The deputy national youth organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Edem Agbana, has served notice the party is working tirelessly to return to power after the 2020 elections.
He said majority of Ghanaians have lost hope in the Akufo-Addo government and have huge confidence in the NDC to put the economy back on track.
“The Youth of the NDC who I have the privilege of serving as DNYO, and the vast majority of the Ghanaian youth have confidence in the NDC as the party that can truly serve the interest of the masses. Working tirelessly to regain power from the inept, repressive and sad-sack Akufo-Addo government will be a patriotic act. It is a rescue mission, in fact, it is a democratic means of restoring the dignity of our country,” Mr. Agbana said at the 40thanniversary celebration of the June 4th revolution in Accra.
He decried the state of lawlessness under the current administration.
“The revolutionary tool should not only be seen as a tool to correct political and economic incorrectness but as a tool to correct also social and environmental incorrectness. Mr. Chairman, the challenges that confronted our country which you helped redeemed over forty years ago have not only worsened but have taken new dimensions. We now have foreigners who with support from our political leaders uncontrollably move into our forest reserves and wantonly destroy it in search of gold and rosewood, among others.
“This is fast crippling the livelihoods of people subjecting them to the brunt of economic hardship. I want to urge young people to rise up not only in defense of our environment but to also plant trees to protect it,” he added.
Below is his full speech at the event:
SPEECH BY COMRADE EDEM AGBANA, NDC DEPUTY NATIONAL YOUTH ORGANISER IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 4OTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE JUNE 4TH 1979 REVOLUTION.
I am happy to join you today in celebrating the 40th anniversary of a day that has gone down in history as the greatest demonstration of courage, bravery and collective power of the youth to rescue this nation from the hands of repressive leadership. It was the day young people took the destiny of our country into their own hands and decided to rise up to the occasion and did the needful; in fact, it was the rebirth of our nation Ghana.
As a matter of fact, the June 4th revolution is over a decade older than I am, making this appearance nothing short of a testimony of our long held belief that the revolution lives on; that many decades even after the revolutionaries are gone, the revolution will continue to stay with us; that you can kill the revolutionaries but you cannot kill the revolution; that you can mute the voice of the messengers of the revolution but you cannot mute the message, and that the revolution is not a god to be worshiped but VALUES & VIRTUES to live by.
History has taught us that, exactly forty (40) years ago, a young 32 year old soldier, in whose gracious presence I stand today, led his colleague soldiers to put an end to the repressive SMC regime . This historic uprising came as a great beacon of hope to the majority of Ghanaians who had been burnt in the flames of withering injustice, corruption, bad governance, naked nepotism and even more perversely, the destruction of our moral fiber as a country.
The nationwide jubilation that greeted the June 4th revolution is incontrovertible evidence that it came as a daybreak to end long nights of suffering and repression.
But forty years later, we cannot construct an accurate narrative of our beautiful country without mentioning the same tendencies that the June 4th revolution came to address. Our country is still miserably chained by Corruption (perhaps, even more pervasive now), Nepotism, Ineptitude and Repressive governance. Political and Economic injustice is still widespread and a chunk of our people, still live in abject poverty. Mr Chairman, these are scars on our conscience and we must take collective responsibility for our inability to sustain the ideals of the revolution.
It would be dangerous for us as forbearers of the revolutionary torch to overlook the fierce urgency of the moment. The June 4th revolution succeeded in 1979 because the people of Ghana at the time legitimately were angry at the repulsive attitude of the ruling class, it was not just the tact and bravery of the soldiers; it was the unwavering strength of the people’s power which conquered the force of the people in power. Comrades, I am not a prophet of doom but I dare say, if the people in power cannot take self-corrective measures to wipe out injustice, corruption and repression in our society, the youth may rise up again and defy the odds.
As Martin Luther King Jnr once said in his famous “I have a dream” speech, the whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of Justice emerges. I am confident that the next National Democratic Congress led government will from 2021, restore confidence in political leadership. It is a matter of moral and political obligation; it is the only way our democracy can be sustained. The young people who believe in the ideals of the revolution must stand up to be counted. It must not be mere rhetoric but an everyday demonstration of our willingness to protect the dignity of our country.
Your Excellency FLT LT Jerry John Rawlings, today is possible because of your heroic acts 40 years ago, tomorrow will be possible only when the youth successfully carry on the torch which you lit 40 years ago. If the NDC today cannot boast of young men and women who can navigate on the path of PROBITY, INTEGRITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, then we have lost our identity. If we cannot produce young men and women who in the enviable spirit of POSITIVE DEFIANCE can stand up to authority, then we must begin a soul searching exercise NOW.
The Youth of the NDC who I have the privilege of serving as DNYO, and the vast majority of the Ghanaian youth have confidence in the NDC as the party that can truly serve the interest of the masses. Working tirelessly to regain power from the INEPT, REPRESSIVE AND SAD-SACK AKUFFO ADDO government will be a patriotic act. It is a RESCUE MISSION, infact, it is a democratic means of restoring the dignity of our country.
The revolutionary tool should not only be seen as a tool to correct political and economic incorrectness but as a tool to correct also social and environmental incorrectness. Mr. Chairman, the challenges that confronted our country which you helped redeemed over forty years ago have not only worsened but have taken new dimensions. We now have foreigners who with support from our political leaders uncontrollably move into our forest reserves and wantonly destroy it in search of gold and rosewood, among others.
This is fast crippling the livelihoods of people subjecting them to the brunt of economic hardship. I want to urge young people to rise up not only in defense of our environment but to also plant trees to protect it.
Mr. Chairman, We in the NDC youth want to help develop a national character for sustainable development, and I am happy to announce to you that the NDC youth in support of your tree planting exercise, will soon embark on a revolution that will see the planting of trees across some parts of our country and will count on your support.
In conclusion, on behalf of the youth of the NDC, we re-commit ourselves to the ideals of the revolution. We make this solemn pledge that the values of the revolution will not be lost on us. We will stand up to be counted and when it becomes necessary, we will gladly show positive defiance in defense of our values.
Long Live the Revolution
Long Live the NDC
Long Live Ghana.
Thank You.
