The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) will climax its 10th anniversary celebration tomorrow, October 1, 2022.
It will be marked with a grand durbar at the Nana Kobina Gyan Square at Elmina in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem (KEEA) Constituency in the Central Region.
The national event is to commemorate the formation of the party in March 2012.
It is on the theme: “10 years of progressive focus to bring change in Ghana’s democratic governance – the way forward.”
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview ahead of the celebration, the National Chairman of the PPP, Nana Ofori Owusu, said it was to tell the success story and experience of the party which was anchored on the theme.
“The anniversary will be a springboard for the party to strengthen the PPP brand, mobilise our base or grass roots, make a call for financial support and also lay emphasis on our policies which we believe when followed, will resolve the challenges we face as a nation,” he said.
“We are encouraging all progressive supporters across the length and breadth of the country and the diaspora, as well as all Ghanaians to be involved in the celebration of our great party,” he stated.
Nana Owusu said since the formation of the PPP, it had contested three elections on all levels of the political space and had provided the blueprint for development with its 10-point agenda for change, with political activism being the party’s hallmark.
He mentioned some of the key policies proposed by the PPP that included the amendments of the key constitutional provisions affecting the governance system of the country, such as the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to bring development to the people, separation of the Attorney-General’s Department from the Minister of Justice in order to fight corruption.
Others, he said, are the Free, Compulsory, Universal Uninterrupted Basic Education from Kindergarten to Senior High School with a goal of not leaving any Ghanaian child of school-going age at home; use of government purchasing power to support Ghanaian businesses; and creating employment/job creation through industrialisation using the rich natural resources of the country.
He said the party had also advocated a universal healthcare delivery focusing on preventable healthcare system with cleaner environment; vigorous infrastructural development; effective and efficient pension scheme for the Ghanaian worker with a living wage to better their economic conditions; create a just and disciplined society, among others which the party called the 10-point agenda.
“Founded on the principle of Prosperity in Peace and a slogan of Awake, we came from a humble beginning with our leader, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom (Adwumawura),” he said.
Nana Owusu, therefore, used the occasion to appeal to the electorate to vote massively for the party in the 2024 general election as it remained the political party with the best alternative policies to manage the affairs of the country for the betterment of all.
“The 10-year progressive journey has been fulfilling, exciting, challenging and helped build the overcoming spirit. Even though the nation is going through very challenging times, PPP remains the only hope for Ghana,” he said.
“We, therefore, want to make that loud call to Ghanaians that they should look at what we have to offer them to save the nation and give us their support and the mandate to lead in the management of affairs of the state for a better Ghana.
“Only with the PPP leading the nation will the phrase ‘the Black man is capable of managing his own affairs’ become a reality. PPP! Awake! PPP! Pre Papa Preko!” he emphasised.
The PPP was formed by Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom in 2012 and he contested the 2012 general election as the flag bearer, with Brigitte Dzogbenuku as his running mate. It polled 64,267 popular votes, thereby making it the third largest party and the second largest opposition party in Ghana.
The party’s formation was followed by a declaration by Nduom for progressive and independent-minded people to come together to form an alternative political movement.
The interim leadership of the progressive movement began a nationwide campaign to recruit members to form interim regional and constituency executives. The team visited all the then 10 regions of Ghana.
In January 2012, the party submitted an application to the Electoral Commission for registration in accordance with the Political Parties Act.
The party received its provisional certificate on Friday, February 3, 2012. The party then went to the first National Convention on February 25, 2012, which was held at the Accra Sports Stadium. The final certificate was received on Thursday, March 15, 2012.
SOURCE : Africanews
