the party and in Kenya more broadly.

I serve as one of the directors on the board of the Kenya’s national council of persons with disabilities I also serve as the co-Chairperson of the Kenya Chapter of the Africa Charter on Democracy, Election and Governance, and the first elected deaf Speaker of the EALA Vijana Assembly.

As a continue my journey of leadership and growth, I am guided by the wise counsel of Mother Teresa that, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.”

Born into a family of ten, I am the fifth child and the last girl.

I always wondered why my parents waited for me before naming a daughter after my paternal grandmother. That honor is usually reserved for the firstborn girl. I grew up in the 1980’s, a period of relative stability in government social services before the infamous structural adjustment programs that shaped my ambition to be a government employee.

My parents were both public servants. I recall in years gone by, how my mother attended night school as a mother of nine. She got a job very soon after successfully completing her training. I recall, quite vividly, when my parents’ marriage disintegrated because my father felt that my mother had become too enlightened because of her education and job. When my mother left, we had to sneak to see her because any mention of that visit would earn you a thorough beating. I noticed then, that a woman must be empowered to make decisions in the best interest of her family; and that as a woman, you can only make these decisions if you have a voice, and the freedom to express it.

These experiences bred in me a wealth of ideas about how to create an equitable world. I remember how I used to follow my brothers around when they made their toy cars and raced all over the estate. I climbed trees – mostly pawpaw trees – and I have the scars to prove it. I once mobilized my friends to haul an old vehicle to our estate and to “harvest” scrap metal for sale! These and other escapades earned me the stripes of reprimand, at least four times a month, every month.

I did not initially aspire to a career in finance and now, politics as well. Honestly, when I fell pregnant at 17, all I wanted was to run away and get married (I eventually had four children within six years). I had no thoughts of the future. My initial ambition was to be an accounting technician because I had received an internal job posting that required that qualification. When I look back at the ten year stretch when I had gone back to school while juggling a family of six and a job as well, I realize that my voice had been drowned out and I needed it back – urgently. I was an adept debater in school. I was confident, I had an opinion, I was willing to substantiate my stance, and I stood up to bullies. These characteristics steered me back to my ordained path.

I also realized that many women may not have the same opportunities to reclaim their voices; many do not survive domestic violence. I work each day to advocate for equal enjoyment of human rights and non-discrimination in order to open more opportunities for women to rise above these obstacles. My mission is the realization of the human rights enshrined in Kenya’s constitution, chapter 4, and ratified in regional and international conventions.

When I needed an avenue to give voice to these aspirations for the world to hear, I found it in politics. In 2007, while undertaking my undergraduate studies, I was famously known as ODM (in reference to the Orange Democratic Movement) because of my preference for the color orange in support of my party; my no-nonsense attitude; my ability to rally friends to vote for the ODM; and my bare knuckle tackle of any enemy – real or imagined – of the movement, led by The Right Honourable Raila Odinga.

I balanced politics and my career as a Certified Public Accountant and management practitioner. I once lost my job because I appeared in a newspaper alongside a political candidate – this apparently caused the inference that I too was vying for a political position. Once I lost my livelihood because of politics, I knew I had reached my destiny. I needed a platform to speak about human rights and gender equality. I needed a platform to trigger action, not just awareness.

The highlight of my political career was in 2019 when I was featured in the first ever televised women leadership competition in Kenya. What had, to me, begun as an opportunity to network with donors to support my numerous community economic justice projects and to prove that women merit elective office, changed my trajectory when we received the attention of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who hosted the top five finalists.. We got an opportunity to accompany him on a field visit, and to address Kenyans on live TV as his guests. Many women and girls have reached out to thank me especially, for keeping “it real”.

My application to be considered as a participant in the Africa Liberal Network’s Women Leadership Programme, was supported by my Party Leader, Raila Odinga. As a cadet of the programme, I am learning to conduct political campaigns as I prepare to vie in Kenya’s General Elections in 2022.

I believe, there are countless women, in every village in Africa, who have a voice just waiting to be heard. Through NAO Foundation, my initiative for Inclusive Social Development, I design evidence-based programs that resonate with my experiences and knowledge to support women like myself in raising their voices, to become active participants in governance and the economy, and to enjoy their own rights even as the develop communities that are anchored in a culture of human rights. There remains a gap in the reach of these programs in rural areas all over Africa. And so I continue to work with urgency to increase the scope of our investment in women’s economic and social empowerment as we relentlessly champion Gender Equality by 2030.

