The presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has toured about 10 communities within three constituencies in Accra, with a call on the people not to be swayed by the vile propaganda of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He said the NDC with all the opportunities and time they had at their disposal could not do anything substantial to develop the economy of the country but had turned around to tell lies about the unprecedented development achieved by the NPP administration.
Nana Akufo-Addo who made the call also introduced the party’s parliamentary aspirants for Weija, Ablekuma Central and Ablekuma South constituencies , Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey,Mr Robert Sarbah and Nana Akomea.
The tour was also interspersed with rallies.
Nana Akufo-Addo said from a tattered economy in 2001, the NPP government under the leadership of President J. A. Kufuor had been able to restructure the country and put it in a position where it is ready to take off.
He said it would be disastrous to give back the management of the economy to the NDC.
"In 2001, when we were coming to power, the NDC confessed that the economy was so bad that they wonder how the NPP would pay salaries and manage it. To their utmost surprise, we have resuscitated it. Why should we entrust the economy into the hands of such a political party," he added.
Nana Akufo-Addo said if the NPP had the opportunity to govern the country for 19 years like the NDC and its antecedent, PNDC did, the country would have been developed.
At Weija, he said due to bad planning, especially by military regimes in the heat of the population explosion in Accra, the development of Accra had lagged behind.
He said the Kufuor Administration had taken bold steps to address the problems of Weija and other communities with similar problems, and promised to ensure that he would continue with all that the current NPP administration could not bring to fruition.
He announced that the NPP government had secured a loan from France to build a dual carriage road to replace the main road and some arterial roads in the constituency, and added that actual tarring of the road would start in January 2009.
Nana Akufo-Addo reiterated his position that education remained the most powerful tool to galvanise the people for accelerated national development and individual advancement.
He said it was for this reason that the NPP administration had made basic education free, even when the opposition NDC said that was not feasible, and added that "In my time as President of Ghana, we will again find the resources to make secondary education free".
A former Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, said at the end of the 19 year-rule of the PNDC/ NDC, the country’s foreign reserve was only $ 300 million, but with sound economic policies, the current foreign reserve stood at $ 2.6 billion.
He said under the NDC Administration, when world crude oil prices moved from $18 per barrel to $36, inflation stood at 41 per cent, however from $25 to $140, the NPP had managed the inflation, which currently stood at 18 per cent.
He said this showed the difference between the bad governance of the NDC and the good one of the NPP.
Friday, December 12, 2008
NDC working as team — Mills
Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has explained that the active role being played by his running mate, Mr John Dramani Mahama, is to emphasise that "we are working as a team".
"My running mate taking an active role in my campaign is to expose him to Ghanaians and also let them see the jewel in him,” he added.
Speaking during a campaign tour of the Krowor and Okaikoi North constituencies in the Greater Accra Region on Wednesday, Prof. Mills reminded the gathering that the presidency consisted of the president and the vice-president and that the vice acts in the absence of the president.
He said: “If they have been hiding their vice-president that is their business."
He added that he decided to choose John Mahama because he was capable and would be able to act in his absence.
"We must also remember that when a presidential candidate files his nomination, he adds the name and the qualification of his running mate to it".
Prof. Mills debunked claims that he was not medically fit to campaign and had never been to the northern part of the country.
"Tell President Kufuor to check the records. I started my campaign from the north and I will be going there again", he stated insisting that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was always worried and afraid whenever they heard that he was not bedridden but was actively campaigning to win the 2008 elections.
Prof. Mills urged all members of the party to be decorous and never insult President Kufuor for comments he made about him (Prof. Mills) and added: "I am not dead. I am still alive and campaigning. God is my physician. I pray for long life for President Kufuor".
He expressed worry that instead of concentrating on the campaign of the NPP, President Kufuor had rather turned his attention to the NDC.
"You have your team; we also have our team. Why don’t you concentrate on your team and how to win the election but rather choose to worry about your opponent’s team?"
He said although some political parties were claiming to be campaigning on issues they had shifted their attention to attacks on personalities and warned that "if they want to abandon the issue for personality attacks, they should be prepared for it."
Prof. Mills said that the NPP government had disappointed Ghanaians, because they failed to provide the jobs and proper care for them as they promised prior to their assumption of office.
He maintained that although the nation was rich in resources which could cater for all Ghanaians, President Kufuor and his cronies alone were the people who were enjoying the resources of the nation to the detriment of the ordinary people.
