Doing the right things for victory, he said, includes electing personalities of integrity who are well grounded in the political orientation of the party and have a clear vision of what needs to be done to satisfy the aspirations of party supporters and country.
He said the NDC certainly has the men – of a bold disposition who must also be ready to think outside of the box and do what is required to bolster the party’s image – however, he was not sure if the party was prepared to give itself the chance by taking the right steps.
President Rawlings who was speaking on a wide range of issues in an interview with Metro TV, said the issue of party and government image was crucial as it does not look too good presently, explaining that in spite of the numerous public assurances by President John Mahama to deal with corruption, “we are not seeing enough that will help to clear the image of the government.”
“The image of the government is still suffering seriously under a cloud and climate of corruption. Some of the things that some of us know is unbecoming of people in high office. We are hoping that the machinery will deal with those issues as quickly as possible so as to improve on the image of the executive,” he said.
Appearing to respond to the calls of many particularly in the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for him to break his uncharacteristic silence on governance issues especially on the poor economic circumstances confronting many, Rawlings told his interviewer, Metro TV’s Frank Nyonator that things were not looking too good for both party and government.
Describing the current image of the party as “not healthy at all” and “as bad as what it was into the Mills’ period and before he died,” President Rawlings said the NDC cannot be “fighting on the same terms as Kufuor’s party” (the NPP) but must set for itself a higher standard.
“If we want to see stability in this country; the future stability or the stability of our future will depend on a party and a government and a leadership that is prepared to restore integrity back into our financial and political governance of the people. In this direction are the ones who will restore the hope that this country needs, and I think if the NDC can do that. Does she have the personalities? Yes. Is she ready to think outside of the box to do what may be necessary in order to lift the image of the party and to give hope to the people? If not she may not be able to make it 2016.”
Explaining rather passionately what he said needed to be done in the immediate, President Rawlings said among other roles, he expects the men of integrity to be elected at congress to be able to put enough pressure on the executive to do what needs to be done because the NDC as it stands now does not have what it takes to exert the necessary pressure on the executive or to assist the president.
“So what we are hoping for is that it will come out with personalities of integrity who will restore a sense of hope back in their support base, in the country as a whole because it is a truly disappointing and painful situation. We’ve done it before and I don’t see why we can’t do it again. We just have to fall on the right people and track the right path,” he said.
(Selorm) | 
(Nana Kwesi)