2 LAMBAST NDC YOUTH

Frontpage, March 31, 2010
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah & Henrietta Brocke
THE ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) have taken a swipe at current agitations among a section of National Democratic Congress (NDC0 youth and described them as unacceptable acts of indiscipline and lawlessness.
While the NDC said the actions of the youth were unacceptable and called on them to use proper channels to address their grievances, the CPP called on President John Evans Att Mills to use his executive powers to arrest the disturbing trend of affairs.
The calls come in the wake of demonstrations for the removal of some district chief executives (DCEs) and government officials.
The agitators have also expressed their frustrations as a result of lack of jobs more than a year after the NDC, which promised them jobs during the 2008 electioneering campaign, had been in power.
Addressing a press conference in Accra today, the Communications Director of the CPP, Mr William Dowokpor pledged the party’s support to any action by the government to deal with the disturbing situation.
Mr Dowokpor expressed grave concern about the recent spate of threats of attacks, kidnappings and killings adding that “we also view the threat of reprisal attack said the threat of reprisal attacks as an assault on the very foundations of law and order in our society and at the very least an outspoken vote of no confidence in the institutions of state charged to maintain law and order.”
He said another formidable threat to peace and national development was the way partisan politics seems to have seeped into the noble institution of chieftaincy.
He noted with regret the unfortunate and unhealthy events around the Ga stool, the Tuobodom-Techiman disturbances as well as the killing of a chief in the Northern Region and the consequences thereof.
He advised chiefs to desist from engaging in partisan politics to preserve the institution and their own dignity.
Earlier in an interview with the Daily Graphic, the National Youth Organiser of the NDC, Mr Ludwig Hlodze said the party was doing all that it could to ensure that jobs were created to satisfy the demands of the youth, but condemned attacks on government officials, explaining that “the NDC is a disciplined party that will not tolerate such acts of indiscipline”.
Mr Hlodze said the country was governed with rules and regulations and it was incumbent on the youth of the party to be law abiding by using the right channels to register their concerns.
He said while demonstrations were lawful, they should always conform to laid down rules and regulations governing the country.
Touching on lack of employment, which had been the concern of the youth, he explained that it was due to that problem that a youth summit was held recently at Ho to collate view to see how best to create jobs for them.
Mr Hlodze explained that the youth training institutions across the country were being empowered to increase their intake to train the youth to be self employed.