MAINTAIN SOUTH-NORTH PARTNERSHIP — BIN-SALIH (PAGE 14, MARCH 6, 2010)

THE Upper West Second Vice-chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Hafiz Bin-Salih, has urged the leadership of the party to maintain the south-north pairing of the presidential ticket for the 2012 general election.
He, however, suggested that the choice of a running mate should be based on competence and not religion.
Addressing a news conference in Wa, Mr Bin-Salih said the party should therefore focus its campaign on the three northern regions, which had shown steady increase in the support base of the NPP since 1996.
“Former President Kufuor and Vice- President Aliu Mahama should also be courted to actively participate in the recapturing exercise while the youth and women wing of our great party must be adequately resourced,” he added.
According to him, in order to rebuild the party “we need to have a sense of unity and the belief in the absolute supremacy of the NPP and take full responsibility for our actions”.
Mr Bin-Salih stated that for the party to be able to leap from opposition to power, it must remain attractive, visible and show the potential of winning the 2012 general election and avoid self-destructive tendencies and offer constructive propositions.
“Let us not be deceived into thinking that the lack of inspirational leadership on the part of President Mills as well as the economic mismanagement, media oppression, human rights abuse, high cost of living, reckless use of political power and the deliberate frustration of genuine Ghanaian business people who are perceived to be sympathisers of NPP, are sufficient grounds for the NPP to secure power from the NDC in 2012 on a silver platter. We must recognise that after all power is not given but taken,” he said
Mr Bin-Salih pointed out that for the NPP to recapture power, there was the need to rekindle the spirit which guided the forebears of the party to establish the United Party in 1957, which made the Danquah - Busia -Dombo tradition unique because it brought on board people of diverse ethnic and religious persuasions, yet they were able to get along very well.
He recalled that the political history of the NPP was replete with painful truths that anytime it allowed her loyalty to go to individuals or groups of people, the party found itself on the wrong side of history.
He, therefore, advised members of the party not to allow their selfish and parochial ethnic sentiments to derail the foundation of the party’s tradition, adding that people must learn to bury their individual ambitions just for the collective interest of the NPP.
Touching on the 14 months of the NDC rule, Mr Bin-Salih said the party had failed Ghanaians by breaking most of its electoral promises.
“The NDC government has not been able to put money in our pockets. The safety and security of most Ghanaians are in danger. We are collapsing under filth after they promised to clear the nation of filth within 100 days in office,” he stated.
Mr Bin-Salih used the opportunity to congratulate the newly elected national executive and urged them to be up to the challenge of bringing the party back to power.