NDC LEADERSHIP ON PARTY DIVISIONS AND MILLS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ACCRA 001325

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2029
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM GH
SUBJECT: NDC LEADERSHIP ON PARTY DIVISIONS AND MILLS
SHORTCOMINGS

REF: ACCRA 1299

Classified By: Ambassador Donald Teitelbaum for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)

Summary
--------------


1. (C) Amidst growing public criticism of the Mills
Administration as it approaches the end of its first year in
office, senior National Democratic Congress (NDC) officials -
including the President - met December 9 to discuss their
difficulties and attempt to close ranks ahead of the NDC's
January national conference. Parliamentary Majority Leader
Alban Bagbin and NDC General Secretary Johnson Nketia, who
attended the meeting, told POL Chief that the discussion was
"very successful," and that Mills had acknowledged their
complaints. Nketia and Bagbin said Mills has surrounded
himself with inexperienced advisors who are providing poor
counsel and are failing to ensure inter-ministerial
coordination, and that Mills has agreed to establish a
"mechanism" to improve consultations with party members. NDC
members are also concerned over the the role of former
President and party founder Jerry Rawlings, who has been
vocal in his public criticism of the government. Nketia cited
former First Lady Nana Agyeman Rawlings' decision to run for
a party vice chairman position as a challenging development
that could prove either problematic or positive for the party
as it looks toward the 2012 election. Both Nketia and Bagbin
said that the NDC's success in the next election will be
based on its performance in government, and that the party
must overcome its current divisions if it wishes to remain in
power. End Summary.

Mills Meets with Senior NDC Leaders
--------------


2. (C) On December 11, Parliamentary Majority Leader Alban
Bagbin (NDC) told POL Chief that President Mills convened a
meeting December 9 of approximately 45 senior NDC members at
the Castle to discuss challenges facing the administration,
including public criticism of Mills by former President
Rawlings, Bagbin and others. The group included NDC members
currently in government, members of the party's council of
elders, and individuals understood to be speaking on behalf
of Rawlings. Bagbin cited Brigadier General Nunoo Mensah,
the current National Security Advisor, as one of Rawlings'
representatives.


3. (C) Bagbin described the meeting as "very successful." He
said that 22 people spoke, including himself, and that the
President acknowledged and accepted the complaints. Bagbin
said participants voiced concern that Mills has surrounded
himself with young and inexperienced advisors who are not
providing good counsel. Bagbin was particularly critical of
the President's communication team, singling out Spokesman
Mahama Ayariga and the Information Minister as ineffective
(reftel). Bagbin noted that as Majority leader he is
responsible for carrying out the government's agenda in
Parliament, but said that there has been poor coordination
between the government and Parliament. Bagbin also cited
poor coordination between different ministries, and said the
exclusion of the Information Minister from the Cabinet has
aggravated the government's inability to present a coherent
message.


4. (C) Bagbin added that the government's current
constitutional review process is critical to addressing
weaknesses in Ghana's government structure, including the
role of parliament. He said Parliament must play a more
prominent role in overseeing the Executive, and holding
accountable ministers that are not carrying out the will of
parliament as expressed through legislation. In that
respect, Bagbin acknowledged his own public criticism of the
Finance Minister in failing to dispense funds appropriated
for specific activities. Bagbin said that this has been a
problem with previous Finance Ministers as well, and that
Parliament would consider using its censure powers.


5. (C) On December 10, NDC General Secretary Nketia, who sits
in the Mills Cabinet, told POL Chief that he felt the Mills
meeting was successful. He also said Mills' communication
team was failing, and noted that this contrasted with the
successful communication operation that the NDC ran in
opposition and during the 2008 presidential campaign. Nketia
was particularly critical of the President's Chief of Staff
and two Deputy Chiefs of Staff. He said he had been
"surprised" by Mills' hiring decisions for these positions,
and said that none of the individuals in those positions had
adequate political experience.

Mills to Establish Consultation Mechanism
--------------

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6. (C) Bagbin said that Mills agreed to establish a mechanism
to improve consultation party members, and that participants
understood the need to avoid airing disagreements in public.
Bagbin also said that the President agreed on the need for
more coordination between the Executive and Parliament.
Furthermore, many party members understand that former
President Rawlings has been isolated and that there needs to
be a way to acknowledge his role as the party's founder and
as an influential figure.