He promised that his administration would share the resources of the nation equally, paying special attention to the poor and the vulnerable.
Prof. Mills promised that if the NDC won the 2008 election it would give back the lands of the Ga people to them and urged the NPP to refrain from the piecemeal approach if their bid to give the lands back to the Ga people was genuine.
He also urged the government to account for the lands of the Ga people which had been used, who used them and the amount of money involved.
Prof. Mills said apart from the fact that Ghana had become a major transit point of cocaine, it had also brought in its wake the tendency for more Ghanaian youth to use such illicit drugs.
He said in the face of all these, the law enforcement agencies were made powerless to fight such drug deals and said an NDC government would empower the law enforcement agencies and provide the political will in the fight against such drug trafficking and abuse.
Prof. Mills said if President Kufuor who had ruled for almost eight years could mount the platform and support Nana Akufo-Addo, what was wrong with former President Rawlings who had ruled the nation for some 18 years to campaign for him?
He also discounted claims by his opponents that when Ghanaians vote for him (Mills) it meant that they had voted for former President Rawlings.
He said the NDC government would build more secondary schools to cater for those who complete junior high school (JHS) but could not gain admission to senior high school (SHS) because of lack of vacancy, and at the same time would build apprenticeship and vocational centres in all districts to provide assistance for those who could not gain admission to SHS.
Prof. Mills said his administration would build cold stores and landing sites around most of the fishing communities to make life better for the fishermen.
Prof. Mills said an NDC government would extend the current School Feeding Programme which covered only 10 per cent of schools, to cover all basic schools as well as provide free school uniform for pupils from poor homes.
"My running mate taking an active role in my campaign is to expose him to Ghanaians and also let them see the jewel in him,” he added.
Speaking during a campaign tour of the Krowor and Okaikoi North constituencies in the Greater Accra Region on Wednesday, Prof. Mills reminded the gathering that the presidency consisted of the president and the vice-president and that the vice acts in the absence of the president.
He said: “If they have been hiding their vice-president that is their business."
He added that he decided to choose John Mahama because he was capable and would be able to act in his absence.
"We must also remember that when a presidential candidate files his nomination, he adds the name and the qualification of his running mate to it".
Prof. Mills debunked claims that he was not medically fit to campaign and had never been to the northern part of the country.
"Tell President Kufuor to check the records. I started my campaign from the north and I will be going there again", he stated insisting that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was always worried and afraid whenever they heard that he was not bedridden but was actively campaigning to win the 2008 elections.
Prof. Mills urged all members of the party to be decorous and never insult President Kufuor for comments he made about him (Prof. Mills) and added: "I am not dead. I am still alive and campaigning. God is my physician. I pray for long life for President Kufuor".
He expressed worry that instead of concentrating on the campaign of the NPP, President Kufuor had rather turned his attention to the NDC.
"You have your team; we also have our team. Why don’t you concentrate on your team and how to win the election but rather choose to worry about your opponent’s team?"
He said although some political parties were claiming to be campaigning on issues they had shifted their attention to attacks on personalities and warned that "if they want to abandon the issue for personality attacks, they should be prepared for it."
Prof. Mills said that the NPP government had disappointed Ghanaians, because they failed to provide the jobs and proper care for them as they promised prior to their assumption of office.
He maintained that although the nation was rich in resources which could cater for all Ghanaians, President Kufuor and his cronies alone were the people who were enjoying the resources of the nation to the detriment of the ordinary people.
He promised that his administration would share the resources of the nation equally, paying special attention to the poor and the vulnerable.
Prof. Mills promised that if the NDC won the 2008 election it would give back the lands of the Ga people to them and urged the NPP to refrain from the piecemeal approach if their bid to give the lands back to the Ga people was genuine.
He also urged the government to account for the lands of the Ga people which had been used, who used them and the amount of money involved.
Prof. Mills said apart from the fact that Ghana had become a major transit point of cocaine, it had also brought in its wake the tendency for more Ghanaian youth to use such illicit drugs.
He said in the face of all these, the law enforcement agencies were made powerless to fight such drug deals and said an NDC government would empower the law enforcement agencies and provide the political will in the fight against such drug trafficking and abuse.
Prof. Mills said if President Kufuor who had ruled for almost eight years could mount the platform and support Nana Akufo-Addo, what was wrong with former President Rawlings who had ruled the nation for some 18 years to campaign for him?