The Africa Liberal Network (ALN) and Liberal International (LI), as committed activists for the rule of law, are extremely concerned about the situation in Mali, which we are following very closely.

Mali is a key player in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel region. The latest developments linked to the military takeover must be provisional and mechanisms must be put in place to empower democratic institutions, respect the rule of law and organise free and fair elections.

We call for the release of all imprisoned political leaders.

We reiterate our call for the release of the Honourable Soumaila Cissé, the main leader of the political opposition, the Union for the Republic and Democracy (URD), ALN & LI member party.

Honourable Soumaila Cissé is also the former finance minister of Mali and has contested the presidency of Mali 3 times before. Since 25 March 2020, he is still being held hostage by an armed group, following a targeted kidnapping operation in which one person was killed and many injured among his campaigning delegation.

It is our duty to actively continue the work we have already started in Mali. Together with our partners, the Africa Liberal Network, Liberal International, and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF), we have laid the foundations for civic education, human rights, the rule of law and crisis management in the wake of the crisis in Mali that began in 2012.

As a global liberal family, we call on international and regional organisations to remain vigilant in the West African region, monitoring developments and championing the construction of democracy and maintaining the rule of law.

President of the Africa Liberal Network
President of Liberal International.

The National Conference of The Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) to acclaim and outdoor its National Executives shall take place on Tuesday July 21, 2020. The event shall be conducted on a virtual platform starting at 10:00 GMT.

The Chairman and General Secretary shall represent their various constituencies at the event grounds at Marriott Hotel, Airport-Accra. All other constituency executives are encouraged to follow the proceedings through social media (LPG Facebook page and YouTube).

Constituency Executives who are not attending are encouraged to project the event to allow a maximum of 10 persons to gather in their homes and watch with them. For those who may gather in 10s at home, members are advised to strictly observe the convid -19 protocols.

The following media houses shall be present, so party members can watch through those channels too. All comments and suggestions from Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram shall be read. The WhatsApp number is +233 55 626 3518. Members can also provide financial support to the election 2020 fund raising activity by reaching out on our various platforms (Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Instagram) or call the Office Line on +233 55 626 3518. Members can also visit the official party website www.liberalpartygh.org for more info.

 

Programme Outline

Master of Ceremony – Kafui Dey

• 10:00am – Arrival of Guest
• 10:15am – Opening Prayer by David Kamara (Yahweh Praise)
• 10:20am – Welcome Address by John Amekah
• 10:30am – Solidarity Messages from various political parties
• 11:30am – Musical Interlude (GH Story)
• 11:35am – Acclamation of National Executives
• 12:00am – Remarks from National Chairman
• 12:30pm – Tradional Performance
• 12:45pm – Welcome Address and Introduction of Flagbearer and Running Mate by General Secretary
• 12:50pm – Traditional Dances to Welcome Flagbearer
• 12:55pm – Speech by Flagbearer
• 1:30pm – Speech by Running Mate
• 1:40pm – Vote of Thanks by Krystle Houston
• 2:00pm – Closing Prayer 

 

National Executive Committee 

• National Chairperson – John Amekah
• National First Vice Person – Mrs. Sophia Akpaloo
• National Second Chairperson – Mr. Nana Kojo Nkyi
• National Third Vice – Eunice Adu
• General Secretary – Mrs. Sarah Grant
• National Treasurer – Joyce Baniba
• National Organizer – Mr. Fleischer Lartey
• Women Organizer –Eunice Osei Yeboah
• National Youth Organizer – Mr. Clement Boadi
• National Communication Officer – Mr. Samuel Owusu Afriyie
• National Zongo Coordinator -Alhaji Adam Sulley
• National Director of Media – Harry Ohene Agyare

 

NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS & ELECTIONS

• Jerry Owusu Appauh

Progressive People’s Party 6th National Convention, Saturday 18 July 2020, on digital communication platforms

 

Chairman and Members of the National Committee.

Our 2016 Running Mate – Ms. Brigitte Dzogbenuku.

Members of the Advisory Committee.

Members of the National Executive.

Invited guests.

Fellow Ghanaians.

Friends from the Media.

My fellow Progressives.

Ladies and gentlemen, Good Morning.

