NDC believes in participatory democracy – Sammy Gyamfi defends “peoples manifesto”
National Communication Director of opposition party, National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi has vehemently defended his party’s decision to solicit the views of Ghanaians in writing its 2020 manifesto.
According to him, no man is a reservoir of wisdom, therefore, the NDC has done nothing wrong by requesting the views of Ghanaians.
He argues that the very people who will queue to vote for the next government in the 2020 general election are those, the NDC is asking for their views.
“We believe in participatory democracy; therefore, we are asking for people’s views, the very people that will vote for us in 2020 general election, it is called the peoples’ manifesto and there is nothing wrong with it”
“ This thing is done everywhere in our everyday life’s, you always see suggestion boxes at banks, companies, hospitals, churches etc, does that mean the directors and leaders of those institutions lack ideas and wisdom, no, but because their primary audience and customers is the people, it is prudent to engage them in decision making, mind you, soliciting ideas doesn’t mean we will factor everything people say, we will swerve it” he said.
The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George has expressed shock at the reaction of the ruling New Patriotic Party over the NDC’s decision to solicit ideas from the general public in writing its manifesto.
He said, it is interesting to see the NPP who touts itself as a listening government, mocking the participatory approach to the NDC’s 2020 manifesto.
“Comrades, let’s hit the grounds and gather the input of the very people who would queue to elect the next President of Ghana. Let’s compile their views into a working guide for our next government. Let’s have for the first time in our Nation’s history, a People’s manifesto.”
“A manifesto in the mould of our national Constitution. Farmers, Doctors, Mechanics, Teachers, Masons, Nurses, Shoe Shine Boys, Students, Soldiers, Police Officers, Spare Part Dealers, Fish Mongers, Market Women, Drivers, Lawyers, Fashion Designers, Musicians, Actors & Actresses, Plumbers, Carpenters, Hair Dressers, everyone who has a view.”
“The next NDC government in 2021 would be their government. They would put us in office with a clear mandate and roadmap to fixing their problems. We would be accountable to the people. This is the vision of the quintessential John Dramani Mahama.” He said