“Every ideal, idea and principle must draw men and women to itself. Every idea must step out before the nation, must win from the nation the fighters whom it needs, and must tread alone the difficult path with all its necessary consequences that it may one day gain the strength to turn the course of destiny”.
(The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism – Michael Novak)
Today we celebrate the 28th Anniversary of the launching of the New Patriotic Party.
From the very beginning of the tradition that spawned the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), United Party, Progress Party, Popular Front Party and now the New Patriotic Party, we have been consistent in our beliefs and in upholding the tenets of liberal democracy, and the building of a genuine liberal democratic State of Ghana with all its blessings and benefits to its citizens.
In its long history, the tradition of Danquah/Busia and Dombo has survived ossified dictatorships, persecution, prosecution, banishment and exile and still stands tall and strong today.
This is because the inherent validity and truth enshrined in the liberal democratic ideal, which we espouse, wins the fighters it needs time and again.
It is in that vein that I salute all the valiant men and women who have stood up and fought the battles of the tradition from its nascent stages to this very day.
All of us who are here today owe all our departed founding fathers and heroes an eternal debt of gratitude.
Today our tradition and party cannot be destroyed. It is here and the primary force to reckon with.
I am convinced that for all those who still believes in a future for Ghana, it must be clear what their attitudes towards us must be.
From this day forward, one of our primary duties is to create a new atmosphere. It is in this atmosphere that the entire membership of our party will live, work and fight the 2020 election.
We must not allow a negative atmosphere to emerge. An atmosphere of doubt, of looking back to select the next place to which to withdraw, of a loss of confidence in our total ability to defeat all our opponents. If there is any such atmosphere emerging, it must cease immediately.
The defense of our tradition and party and the winning of the 2020 election must begin today; in fact now.
In this battle ahead of us, every one of us has a vital role to play. I therefore urge all of you to stand up and fight. Be animate by your love for party and country. Stand up and play the role assigned you for a glorious victory is at hand.
Let us renew our faith and energy from the teachings of Rudyard Kipling’s.
“If you can watch the things you gave your life to, broken, and stoop and build them up with worn out tools. If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew; to serve your turn long after they are gone, and so hold on when there is nothing in you except the will which says to them, ‘Hold On’. Yours is the Earth and everything there is in it”.