 

It is a great honor to stand before you this morning as the 2^nd National Chairman of the greatest political party in Ghana, The Progressive Peoples Party.  In its eight-year existence, this party has demonstrated that we have the best plan, best minds and best people who are ready to serve Mother Ghana and not be served. Chairman Nii Allotey Brew Hammond deserves to be celebrated and honored. He is a great visionary, a humble giant, an encourager, and his famous words when you complain to him ad nauseam “oye asemooo”.   (Consider ad infinitum instead of ad nauseam)

Chairman Nii, as we affectionately call him, galvanized we the soldiers to dare to dream and have the audacity to believe that indeed a group of progressive minded persons could change the course of politics in Ghana. Chairman Nii for eight years led this great party to achieve many heights; among which are: the PPP doubled our election fortunes at both the Presidential and Parliamentary levels from 2012 elections to the 2016 elections.  Indeed, in other jurisdictions, the PPP would have been in Parliament with the over 200,000 votes galvanized at the Parliamentary elections across the country. Chairman has been able to touch the lives of all PPP members over the years, his wise counsel has helped to resolve many internal conflicts and refocused our energies back to the quest of attaining power to change the fortunes of our citizens. Had it not been a constitutional mandate which states one can’t hold a position for more than two consecutive terms, I am certain that the entire party structure including myself would have voted for Chairman to once again lead us into battle.  We are grateful for your leadership. As you ascend into the Parties Advisory Council, we are confident that your wisdom will continue to guide us. I am grateful for your full endorsement when I decided a year before nominations would open that indeed, I will contest to attempt to fill these your excessively big shoes.

Ladies and Gentlemen, a war cannot be fought by an individual.  You need a collective force of like-minded individuals who are willing to sacrifice their very lives to help you achieve the collective goal.  Ladies and Gentlemen, I believe that we have such a leadership to continue the great strides of the Progressive Peoples Party. I would like to invite these people to stand behind me for you to see them once again TEAM 2020 and beyond. The first Vice Chairman, Lawyer Felix Ograh, the second Vice Chairman, Mrs Berlinda Bulley Segbedzi, the third Vice Chair, Mr. Ban Salia, National Treasurer Madam Abena Acheampomaah, National Secretary, Mr. Paa Kow Ackon, Director of Operations, Mr. Divine Nkrumah, National Youth Organizer, Mr. Faisal Abu Sadat, National Women Cordinator, Madam Jessica Manuel, Director of Research, Mr. Paul Bio, Director of Communications, Mr. Felix Mantey and Director of Policy, Mr. Kofi Asamoah Siaw. Some have joined us through social media and all the Regional Chairmen, and their Constituency Executives have joined via different social media handles.

So now, many people ask me the question, Ofori why are you in the PPP and not with Yaanom (those who have been in Government in this 4^th Republic). Why do you insist on remaining in the PPP? The first answer to them is that, are you satisfied with the plight of the poor, the state of the economy, sanitary  conditions of our neighborhood, high cost of food stuff, discipline in our society, the education system that teaches you to bow down to oppressors, state of our health facilities etc?

Speaking of health facilities, I would like to tell you a story about my own Father. I believe that my parents did all a parent could do for their children.  I have no complaints. I choose my father to tell this story because he was a public servant. You see, back in the days in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s public servants were moved to different parts of the Country every so often.  Sometimes it could be every four years. Imagine in every four years you had to move your entire family with you wherever you were posted.  At any given time, the children in the house were about 12 in number.  As a matter of fact, it was not until I grew up that I realized some were what you would call in the English language cousins. In the Akan language we are all brothers and sisters.  My father had an opportunity to travel professionally to different parts of the world and he carried as many of us as he could along with him.  He could have jumped “ship” as it was fashionable in those days to do.  He refused to stay in those Countries and out of patriotism returned to Ghana in 1985 during PNDC rule. So, this Patriot, my father, returned to his beloved Country and retired.  Somewhere in his 70s he fell ill.  His health insurance does not cover his bills.  The Patriot Pensioner must now pay his medical bills as you go. He is now in his 80s and the condition has not changed. Many of his colleagues who contracted a similar illness have joined the land of the ancestors.  They are gone because they could not afford healthcare. This is my Dad, the patriot with children who support and do everything to keep him going.  What about his friends who are all not alive today because they could not afford medical care? What about the millions who find themselves in this same predicament?  So, if you ask why? I will tell you why? Government of the people, for the people, by the people has failed us miserably.  My father the patriot at the end of the day has been left to fend for himself. Ghanaians have been left to fend for themselves. You see, Yaanom have only succeeded in grabbing for themselves as if there is another scrabble for Ghana.

