The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Friday launched “NDC Month” as part of activities marking the June 4 Uprising, with a call on members to uphold the values of patriotism, sacrifice, accountability and selflessness.
The month-long observance, which begins on May 15 and ends on June 22, will feature lectures, commemorative ceremonies and educational activities across the country, climaxing in the Bono Region, where this year’s June 4 commemoration will be held.
Addressing a press conference in Accra, Mr Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey, General Secretary of the NDC, said the annual observance was instituted to provide an opportunity for reflection, remembrance and recommitment to the ideals upon which the party was founded.
He said May 15 was significant in Ghana’s political history because it marked the failed uprising led by former President Jerry John Rawlings in 1979, which later culminated in the June 4 Uprising.
Mr Kwetey said the principles of courage, honesty, sacrifice and responsibility demonstrated by Flt Lt Rawlings remained central to the NDC’s political tradition and national outlook.
“It is, therefore, fitting that we commence the national observance from today as we retrace the path of sacrifice, patriotism, personal responsibility, accountability and social justice that has defined our political tradition,” he said.
This year’s theme, “Strengthening State Institutions: Lessons from the June 4, 1979 Uprising,” underscores the need for public officials and state institutions to prioritise national interest above personal gain.
He cautioned party members against reducing the NDC to a vehicle for personal enrichment and urged the youth to appreciate the ideological foundations of the party.
“Many today think that this party is just a vehicle that allows us to get power and, once we get power, we think about ourselves,” he said.
“When this vehicle has all along been a vehicle for the empowerment of the people.”
As part of the activities, a public lecture will be held on June 3 in the Banda Constituency of the Bono Region to discuss the historical significance of the June 4 Uprising and the role of state institutions in promoting accountability.
On June 4, the party will hold a ceremonial flag-raising, wreath-laying and lighting of a perpetual flame.
June 10, which marks the founding of the NDC, will be observed as “NDC Day,” with activities focused on the ideological foundations of the party and youth participation.
The party will also commemorate June 19 with a cadres’ programme on transparent governance and grassroots mobilisation.
Mr Kwetey announced that June 22, the birth anniversary of former President Rawlings, will be observed as Founder’s Day in collaboration with the Jerry John Rawlings Foundation.
Activities on that day will include the unveiling of a bust of Jerry John Rawlings and the renaming of the party’s national headquarters in Accra as “Rawlings House.”
