The leadership of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has launched a ‘Heroes' Fund’ to assist supporters and loyalists who have encountered misfortunes, incapacitations or other forms of deprivations in the course of their service to the party. It would also cater for the needs of dependants of victims who have lost their lives while working in the interest of the NDC as well as non-members of the party in similar situations. The Heroes' Fund, registered as a non-governmental organization, would be governed by a seven-member board of trustees chaired by Ambassador Victor Gbeho. Mr Kamal Noshie, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, Mr Kwesi Attah, Mr Yaw Boamah, Ms Doris Aidoo and Mr Simon Mawusor would also serve as administrators of the fund. These individuals would formulate policies, raise funds from both local and international sources and see to its disbursement. The Board of Trustees is also expected to invest revenues accrued in profitable ventures. During the launch Friday, some NDC supporters who had been victims of electoral violence recounted their experiences during the 2008 elections and in recent bye-elections. Most of the victims who claimed were attacked and assaulted by irate youths of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), said they were from Asunafo and Sankore in the Brong-Ahafo region. Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the NDC, noted that since its formation some 19-years ago, the party had thrived on the backs of volunteers who were driven by the spirit of nationalism and patriotism. Many of these individuals, he said, had devoted the best part of their youthful life to the service of the NDC to the neglect of their own economic and social development. “In the course of campaign activities of the party over the years, some party faithful have been maimed through accidents, vicious attacks by political opponents and shear lack of attention for their personal health during their service to the party,” he emphasized. However, Mr Asiedu Nketia stated that the NDC as a party until now did not have an official structure to cater for these individuals, hence the creation of the ‘Heroes' Fund’. “What we are doing today…is the party’s effort to continue to demonstrate that NDC is an organization worth dying for,” he said. Highlighting the need to curtail political violence, the general secretary noted that the state was responsible for taking steps to ensure that electoral violence became a very expensive enterprise to deter people from engaging in it. This he said could be fostered through the speedy adjudication of cases resulting from electoral disputes. NDC National Chairman, Dr Kwabena Adjei stressed that the institution of the 'Heroes' Fund' was not to motivate violence but to demonstrate that the NDC was concerned about the living conditions of people who genuinely incur hardships due to their service to the party. He emphasized that parties did not have to resort to violence to win elections, cautioning that members of the NDC who would intentionally foment trouble within the party and in the course of it get hurt would not benefit from the fund. Story by Dorcas Efe Mensah/myjoyonline.com/Ghana