They use our tax money to build health facilities which do not work, and they debate on who did two more than the other.  In the COVID19 crises, we cannot even take care of ourselves and must beg for support.  Black masks, white skin.  We applaud and thank people for loaning us money to take care of our own needs.  The health system has shut down and people are dying as a result.  In the last 40 days alone, the infected cases have shut up over 300% in Ghana and no one seems to care.  The Executive, Judiciary, Legislature and yes, we the people are being hit hard but no one cares.  When the affluent and government people contract the virus, they are put in luxurious hospitals at the cost to taxpayers.  When we the citizens contract the virus, we are left on our own.  This is careless handling of the pandemic.  We “opened” our lock down as they say because we must live with it. Really!!

We open schools without any base line data, we tested no child before they entered back to school. We recently have a case of a child dying in school because teachers, administrators thought he had the COVID-19 so they watched him die.  We have had a school test positive for 55 students and still no one budges.  As if, this is not alarming enough, an irresponsible politician tells us that they brought it from their homes when parents are grieving.  How did this politician who is not a scientist arrive at this wild conclusion?  Black masks, white skin.  They look like us, but they are not of us. So yes, PPP is needed to change these ills in society.

We have leaders who have Black mask and “white” skin. Brothers and Sisters, after the overthrow of Nkrumah ALL successive governments have been interested not in changing how government is run, but to take over the duties of their “white” masters.  They are interested in putting on their suites to mimic the European, living in grandiose buildings to show great wealth, driving big cars and still stealing our funds and putting the monies in foreign accounts as if they are not Ghanaians.  We need selfless leaders who wish to serve and not be served.  Black masks, white skin.

Can you imagine in this Country, if you wish to protest to show grievance towards policy of government, you must go to a politically appointed police commander to seek approval, the right to protest? Laws have been made to protect the oppressors to the detriment of the oppressed.

My brothers and Sisters, The fight is no longer against “white” people, it is against those who wear black mask but have “white” mentality of exploitation, subjugation, creators of perpetual poverty, under development, creating a mal nourished mind and soul.  Black masks, white skin is the thinking that I must keep them hanging like a puppet on a string.

Brothers and Sisters, we have been hit upside down our head, we have been hoodwinked, bamboozled into thinking that they have something good for us.  It is the greatest trick they have been able to pull off.  I tell you they are not good.  We must break out of the yoke and lift the cascade of darkness from over us.  We need to change our mind and begin to see that there is something far greater for us, this change is the Progressive Peoples Party.

PPP holds the agenda of true change.

You see when you view development from the oppressor’s point of view, the oppressor is only interested in developing that which he/she can benefit from.  This is the reason why in this forth Republic Yaanom have had chances at transformation of the Nation, and they have failed at it.  They would like to throw numbers at us, GDP growth and improvement in this and that.  Why don’t they leave it up to us to judge?  Development they say must be felt in the pocket.

It is Our Time and Turn to Take Power for the development of our people.

Unlike Other political parties we are not selling an ideological mission to the Ghanaian people but rather practical solutions to the problems of our dear country.  We believe in the Progressive way of thinking and we are Pragmatists.  Ghanaians want food to eat, we want a home to live in, we want good health and safe roads, we want the best of education for our children, and we want good jobs.  We want Government that works for all people and we will deliver this.  A new future beckons but it will not come into being unless we make a break from the old ways of doing things.

It is Our Time and Turn to Take Power.

We are saying that it is time to usher in a truly inclusive government led by the Progressive Peoples Party, a government where the best people regardless of political affiliation are appointed to manage the affairs of our nation; a government that directly supports Ghanaian businesses to take over the local Ghanaian economy.

 

We believe in the four pillars of development:

1. Just and Disciplined Society
2. Agriculture
3. Reform and Strengthen State Institutions
4. Education

It is Our Time and Turn to Take Power

When you vote PPP to win power, we will transform our nation within 4 years. We will transform the social and economic fabric of the nation to facilitate the creation of millions of jobs our people are looking for.

