Ghana: Relationship between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP); treatment of NPP supporters by NDC

The National Democratic Congress (NDC), headed by President Jerry Rawlings, is the ruling party in Ghana (West Africa 20 Dec. -9 Jan. 2000, 16). The New Patriotic Party (NPP),  headed by John Agyekum Kuffour, is the main opposition party (ibid.;Independent 19 Jan. 2000; Ghana News Agency 9 Aug. 1999; West Africa 29 Nov- 4 Dec. 1999, 13).

Kuffour was the NPP presidential candidate in the 1992 and 1996 but he was defeated by President Rawlings (New African Dec. 1998; West Africa 29 Nov. - 4 Dec. 1999,13). Kuffour won the NPP party elections which were held in October 1998 to choose a presidential election to run against NDC's Jerry Rawlings in the 2000 presidential election (New African Dec. 1998).West Africa contends that although the NDC is still very popular in Ghana, "the NPP is the only party capable of upsetting the NDC and bringing an end to the Rawlings era in Ghana" (29 Nov. - 4 Dec. 1999,13).

Kuffour has accused the NDC government of corruption, underemployment in the public sector, unemployment in the private sector, lawlessness and bad leadership. He said that an NPP government willbe "radically different" (Ghana News Agency 9 Aug. 1999), but President Rawlingshas warned Ghanaians that "voting the opposition in the 2000 elections would be disastrous for the nation, since they would scuttle the gains of the (P)NDC government and rewind the nation's cloak of progress" (Ghanaian Chronicle 13 Dec. 1999).

An article which appeared in the 17 January 2000 issue of the Ghanaian Chronicle states that "there is a growing fear among Acting Chief and Deputy Chief Executives in the public sector who are not in the good books of the ruling NDC government that they stand the risk of being booted out of office, as Cabinet has issued a directive to the Public Services Commission (PSC) to submit recommendations on all Acting Chief and Deputy Chief Executives to enable Cabinet 'to decide on the advisability or otherwise of confirming" their appointments.' The article, however,  does not link the incumbents of the said positions to the NPP and it does not specify what recourse would be available to them should they lose their jobs.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please see the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Informaton Request.

References

Ghana News Agency. 8 August 1999. "Kufuor : The Country IS Being Destroyed By Bad Governance." [Accessed: 20 Jan. 2000]

Ghanaian Chronicle [Accra]. 17 January 2000. Raymond  Archer. "Fear Grips Perceived Anti-NDC Civil Servants." [Accessed 20 Jan. 2000]

_____. 13 December 1999."Ghana: 'You Will Be Sorry If You Vote for Opposition.' (Africa News/NEXIS)

Independent. 19 January 2000. "New Patriotic Party (NPP) Press Conference." [Accessed: 20 Jan. 2000]

New African [London]. December 1998. "Young Turks Seize Power in the NPP."

West Africa [London]. 20 December 1999 - 9 January 2000. "NDC Still Pulls the Crowd."

_____. 29 November 1999 - 4 December 1999. "NPP - Search for Fitting Running Mate."

Additional Sources Consulted

[London]. 1998-1999.