He also discounted claims by his opponents that when Ghanaians vote for him (Mills) it meant that they had voted for former President Rawlings.
He said the NDC government would build more secondary schools to cater for those who complete junior high school (JHS) but could not gain admission to senior high school (SHS) because of lack of vacancy, and at the same time would build apprenticeship and vocational centres in all districts to provide assistance for those who could not gain admission to SHS.
Prof. Mills said his administration would build cold stores and landing sites around most of the fishing communities to make life better for the fishermen.
Prof. Mills said an NDC government would extend the current School Feeding Programme which covered only 10 per cent of schools, to cover all basic schools as well as provide free school uniform for pupils from poor homes.
Three candidates file nomination
THREE of the four contenders for the December 7 presidential election who filed their nominations yesterday cleared the final hurdle with the Electoral Commission (EC) when their forms were accepted by the commission.
The nomination forms of the fourth aspirant, Mr Kwasi Amoafo-Yeboah, who wants to contest the election as an independent candidate, were rejected because he did not include his bust-size pictures and a tax clearance certificate. He was asked to submit them today, failure of which will lead to his disqualification from the contest.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was first to go through the process of filing his nomination with the EC at exactly 10.00 a.m., followed by Professor John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at 12.00 noon.
Nana Akufo-Addo and Prof Mills were accompanied by their running mates, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia and Mr John Mahama, respectively, and the two pairs went through the filing exercise without any hitches.
However, when it was the turn of Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom and his running mate, Dr Abu Foster Sakara, who arrived at the EC at 3.15 p.m., what seemed to be a walk through for them suddenly turned into a battle.
The EC Chairman, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, who received the nomination forms for examination, after a temporary hold up, announced to the press that some of the people who had endorsed the nomination forms of the CPP flag bearer had not appended their signatures against their names.
He, therefore, asked Dr Nduom to correct the anomaly before the documents would be accepted.
However, for more than one hour that could not be done and the exercise had to be suspended temporarily, while the CPP flag bearer and some executives had to leave the room.
Dr Nduom and his entourage returned to the conference room later to present his nomination papers again to the Chairman of the EC.
Dr Afari-Gyan announced to the press that “after some delays in the proceedings, the commission has accepted the nominations of Dr Nduom”.
That was greeted with shouts from the supporters, and the brass band music that had died down came alive again.
Dr Afari-Gyan then declared the three aspirants — Nana Akufo-Addo, Prof Mills and Dr Nduom — as official candidates for Election 2008, barring any discrepancies to be detected later in their forms.
Although teeming supporters of both the NPP and the NDC were at the precincts of the EC, the filing of the papers and the period after that were peaceful, as policemen ensured that all the NPP supporters left the area before the NDC supporters arrived with their flag bearer.
The national chairmen and the general secretaries of the NDC and the NPP, Dr Kwabena Adjei and Mr Johnson Asiedu- Nketia, as well as Mr Peter Mac Manu and Nana Ohene Ntow, respectively, appended their signatures in support of their respective candidates.
Mr Amoafo-Yeboah’s entry into the offices of the EC was not marked with fanfare. He entered the EC premises in a solemn manner, followed by about 15 of his supporters.
Addressing the EC members, NPP officials and the press at the EC office just after the process, Nana Akufo-Addo described the process of filing the nominations as another milestone in the democratic development of the country.
He expressed confidence in the EC to organise clean and transparent elections but added that all stakeholders must lend their support in that direction.
The NPP candidate said the EC, under the chairmanship of Dr Afari-Gyan, had held elections which had always been an improvement over previous ones and expressed the hope that with the support of all Ghanaians another election success would be chalked up.
“Ghanaians deserve nothing less than good and credible elections,” he said, adding that such an achievement would “enhance our position as a beacon for Africa”.
Prof Mills, for his part, expressed optimism that Ghanaians would offer the NDC the opportunity to form the next government because the NPP had failed to live up to expectation.
He said Ghanaians were yearning for a change that would take them in a different direction from polarisation, end corruption, incompetence and promote the welfare of the ordinary person.
Prof Mills said one of the issues dearest to the heart of the NDC was how to ensure free, fair and transparent elections, saying, “It is our hope and prayer that together we will be able to do this great service to Mother Ghana.”
He said Ghana was the only country for Ghanaians and, therefore, anyone who wanted to rule in violence and fear was only courting disaster and urged all to ensure that there was peace before, during and after the elections.
