The outgoing governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Western Region has said that unfriendly policies coupled with general demand for change led to the party’s defeat in the December 7th elections.
At a press conference at the party’s regional headquarters, Western regional organizer of the NDC Japhet Baidoo listed the withdrawal of trainee allowances, challenges with the distribution of premix fuel for fishermen as some of the factors that led to the defeat of the NDC in the western region.
“I will categorize the issues to our defeat into three. One was the act of God…the second has to do with human factor. Generally it was some policies of the government of NDC and these policies I don’t think came from His Excellency alone, is a team work, we all contributed”.
Mr. Japhet continued “I can mention some policies which were very unfriendly like allowances for students,…paying three months salaries to government workers while they fight for the rest, these are policies that am sure as a political party when we go back to the drawing board we can review it if possible. It affected our votes seriously in the western region”.
The NDC lost some key constituencies it has held for years such as the Sefwi Wiawso constituency which was occupied by the western regional minister, Paul Evans Aidoo, the Jomoro and the Sefwi Akontombra constituencies.
Mr. Japhet added that “other issues that cost us the election has to do with the issues in the cocoa sector and the fisheries sector such as premix for fishermen especially in the Shama constituency at Aboadze and Abuesi. These are the second issues. The third issue has to do with the general crave for change that was blowing ahead of the elections. People felt that let change and go for what the NPP was saying and that’s part of our woeful defeat”.
Mr. Japhet however said the regional executives accept the defeat in good faith and called for calm. He said the party is reviewing the issues that cost their defeat but urged party faithful to guard against unwarranted and divisive comments on public radio.
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