Accra, Ghana - The resignation of a key member of the opposition Convention People’s Party (CPP), the celebration of the 30th anniversary of a coup staged by former President Jerry John Rawlings and a freak accident that claimed 27 lives were some of the stories highlighted by the Ghanaian media this week. Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, the 2008 presidential candidate of the CPP, which was founded by late President and Pan-Africanist, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, quit the party on Wednesday after months of bitter disagreement over its timetable for Election 2012.

“Nduom leaves CPP”, was the headline of the state-owned Graphic, which said after weeks of speculation, Dr. Nduom had let the cat out of the bag by announcing his decision to contest the 2012 presidential election on the ticket of a new political party to be unveiled in two months.

It said Dr. Nduom was keeping details of the political party close to his chest until February 2012, but at a news conference in Accra on Wednesday he launched an unnamed political movement that would eventually metamorphose into the political party.

“The (opposition New Patriotic Party) NPP and (ruling National Democratic Congress) NDC may be big established parties, but none of that translates into effective leadership. We wish to ask all voters to make a change by considering the experience and personal attributes we are offering and vote for me to make the difference that they desire in their lives,” the 58-year-old businessman and politician said.

The state-owned Ghanaian Times had the headline, “Dr. Nduom resigns from the Convention People’s Party.” It quoted him as saying: “I wish the CPP well as it seeks to chart the course announced by its new leadership…Our new political movement aims at presenting a credible, united, disciplined and will organised electioneering machine coupled with a specific platform for change Ghanaians can feel in their lives and their pockets within four years.'

The pro-opposition Daily Guide's headline said “Nduom quits CPP.” It said Dr. Nduom had quit the CPP, as he announced a new party which, according to him, would be different from the others and ready to contest the 2012 polls.

It said political observers had envisaged this development and so were not surprised when the announcement was made.

CPP stalwarts hailed Dr. Nduom’s departure with Professor Badu Akosa describing as “conventional”.

The General Secretary of the CPP, Ivor Greenstreet, said the exit of Dr. Nduom from the CPP, though surprising, was welcoming.

According to Greenstreet, Dr. Ndoum¹s breakaway would offer the party the opportunity to carry out “important works” it needed to do to strengthen the grassroots of the party.

Mr. F. A. Jantuah, who had always campaigned for Dr. Nduom’s expulsion, predicted that Dr. Nduom’s political movement “will die soon”.

“If Nduom is out of the party, then it is a very good riddance because it is Nduom who is bringing all the difficulties within the CPP,” he said.

Jantuah added: “Let Nduom form a political party and that would be his demise. If Nduom forms a political party that party would die and the party would die with Nduom.”

However, Dr. Ndoum has vowed that his party would be attractive and different from the troubles parties went through soon after their formation.

The Graphic’s banner headline of the tragic accident read: “Senya Beraku grieves as 27 killed, 32 injured in freak accident.”

It said the joy and happiness associated with the Christmas festivities turned catastrophic for citizens of Senya Beraku in the Central Region when a water tanker ploughed through revelers, taking part in a street jam on Tuesday night, killing 27.

Thirty-two others who got injured were responding to treatment at hospital.

The vice president, John Mahama, accompanied by the Central Regional Minister, Mrs. Ama Benyiwa-Doe, visited the Winneba Hospital and the scene of the accident.

Mr. Mahama said the government would assist the bereaved families to bury their dead.

The Daily Guide had the headline “27 killed” with the story saying it was a gloomy scene at the town when a total of 27 people lost their lives in a tragic accident during the Christmas festivities on Tuesday night.

The accident happened when a water tanker had a break failure and drove into a crowd of people having a street jam, as part of the Christmas festivities.

The newspapers also covered a lecture to mark the 31st December Revolution led by Rawlings with the headline, “NDC needs cleansing – JJ”.

It said former President Rawlings and founder of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Wednesday “invoked the spirit of the infamous 31 December, 1981 Revolution, when he stressed the urgent need for what he called a ‘house cleaning exercise’ to rid the party of corrupt officials'.

He said it was not too late for thew leadership of the party to go back to the grassroots - to the foot soldiers - and listen to them because “the level of despondency amongst our support base is largely due to the detachment of our leadership from the people”.

Addressing a large crowd of mainly NDC foot soldiers as part of the events to mark the 30th anniversary of the 31 December Revolution, the NDC founder decried the manner in which President John Evans Atta Mills and members of his administration were “running the country with corruption at its highest peak”.

The Graphic’s headline read: “Live by ideals of 31st December – JJ Rawlings” with the story saying former President Rawlings had bemoaned corruption in the system which had gone overboard since the year 2000.

He said the situation had been enhanced by refusal of the government to investigate allegations of corruption in the past New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, adding that situation had led to an escalation of corruption in all sectors of the country.

He said some of the individuals who were serving in the current administration served during his tenure as President but could not be corrupt because he, as an individual, did not tolerate corruption.

President Rawlings also lamented the failure of the party leadership to collaborate with the rank and file for this year’s elections, saying that could affect the party’s fortunes.

He noted that a member of the current administration had approached him to discuss matters of importance, including the 2012 elections, and wondered how he could be effective without the grassroots coming on board.

”Rally round Rawlings to make 31st December anniversary memorable”, was the headline of the Times which said the NDC had reiterated that the party remained committed to the gains of the 31st December revolution which had contributed to good governance through sensitisation, grassroots mobilisation and participation.

In a statement issued in Accra, signed by Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the party, said the NDC celebrated the event annually to remind he nation of events which ushered Ghana into the path of socio-economic and political transformation.

“31st December also reminds Ghanaians of the enormous scarifices made by cadres led by Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings in restoring respect and patriotism to the rank and file of workers and the ordinary Ghanaian,” the statement said.

Pana 01/01/2012