LAUNCH SPEECH BY STEPHEN AKWETEY AT THE HEALTH/EDUCATION FUNDS LAUNCH ARTS CENTRE, ACCRA, 10TH SEPTEMBER, 2014 God, the ever present, Invited state functionaries, MPS, MMDCES,noble men and women from our constituencies, Mr. Chairman, Ladies and gentlemen, Good Afternoon, Ladies and gentlemen, let me welcome you once again to the official launch of my bid for the chairmanship of the Greater Accra National Democratic Congress. As a Cadre and a football administrator, believe in the collective prosperity of all and sundry as opposed to prosperity for a few. Am grateful for the opportunity to formally launch these all concordant but very timely social intervention schemes namely the Greater Accra NDC Education Fund and the Greater Accra NDC Health Fund, will crave your indulgence to throw a little more light into the institutional interactions, programs aimed at bringing hope and relieve to the less privileged within fold of the great NDC in Greater Accra. THE EDUCATION FUND Many are the times when supporters and activistsof the great National Democratic Conges have complained of lack of support as far as their education and that of their dependents is concerned. Education as you and I know is the only tool to bridge the gap between social injustice and propensity for all. Education is the only tool capable of changing the circumstances of people from all walks of life and backgrounds, various scholarship programs have over the years been instituted to ensure the less privileged in society gets access to education but a lot remains to be done. OPERATION This unique scheme will operate directly through thestructures of the party and will have the 34 constituencies being given equal quotas to put forward intelligent but less privileged students from the Senior Secondary level to tertiary levels. Bursaries will be processed within two weeks of application. SUSTAINABILITY The sustainability of this Fund will be through ingenious and innovative mobilization programs by the secretariat and the Board, contribution from all over the globe will be pursued to ensure these adequate funds at all times from this day to ensure as many as all, within, the Great National Democratic Congress gets some necessary support in this regard. Party officials and aspirants to various party positions will be tasked toensure theycontribute their widows mite as and when applicable. HEALTH FUND Health remains about the most critical thing for human existence.Government has over the years continued to investhugely into the health care delivery system and affordability the rapid increase in to the National Health Insurance program and other mutual health funds are indeed laudable steps towards ensuring quality health for all though a lot remain to be done by way of affordability where often are times when health challenges and lack of funds for treatment leads to loss of lives. This can be reduced if not completely mitigated. The establishment of the Greater Accra Health fund is to simply add to the overwhelming efforts by this government to increase accessibility and affordability, the various constituencies within the region will be afforded the right to apply for reliefs for health costs of their constituents and the grassroots whose sweat and toil continues to make the party the force that it is . The scope fund will from time to time embark on mass registration of the party members who are not subscribed to the NHIS. In order to ensure basic medical care becomes accessible to them as and when possible. The fund will also process fast and timely payments for other health conditions of members not captured under the NHIS but which affects its members in the constituencies. The fund as a preventive initiative will together with a team of dedicated party medical personnel embark on health screening programmes in mostly deprived areas to as well as ensure free medical supplies to people identified to be suffering from one condition or the other . OPERATION The Geater Accra NDC Health fund will operate as independent professional secretariat whose duty will be the day to day administrate of the fund. Issues of processing of support and relief as well as regular and periodic programmers will all be handled by the secretariat together with the BOARD. Sustainability of the FUND will hinge on innovative and pragmatic programs to ensure the under privilege society contribute their widows mite towards this all important project. Party officialsand functionaries across the globe will also be expected to contribute towards this FUND. I believe the time has come when political parties cease being monuments or associations whose presence is only felt when there is an election but quickly goes to sleep after wining came. I believe the people who put their lives on the line at elections should be given their proper RECOGNITION and place in the affairs of the party whether in poweror in opposition. I believe the line has come when capacities of the people who do the grassroot job is enhanced through proper institutional support programs as well refresher training seminars. The tine 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. The time has come for the Greater Accra Regional NDC to venture into new grounds and establish proper business modules such as farms, security companies and catering shops to help province sustainable jobs for its teeming membership in dire need of such jobs. Plans are far afoot to the farms ……………………… It is also an opportunity for me to inform you of my desire to contest the chairmanship position of our Great party when nominations are opened the byGreater Accra Region Election Committee, and to seek for yoursupport to win the bid, so that, we can together as a collective translate our vision into concrete realities, one of which we are witnessing now. Hopefully, before the end of the month of September, we will we brought together again, not in this hall, but on the field to witness another ground breaking ceremony that will have a direct bearing and impact positively on your lives. Mr. chairmam,God in his wisdom ,inspired others to come together to construct (not form) this Great Party and operate upon his terms, because it is only through this Great Party that, the ordinary men and women can truly airtheir voices without any inhibition,itis only through this party that,the ordinary men and women (very much deprived and marginalized)that, their collective interests could be addressed, that, it is only through this visionary party, emboldened with great leaders with ideas, not built on idealism, that, they can rise again like the phoenix and take them proper places in our society . Today, the reverse is the case. We are always at the receiving end – only used for campaign, and ensuring election victory and the rest that happens is history. Mr.Chariman, it is this canker that we want is address. It is therefore, an opportune time for us to prove that indeed POWER REALLY BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE (which must not be treated as a mere slogan ) We must give it a meaning Four years in between elections, we are treated as no-bodies, but which is quickly rectified when the time comes for periods like this, with goods and services of all kinds and shapes being rolled out to us to portray a semblance of togetherness, caring as we have as a slogan – NDC – we care for the people, reconciling with people we perceived to have been wronged, and many deceptive traits, all in a bid to hoodwink you into accepting them once again. We must let them know that, we only transferred temporary our interests to them, and not the power that we have as a collective entity. Let us give meaning to our slogan – reviving righteousness for greater works. Mr. Chairman, we are going to ensure the full implementation and realization of the 6-thematic areas we have outride – namely Rebranding, Re-organization, effective planning, eduction,health,mobilization and empowerment.The only way by which we can retain power in 2016 is to address the myriad of problems confronting our people and not to apply cosmetic solutionsjust to placate our people, with gifts such as flat plasma T.V sets branded NDC mobilephones to hoodwink our people into thinking that, they have repented. Mr. Chairman, NDC has a popular campaign song, which by design, have been abandoned, because it is that song which constantly remind us to always be on the alert.That song goes like this –Kaadi omususƐƐ,obaashwa oheee -----------------We must reactivate this song to constantly remind ourselves of the danger of falling wrongly into the hands of such deceptive people. Mr. Chairman, we know, our people are discerning and will always act according to their conscience, since that, is the only way by which we can collectively safeguard the principle upon which the party was constructed. Welook into the future with hope and God willing, victory shall once again be ours come 2016, December7th I assure you of transparent, leadership imbued with absolute commitment to the realization of our goals, recognizing and respecting your views and positions on all issues at all times. The journey is long and tortuous, but with determination, we shall overcome. Let us not behave as though, the NDC will die with our exit from office after Regional election, and for that matter, by hook or crook, whether we have performed to the expectation our broad support case, we must do ever thing people to cling on to power. A formidable party like our will not die. It will live after our generation. It is the legacy that we shall bequeath to the future ones, is what is in issue. May God bless the NDC party, fourthly isand make much .stronger than it is now. With these concrete plans and the readiness to dialogue and constantly interact with the base of the party, I believe the days of despair, anxiety and despondency are soon to be over when given the mandate as the chairman of the Greater Accra National Democratic Congress comes Next month at the regional delegate’s conference. Thank you for coming Thank you for your attention Long live the Great NDC Long Live Ghana Thank you
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 11:22:59 +0000
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