Who Are the Patriots?

The Patriots are a committed group of Nkrumaists who are deeply concerned about restoring a people-centred approach to development in Ghana. We believe that with good leadership and good policies we can work together, as patriotic Ghanaians, to restore hope and improve the lives of all Ghanaians. We believe that the nationalist platform on which the Convention People?s Party (CPP) was built offers the best approach to addressing the concerns of every Ghanaian, democratically and in an atmosphere of prosperity, social justice and peace. The Patriots are therefore concerned about the sagging fortunes of the CPP as well as the deteriorating living conditions of Ghanaians. We are determined to do something about it, and call on all patriotic Ghanaians to join us and the CPP to make this possible. Our motto, ?Ghana Before Self, Ghana Deserves Better,? summarises both our aspirations and our objectives.

Our Agenda: a. Rebuild party structures from the grassroots by working with wards, constituencies and regional offices to establish and/or renovate offices that have fallen into disuse or do not exist as a result of neglect.

b. Create a credible and alternative national development agenda for Ghana. This is already under way and shall be completed and put before the people of Ghana soon. Our message is simple: Prosperity for all Ghanaians. This is in sharp contrast to the prevailing ideology that the Private Sector is the Engine of Growth, against the background of a ?Property-Owning Democracy,? under which the few get richer and the majority of Ghanaians sink deeper and deeper into hopelessness and poverty. Ideologically, we believe that the private sector is only a part of the engine of growth, and that for a poor developing country like Ghana, the state has a responsibility to ensure that economic growth is equitable and leads to improvements in the lives of every Ghanaian; we aim to ensure that economic growth is a means to this end and not an end in itself.

c. Ensure that Ghana?s private sector serves these social purposes while we offer them the incentives to become internationally competitive as part of a state strategy to strengthen Ghana?s economy against the adverse effects of globalisation. Ultimately, we seek, as Ghanaians, to work together ? the state sector, the private sector, and the civic sector ? to create a society free of exploitation, deprivation and ethnic rivalry.

d. Prepare, in keeping with the CPP?s tradition of participatory development, this agenda on the basis of consultations with Ghanaians throughout the country. Indeed, our initial visits around the country have been met not only with a great deal of goodwill and enthusiasm but very many useful ideas and suggestions for moving this country forward. We will reflect all of these ideas and suggestions in our policy document.

e. Once we have rebuilt the structures of the Party and put forward a credible development path for the people of Ghana, we shall then commence the difficult but not-impossible task of mobilizing public support for our common cause. We count on the good-will of all patriotic Ghanaians to make this task a successful one. Throughout our travels around the country, people tell us repeatedly that they are disappointed in the partisan politics that have lost nationalism and patriotism. Both the NPP government and past NDC governments seem to have failed the ordinary man in his aspirations. The Patriots offer a revitalized CPP as a credible alternative in keeping with the needs of today! Indeed we say, Welcome Home to all those who need a new beginning based on a shared welfare for all Ghanaians!

Why we call ourselves Patriots

We call ourselves Patriots because we want to make patriotism fashionable once again, drawing our inspiration from Ghana?s foremost Patriot, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who gave generously of himself for Ghana and for Africa. We believe that if all Ghanaians, like Nkrumah, would show just a little bit more love for their country and work harder and selflessly for its development, Ghana would be a better place for all of us and there would be no need for young men and women to take needless risks in search of ?greener pastures? abroad while acres of fertile land lie unused in Ghana. We can work together in happiness to ensure basic social services like education, health and decent housing for all.

We do acknowledge that patriotism cannot be demanded from people; it must come freely from each person because they have a shared sense of duty towards their country. People must feel that if they should serve their country, it would not be in vain or for the benefit of a privileged few but for all Ghanaians, including generations yet unborn. Leaders and the led alike must be prepared to make sacrifices for the common good. We must aim to build a society of opportunity, not privilege; of inclusion, not exclusion; of mutual respect not intolerance; of shared prosperity, not selfish consumption, and above all of freedom and justice for all. These are all attributes of a society governed by the spirit of patriotism and hard work.

Patriotism is not something abstract.

It is real. It won us independence in 1957, and it will propel us back to power in 2008. Patriotism has a tangible impact on the economic, social and political development of a people. Most of Ghana?s problems today can be traced to the absence of patriotism among both our leaders and the public, but among our leaders in particular. Rather than modesty and selfless service to society and humanity, leadership in Ghana today is characterized by selfishness, greed and an ever-worsening blight of political and bureaucratic corruption. All of this has undermined public confidence in our leaders and the state, resulting in a culture of individualism, where people deem it more the common good. It?s time to bring Patriotism back!

But we cannot make Patriotism fashionable again without first reclaiming the political power that was unfairly taken from us in 1966 and 1981. With political power come the space and authority to promote patriotism, national development, and indeed prosperity for all Ghanaians. We can only do this through the Convention People?s Party, with the Red Cockerel as its symbol and ?Forward Ever, Backward Never? as its motto. We are determined to make the CPP the Party of the people once again. We are determined to make Ghana a place of work and happiness once again. We believe that it is time to place Ghana before self, because Ghana deserves better.

We, therefore, invite you to join the CPP in your various constituencies and help rebuild the first political party in Ghana, the party that took Ghana to political independence at a time when others said it could not be done; the party that placed Ghana on the path to national development, until the misguided at home and their disingenuous, short-sighted expedient to fend for themselves than work together for collaborators abroad subverted our efforts. Today we are all paying the price for a Ghana and an Africa whose forward march to progress and prosperity was halted violently and abruptly by these reactionary forces. The CPP needs you more than ever before to help rebuild Ghana and Africa. It will not be easy but we shall surely overcome.

For more information, please call: 024.294.2278 or contact us at: [email protected].

Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.