NDC Party Conference Date
--------------


7. (C) Regarding the NDC national conference scheduled for
January, Bagbin warned that the dates could slip. He said
several senior NDC members - including President Mills - had
expressed concern that the dates coincide with important
soccer matches and that party members will be distracted. In
contrast, NDC General Secretary Nketia told POL Chief
December 10 that the conference would take place on January

16. (Note: Regardless of the date, the conference must take
place relatively soon as the terms of office for current
party leaders will expire on December 31. End Note).

Regaining Party Unity
--------------


8. (C) In preparing for the NDC conference, Nketia told POL
Chief that his primary concern is rebuilding party unity and
ensuring a smooth and fair election process for the party
leadership. He noted that the election is a particularQ
challenge in that the incumbent party leadership - including
himself - is running again. For that reason, he said he had
set up a separate mechanism to guard against the perception
that incumbents have an unfair adQntage. Nevertheless,
Nketia expressed optimism that he would regain his position
(Comment: At the moment Nketia faces no serious challengers,
and given the NDC's success in the 2008 election campaign it
is likely the leadership will be
re-elected. End Comment).


9. (C) Nketia acknowledged divisions within the party, and
said that the party would have little chance to retain power
in 2012 if it cannot overcome this problem. Nketia conceded
that the Administration has had governance problems of its
own creation, but said that another significant problem was
managing the expectations that were raised during the
campaign, particularly given the difficult fiscal and
economic situation.

Managing former President Rawlings
--------------


10. (C) In dealing with NDC divisions, Nketia said that for
many years the NDC has revolved around the personality of its
founder, and that this has created lingering questions of
loyalty for many party leaders who served under Rawlings but
now identify with the current president. Nketia said that
the NDC is struggling to define itself as a party independent
of personalities, and that they must find a way to manage the
"political force of Rawlings" without making him irrelevent.
Nketia stressed that if the Mills government is undermined
from within, it will not be possible to remain in power for
another term.


11. (C) Nketia said that former First Lady Nana Agyeman
Rawlings' decision to run for a vice chairman position is a
special challenge, and has brought party divisions to the
surface. He noted that as there are six vice chairmen (and
the top six vote-getters will win),it is likely that Nana
Rawlings will prevail. For Nketia, the question will then be
whether she will "submit to the will of the party," or pursue
her own agenda and increase divisions. Nketia said that if
Nana Rawlings works as part of the team, supporting the NDC
government, she could be a major asset for the party.
Akwetia admitted that managing Mrs. Rawlings' ego within the
party structure will be difficult, and noted that for more
than three decades she has not operated within the party
structures.


12. (C) Nketia said that if the former President and First
Lady want to influence the future of the party, they would
have done better to encourage one of their daughters - for
example Amina Rawlings - to contest a parliamentary seat in
the Ashanti region. That, said Nketia, would help the party
develop in a typically pro-NPP region, and would promote the
Rawlings' influence in the future NDC.


13. (C) While admitting divisions within the party and some
"disgruntlement," both Bagbin and Nketia downplayed the view
that there is a "Rawlings" faction that is working against

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Mills. They noted that many NDC leaders, including
themselves, served under Rawlings and admire him as the
party's founder and as a national leader. Bagbin stressed
that NDC leaders understand that the party's success is
linked to President Mills. Nketia noted that the NDC
historically has had dissenting voices and that the current
situation is much better than what occurred prior to the 1995
party congress when the party hierarchy was at odds with
Rawlings.

Comment
--------------


14. (C) Nketia and Bagbin's comments suggest that the NDC
leadership understands the need to address dissatisfaction
within the party as it works toward its January party
conference. At the same time, there appears to be a common
view that many of the criticisms of the Mills Administration
are valid and commonly shared among senior NDC officials.
Whether Mills, who operates at a deliberate pace, is able to
address the substance of those complaints - including
involving the quality of his advisors and lack of
inter-ministerial coordination - remains to be seen. Both
Bagbin and Nketia were optimistic that the December 9 meeting
produced good results and that the January conference
provides a futher opportunity to close ranks. Nevertheless,
if Mills is unable to address the substance of NDC
complaints, it is likely that public criticism will resume.
End Comment.
TEITELBAUM