You need those with Black masks and Black skin to take over the helm of affairs to deliver to you what you deserve.  To serve and not have you to become a server.  We need you to open your minds and your hearts to accept a new way of doing things.

• We need our National Executives to play their role in a new society.
• We need the Regional Executives to carry out their mandate.
• We need the Constituency Executives to be bold and fearless in the pursuit of true change.
• We need our members to sacrifice and ensure they enter every home speak to them about the wind of change.

We as a collective society need to chase the baldheads out of town.

There can be no change without struggle; there can be no change without the willingness to lay your very life down.

I tell you we want leadership who will not go after political opponents with state machinery to cripple them simple because they do not like their nose, face, or mustache.

We will be emancipated; we will not yield to the Black Masks, White skins.  The change starts today with you and me.

We associate ourselves with Freedom fighters around the World.  Black Lives Matter, Ghanaian Lives Matter.

We are with you Bobi Wine in the struggle of the Ugandan people.

The Progressive Peoples Party is the alternative Party to those who have had an opportunity to rule in this 4^th Republic.

It is Our Time and Turn to Take Power.

This is the time to change your minds and emancipate ourselves.

The words of the Great Bob Marley

Emancipate yourself from mental slavery
None but our self can free our minds
Have no fear for atomic energy
‘Cause none of them can stop the time
How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look?
Some say it’s just a part of it
We’ve got to fulfill di book
Won’t you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
‘Cause all I ever had
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free…

Long Live Ghana!!!!

Long Live the Progressive Peoples Party!!!!

It is Our Time and Turn to Take Power!!!!!

Progressive People’s Party 6th National Convention, Saturday 18 July 2020, on digital communication platforms

Chairman and Members of the National Committee;
Our 2016 Running Mate – Ms. Brigitte Dzogbenuku;
Members of the Advisory Committee;
Members of the National Executive;
Invited guests;
Fellow Ghanaians;
Friends from the Media;
My fellow Progressives;

Ladies and gentlemen, Good Morning.

I consider this an honour and a privilege to address you on the occasion of our 6th National Convention under the theme “Our Turn and Our Time to Take Over Power”, from far away in New York in the United States of America, through the power of technology. This is the result of international travel bans arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Today will mark my last opportunity to speak to you as the National Chairman of our great Party – the Progressive People’s Party – the party many describe as Party Papa Paa, Per Papa Preko. During these past eight years, many have acknowledged my presence with the Party slogan Awake – Yasor. I am profoundly grateful to you for giving me the opportunity to serve, to work with you to move the party from nowhere in 2012 to the enviable position as the 3rd largest Political Party in Ghana, and also reaffirming our 3rd position status in the 2016 general elections.

The end of my remarkable tenure is here with us; but with Election 2020 some five months away, there is still plenty for the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) to crave for, as we prepare to go into the trenches once again to seek the mandate of the Ghanaian people to move the party from 3rd to 1st. As we do so, we entreat our supporters, and for that matter Ghanaians, to look forward to the same decent brand of a PPP campaign that is devoid of insults and deception. Ghana should look forward to seeing a more progressive campaign of decency and ideas.

It has been eight progressive years like no other; and for the PPP. We have scored many milestones and records, although the ultimate aim of being in government has eluded us. While we reflect on the incredible period as a whole, let me take this opportunity to thank all those who have contributed to the successes so far chalked by our political party.

I say a big thank you to Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom whose vision gave birth to this great party; and Madam Eva Lokko who we celebrate posthumously as an icon, who brought her steely and disciplinary character to bear on the Party. The same goes to our immediate past Vice Presidential candidate, Madam Brigitte Dzogbenuku, you will forever be cherished by the Party. To Uncle Mike Eghan Senior and Chairman Ladi Nylander, I say a big “Thank You” for your unflinching unalloyed support and insights that have sustained our stewardship to the party. Again, to all of our progressive forces who defied the odds to lay the foundation of our great party in 2012 and still remain at the forefront of changing the character and content of Ghanaian politics, may the Almighty God give you the strength and tenacity to soldier on as you have done in the past.

Indeed, it’s through your untiring efforts that today, most Ghanaians look into the future with a firm belief that there is an alternative to the politics of insults, character assassination and the pure terror that have been at the centre-stage of our political discourse since the inception of the 4th Republic. It’s through your collective desire to change the face of Ghanaian politics that today we have many of the actors on the other side of the divide talking about Free Senior High School and other government intervention programmes.

