June 4th, 31st December more befitting national days than August 4 - Asiedu Nketiah

The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has advocated the institution of June 4th and 31st December as national days.

He says ideals of those epochs have affected national governance more than the August 4 birthday of the United Gold Coast Convention, the first political party formed in Ghana 70 years ago and precursor of the ruling New Patriotic Party which occasion was recently marked with a public lecture addressed by the Speaker of Parliament.

But Asiedu Nketiah, who was speaking at the 36th anniversary celebration of the 31st December Revolution in Ho on Sunday, said given what impact the two Rawlings-led interventions have had on the nation, they deserve to be observed as national holidays.

“I believe that June 4th and 31st December are more befitting for celebrations as national holidays than the August 4 that people are talking about”, he said, explaining that the two events “did something that affect the governance of this country. We have all benefited from what June 4th and 31st December Revolution stood and still stand for. So if for nothing at all, we are all trying to fight corruption and we are not making progress after the Revolution changed into a democracy, so don’t you think that it would be good for this country for us to dedicate a day when we remind ourselves of the principles of probity, accountability and social justice?

“If we are not going to remind the youth about these principles, how are they going to practice them after we are dead and gone?”

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He said probity, accountability and social justice are principles no nation desirous of success can do without and dedicating a day or two to drive home these important principles will be a right thing to do.

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Asiedu Nketiah said celebrating those two days is not about celebrating President Rawlings alone, “but it’s about reminding us as Ghanaians, that those are our principles” and without which no country can be governed successfully and rid it of corruption.

“So my brothers and sisters, I just want to send a clear message to the ruling NPP that if you are going for equity, you must go with clean hands. We are ready in NDC to dance in the same glass bowl with the NPP and their appointees” in the fight against corruption.

He therefore called for transparency in the processes to prosecute perceived corrupt government officials, be they former appointees or still in government.