Former First Lady and President of the 31st December Women’s Movement (DWM), Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings says she is standing for the position of First Vice-Chairman in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to strengthen the party’s structures and boost party unity. Nana Konadu said she is also keen on pursuing a strong agenda to bring women and youth into the party, make it more dynamic and ensure that the party grows bigger from the grassroots. The former First Lady made these comments during a tour of the Eastern Region over the past week. “The party needs unity and discipline and I will work hard with my colleagues to ensure that we move the party onto a new pedestal,” she told excited members of the DWM who thronged various venues to confirm their membership and re-inaugurate their branches. Nana Konadu and her team re-inaugurated branches at Asuom and Kade in the Kwaebibirem District. On the second day of her tour she re-inaugurated branches at Odumase Krobo and paid a courtesy call on the Queenmother. In statement after the trip the former First Lady said the revival of the movement started in 2003 after efforts by the NPP to crush it had failed. “The women were harassed, members who were teachers transferred and whole projects taken from the women and given to District Assemblies. Some of our projects were painted and labelled HIPC projects even though these projects were financed from funds raised from donor agencies and NGOs. Fortunately the women were undaunted and continued to work underground to keep the flame of the movement alight. “Because we did not want the members to feel they had been abandoned we decided to revive the branches through a re-inauguration and renewed membership drive and surprisingly the women responded in their droves. We offered them small loans to revive or start new projects “Over the past six months however the women have been keen to publicly assert themselves and wanted the movement’s leadership to grace every inauguration or membership drive campaign to give the events wider public attention. I have no option but to oblige and have been delighted by some of the responses I have received,” Nana Konadu stated. Nana Konadu visited the movement’s oil palm processing project at Otumi. This project was commissioned fourteen years ago. She was thrilled to hear success stories of the women using their oil palm project to send their children to school and cater for their families. The President of the DWM was however asked to intervene to add value to their produce by repackaging them as Togolese vendors who purchase the oil in large drums have been paying them a pittance for their produce. She promised look into the possibility of bottling the oil at the Nsawam Cannery when it resumes production to add value to their produce and create a wider market for it as well. Visit Former President Rawlings’ blog site - http://jjrawlings.wordpress.com