Dr Nduom said the CPP had so far refrained from impugning the integrity of the EC because a credible commission would enable the country to organise acceptable polls.
He said the CPP was hopeful that the elections would be organised in a manner that would consolidate the independence of the country which the CPP fought hard to achieve.
The nomination forms of the fourth aspirant, Mr Kwasi Amoafo-Yeboah, who wants to contest the election as an independent candidate, were rejected because he did not include his bust-size pictures and a tax clearance certificate. He was asked to submit them today, failure of which will lead to his disqualification from the contest.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was first to go through the process of filing his nomination with the EC at exactly 10.00 a.m., followed by Professor John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at 12.00 noon.
Nana Akufo-Addo and Prof Mills were accompanied by their running mates, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia and Mr John Mahama, respectively, and the two pairs went through the filing exercise without any hitches.
However, when it was the turn of Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom and his running mate, Dr Abu Foster Sakara, who arrived at the EC at 3.15 p.m., what seemed to be a walk through for them suddenly turned into a battle.
The EC Chairman, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, who received the nomination forms for examination, after a temporary hold up, announced to the press that some of the people who had endorsed the nomination forms of the CPP flag bearer had not appended their signatures against their names.
He, therefore, asked Dr Nduom to correct the anomaly before the documents would be accepted.
However, for more than one hour that could not be done and the exercise had to be suspended temporarily, while the CPP flag bearer and some executives had to leave the room.
Dr Nduom and his entourage returned to the conference room later to present his nomination papers again to the Chairman of the EC.
Dr Afari-Gyan announced to the press that “after some delays in the proceedings, the commission has accepted the nominations of Dr Nduom”.
That was greeted with shouts from the supporters, and the brass band music that had died down came alive again.
Dr Afari-Gyan then declared the three aspirants — Nana Akufo-Addo, Prof Mills and Dr Nduom — as official candidates for Election 2008, barring any discrepancies to be detected later in their forms.
Although teeming supporters of both the NPP and the NDC were at the precincts of the EC, the filing of the papers and the period after that were peaceful, as policemen ensured that all the NPP supporters left the area before the NDC supporters arrived with their flag bearer.
The national chairmen and the general secretaries of the NDC and the NPP, Dr Kwabena Adjei and Mr Johnson Asiedu- Nketia, as well as Mr Peter Mac Manu and Nana Ohene Ntow, respectively, appended their signatures in support of their respective candidates.
Mr Amoafo-Yeboah’s entry into the offices of the EC was not marked with fanfare. He entered the EC premises in a solemn manner, followed by about 15 of his supporters.
Addressing the EC members, NPP officials and the press at the EC office just after the process, Nana Akufo-Addo described the process of filing the nominations as another milestone in the democratic development of the country.
He expressed confidence in the EC to organise clean and transparent elections but added that all stakeholders must lend their support in that direction.
The NPP candidate said the EC, under the chairmanship of Dr Afari-Gyan, had held elections which had always been an improvement over previous ones and expressed the hope that with the support of all Ghanaians another election success would be chalked up.
“Ghanaians deserve nothing less than good and credible elections,” he said, adding that such an achievement would “enhance our position as a beacon for Africa”.
Prof Mills, for his part, expressed optimism that Ghanaians would offer the NDC the opportunity to form the next government because the NPP had failed to live up to expectation.
He said Ghanaians were yearning for a change that would take them in a different direction from polarisation, end corruption, incompetence and promote the welfare of the ordinary person.
Prof Mills said one of the issues dearest to the heart of the NDC was how to ensure free, fair and transparent elections, saying, “It is our hope and prayer that together we will be able to do this great service to Mother Ghana.”
He said Ghana was the only country for Ghanaians and, therefore, anyone who wanted to rule in violence and fear was only courting disaster and urged all to ensure that there was peace before, during and after the elections.
Dr Nduom said the CPP had so far refrained from impugning the integrity of the EC because a credible commission would enable the country to organise acceptable polls.
He said the CPP was hopeful that the elections would be organised in a manner that would consolidate the independence of the country which the CPP fought hard to achieve.
NPP victory paramount — Vicky Bright
A Minister at the Office of the President, Ms Vicky Bright, has said victory for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the December polls is more important than the interest of any group or individual in the party.
She has, therefore, urged all individuals and groups who have differences with others in the party to bury the hatchet and forge ahead in unity to support the party’s flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the 230 parliamentary aspirants to register a resounding victory for the party.
