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“It will take a lot for me to return to NDC,” says Konadu

But Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings says this year’s elections could be the last time she will be running as the NDP’s presidential candidate

The flagbearer of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, has told Asaase Radio that it will take a great deal to convince her to return to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

“I think that [it will take] a lot,” she said, speaking last night (27 September) on Sunday Night, Asaase Radio’s flagship interview programme.

You disapprove of it at the moment because of its values? Its ideology?” the host asked.

“No, no, it’s not the ideology: I think ideologically it still exists that they believe in participatory democratic systems and believe in probity and accountability and believe in all the things that we thought about at the [PNDC] time,” she said.

Whats going on?

But we all know what has been going on. And perhaps we don’t have institutions that are very good at identifying white-collar crime. If we did, maybe it would make it easier for me to speak comfortaby about it.

Nana Konadu said the absence of reliable means to fight corruption has made it difficult for her to talk about social ills.

“We all know what has been going on. Perhaps we don’t have institutions that are very good at identifying white-collar crime.

“If we did, maybe it would make it easier for me to speak comfortably about it,” Konadu told Nana Yaa Mensah, hosting the Sunday Night special on Asaase Radio.

“Because whether it is contracts or something for schools or hospitals or whatever, we must respect our country and respect the finances of the country without messing it up and thinking that, ‘Because I’m the head I can take what I want.

“No, it’s unacceptable, totally unacceptable. And I believe that the NDP sees this really differently. Inasmuch as we want to see the participatory democratic systems, we also are against thieving.

“You’re accusing the NDC leaders of being …?” Mensah asked.

“No, don’t put it that way. How can I accuse a whole party of [being thieves]? There are good people in there as well. But we must be able to say this is going on, it’s wrong; this is going on, it’s right. Right is right, wrong is wrong. Let’s not mix the two and make it into mashed potatoes,” she said.

One last push

Agyeman-Rawlings also debunked assertions that the NDP is a one-woman party.

“No, no. For the past three years [the NDP’s organisers] have been working as a group and I have not been part of the group. I was busy writing my book [her memoir It Takes a Woman: A Life Shaped by Heritage, Leadership and the Women Who Defined Hope] and publishing my book, and now doing my second and third book.

“They have been working, going from region to region, until COVID-19.

“They have set up the offices and registered the executives. All these have been going on since 2017 and everybody in the various regions said they hope I’m going to stand again.

“And I am like, ‘I hope you can find someone else,’ because I was busy and the push was there. So I told myself: ‘I will do this for the last time.’”

She said the NDP is putting the finishing touches to its manifesto, which will be unveiled soon in the lead-up to the 7 December presidential and parliamentary elections.

The NDP, which is led by Agyeman-Rawlings, was founded in 2012 in a rupture from the NDC.  

Fred Dzakpata

Asaase Radio 99.5 – tune in or log on to broadcasts online.
Follow us on Twitter: @asaaseradio995
#asaaseradio #TVOL

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