The borrowing of our ideas by other political parties proves we are influencing the national agenda and that the other political parties are beginning to appreciate the PPP’s position that nothing is beyond human capability if we set out with a good mindset and a determination to achieve the set objective. As we continue with this rather long political journey, the PPP will still campaign on its 10 point agenda which we believe is the surest way to transform the direction of our country within a given four-year tenure of office. The investments we make today will be key to our victory in December.

It begins with an agenda to have a clean environment which is the basis of our health policy; the use of the State’s Purchasing Power to support indigenous Ghanaian businesses; Free Compulsory Continuous Quality Education from Kindergarten to the Senior High School level; and a Politics of Inclusiveness – that is to assemble the best, irrespective of their political affiliation, to form a government without necessarily looking at who takes the credit. After all, Ghana will be the winner in this arrangement, and we want to be the pioneers of such a novelty.

Over the last 8-years of the NDC NPP Administrations, the PPP led a coalition of concerned citizens and organizations to present to Former President Mahama, a petition that advocated for the direct election of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives believing that when members of the Assemblies and Chief Executives were all directly elected, local government in the true sense, will become answerable and accountable to the people that elected them. We remain confident that our proposed direct election model or system will not only end the disastrous Winner-Takes-All phenomenon enshrined in our 1992 Republican Constitution but represent the most efficient way to ensure rapid development and progress at the local level.

The PPP sought to compel the government to enforce the free aspect of the Constitutional provisions on Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE). We were disappointed when the Supreme Court dismissed our writ and failed to support our initiative to pull children of school going age from loitering about during school hours, thus contributing to Ghana remaining at the bottom of global school rankings, and being unable to expand our Human Development Index (HDI) due to the high unskilled labour.

When the startling revelations of corruption at GYEEDA and SADA frightened Guinea Fowls to disappear, the PPP negotiated with the Ghana Police Force on a peaceful public demonstration against corruption in government. We clearly and truthfully spoke against the current administration when it came into government with a hundred Ministers and Deputies. The oppressor’s rule of Creating, Looting, and Sharing in government should be fearlessly resisted with all our will and might to avoid the association of corruption with Ghana’s young Democracy.

The PPP met with the Constitutional Review Implementation Committee (CRIC) Chaired by Prof EVO Dankwa and submitted recommendations to make the 1992 Constitution beneficial to Ghanaians. Unfortunately, all the investments in time and effort, by both the CRC and CRIC, appear heading to the heap of financial loss to the state.

We have consistently argued for a National Identification Database, under both the NDC NPP administrations to be the answer to the elimination of double, minor, alien voter registrations, and for the database to be shared by state and private organizations. What we have rather witnessed is successive administrations starting their own systems with complete disregard to what a previous regime has done. Undoubtedly, the people of Ghana suffer and the national economy takes a backward step every time that happens.

Under the theme: ‘’More Freedom & Fairness: The Pursuit of Growing Africa’s Economy’’, the PPP hosted the 14th General Assembly of the Largest Political Affiliation of Liberals in Africa – the Africa Liberal Network (ALN), and the International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY) from across the Globe. The General Assembly passed resolutions on Climate Change and adopted the Accra Declaration on Liberal Economies, clearly stating that Africa was sick and tired of being poor begging for foreign aid, and selling our resources outside the continent ostensibly to fight underdevelopment, poverty, and inequality.

We campaigned in 2016 on a platform of jobs, jobs, jobs. We were led by our Presidential Candidate, “Edwumawura”, who is known nationally for creating thousands of jobs in every region of the country and whose enterprise supported the development of many, many small and medium scale companies. Unfortunately, politics of envy and destruction has been used to manufacture a crisis that has caused unemployment and hardship for thousands of families. We will campaign this year for the restoration of indigenous businesses who have suffered under an administration that lacks compassion.

So looking back at what we have achieved within the relatively short period of our existence, let all of us celebrate today with pride and honour as we hand over to a new administration that will steer the affairs of our great party for the next four years. Let’s savour this occasion because it’s a day that marks us as a distinctive political entity that is guided by discipline and the willingness to serve Ghanaians with true humility.

We are a party that agrees to disagree because we believe politics is an avenue to trade ideas without resorting to fighting and throwing stones or hurling insults at each other as NPP and NDC have been doing over the years. In the course of deliberations, we sometimes disagreed strongly on certain issues and principles, yet we found an amicable way of arriving at a consensus. That is the level of maturity, civility, sanity and thoughtfulness that the PPP has brought into our political character.

We’ve shown such rare traits in our body-politic because we have always been bold to defend the cause of freedom and of right, guided by the desire to offer to the good people of this country, a brand of politics that has been lacking in our political discourse since the inception of the 4th Republic.

The people tell their governments what to do and PPP has become the voice of the people – disenfranchised citizens – crying for social justice. Covid-19 has brought to the fore the plight of many Ghanaians. The lack of basic drinking water and sanitation services drives home the point that contact
transmission could easily accelerate the spread of the virus in our risksensitive environment. It is no secret that many Ghanaians are forced to respond to nature’s call in the bushes and on the beaches; and many have to compete with the goats and cows in the streams and rivers for bathing and drinking water or die from dehydration. Therefore, let us remind the disenfranchised citizens of Ghana that access to clean water and sanitation is a fundamental human right so they should not waste their ballot votes on the NPP/NDC parties that have been unwilling or unable to guarantee them these basic rights.

To succeed with this noble agenda, we must have our names in the new voter’s register. I wish therefore to encourage every qualified Ghanaian to observe the COVID-19 protocols and participate in the process of registration to enable us to vote, and vote wisely for the PPP on December 7, 2020.

I am grateful, as I conclude, to be able to turn over the reins of leadership to the new National Chairman. I believe that our in-coming administration will continue to strengthen the PPP and the ideals it stands for. I wish the new administration the very best as they lead us to seek Prosperity-In-Peace, assured that PPP’s best days lie ahead.

Let us remain Awake to enjoy Prosperity-In-Peace.

Ghanaman – Yennhwe ma onsei.
Per Papa Preko. Party Papa Paa
God bless the PPP and our homeland Ghana!
PPP – YASOR.

Thank you.

The National Convention of the Progressive People’s Party to acclaim and Outdoor its National Executives shall take place on Saturday 18th July, 2020. The event shall be conducted on a virtual platform starting at 10:00 GMT.

All Regional Chairpersons and their Executives, as well as National Committee Members shall participate through a hangout video call. All Constituency Executives are encouraged to follow the proceedings through social media (PPP facebook page and YouTube channels as well as Zoom). Constituency Chairpersons are encouraged to project the event to allow a maximum of 10 persons to gather in their homes and watch with them. For those who may gather in 10s at homes, members are advised to strictly observe the COVID-19 protocols.

The following media houses shall broadcast LIVE, so party members can watch/listen through those channels too. All comments and suggestions from facebook, Youtube and WhatsApp shall be read. The WhatsApp number is +233 2 4924 4065. Members can also send financial support to the same number to support the election 2020 fund raising activity.

Platforms for Participation:

1. ATV/GNTV
2. PPPGhana on Facebook
3. PPPGhana on YouTube
4. Enigye FM- Adukrom
5. Ahomka FM- Elmina
6. Adehye FM- Bibiani
7. Adwenpa FM- Tarkwa
8. Edwumapa FM- Sunyani
9. Nkomode FM- Kintampo
10. Yem FM- Bolga
11. Sunshie FM- Bawku
12. Shuhupielli FM- Tamale
13. Puopel FM- WA
14. Goodlife FM- Koforidua

 

Programme Outline:

1. Opening prayer – 10:00 GMT
2. Purpose of gathering – 10:05 GMT
3. Declaration of election by Electoral Commission – 10:10 GMT
4. Remarks – 10:30 GMT
5. Closing prayer – 10:55 GMT

 

Elected Positions:

1. Chairman – Nana Ofori Owusu
2. First (1st) Vice – Lawyer Felix Ograh
3. Second (2nd) Vice – Berlinda Bulley
4. Third (3rd) Vice – Ban Salia
5. Secretary – Paa Kow Ackon
6. Treasurer – Abena Acheamponmaah

 

National Committee Appointed Positions:

1. Director of Field Operations – Divine Nkrumah
2. Director of Communications – Felix Mantey
3. Director of Policy – Kofi Asamoah-Siaw
4. Director of Research – Kwaku Bio
5. Faisal Abu Sadat – National Youth Cordinator
6. Jessica Manuel – National Women Cordinator