Ms Bright, speaking to the Daily Graphic, after she had organised a get-together for some polling station executives within the Ablekuma South where she had wanted to contest the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP), Nana Akomea, but later gave up because of some differences and misunderstanding.
According to her, the get-together was aimed at ironing out all the differences that erupted before and after the selection of Nana Akomea, “after all, if we believe in the ideals of the founding fathers of our political tradition, we must always put the interest of the party first in everything we do”.
She said with the solid foundation laid by the Kufuor Administration, it would be suicidal to pursue individual interests to bring division to the party and cause it to lose the 2008 election.
She urged the people to use their energies not in fighting each other but to undertake door-to-door campaigns to reiterate the good work of the NPP within its first two terms, and the reason why Ghanaians stood to gain if they voted for the NPP and not the NDC.
Some of the polling station executive the Daily Graphic spoke to commended Ms Bright for the move to reconcile the foot soldiers of the party.
She has, therefore, urged all individuals and groups who have differences with others in the party to bury the hatchet and forge ahead in unity to support the party’s flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the 230 parliamentary aspirants to register a resounding victory for the party.
Ms Bright, speaking to the Daily Graphic, after she had organised a get-together for some polling station executives within the Ablekuma South where she had wanted to contest the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP), Nana Akomea, but later gave up because of some differences and misunderstanding.
According to her, the get-together was aimed at ironing out all the differences that erupted before and after the selection of Nana Akomea, “after all, if we believe in the ideals of the founding fathers of our political tradition, we must always put the interest of the party first in everything we do”.
She said with the solid foundation laid by the Kufuor Administration, it would be suicidal to pursue individual interests to bring division to the party and cause it to lose the 2008 election.
She urged the people to use their energies not in fighting each other but to undertake door-to-door campaigns to reiterate the good work of the NPP within its first two terms, and the reason why Ghanaians stood to gain if they voted for the NPP and not the NDC.
Some of the polling station executive the Daily Graphic spoke to commended Ms Bright for the move to reconcile the foot soldiers of the party.
Akufo-Addo's solution to crisis
NANA Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has called for urgent measures to insulate the country against the financial crisis that has hit the developed world.
He said because the developed world would be meeting as a body on the crisis, Ghana must also position itself so that it would not be overtaken by events after such a dialogue.
Nana Akufo-Addo was addressing the press in Accra yesterday on the financial crisis that has hit countries such as the USA, the UK and Canada, its impact on Ghana and how the nation should prepare to absorb the shocks.
As a first move, he said he was empanelling financial and economic experts to liaise with the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), financial service providers and other institutions representing the business community to monitor the crisis and offer solutions.
The experts, according to him, would also review a wide range of policy options as might be appropriate to help position the country to maintain economic stability during and after the crisis.
According to the NPP flag bearer, he epitomised the proactive leader who was fully aware of and prepared to offer solutions to the current world financial crisis because “we cannot sit down and wait to be overwhelmed by problems. Rather, we need to be proactive in anticipating and responding appropriately and in due time to challenges as they loom on the horizon”.
Nana Akufo-Addo said although the current NPP administration had managed the economy to be able to weather the storm better than most African countries, something extra would be needed beyond 2008 in addressing the challenges.
He said it was for that reason that he had suggested the moves.
He noted that because of the inability of institutions in the developed world to protect their economies from the shocks, the developed countries were bound to hold dialogue to explore new ideas for a brave new economic order, for which reason the developing world must make its voice heard and its concerns taken care of at such fora.
He said the NPP was committed to improving access to affordable housing for most Ghanaians, saying that banks in Ghana had, in recent times, increasingly been making mortgage loans an essential part of their portfolios.
Nana Akufo-Addo said the challenges emanating from the recklessness on the global mortgage market should be a great lesson for the Ghanaian mortgage sector, adding, “We should, thus, be determined to build in Ghana the kind of responsible credit culture that can also secure our necessary push from the Third World to the First World.”
He said the strong economic fundamentals established by the NPP administration had made the country withstand the major oil price hikes of up to $147 per barrel, which was in sharp contrast with how the economy virtually collapsed after a minor oil price hike of $36 per barrel in 1999 and 2000.
He said it was the irresponsible indulgence in hedging and speculation that had culminated in the current global financial crisis and reminded Ghanaians of how the National Democratic Congress (NDC) wanted Ghana to also indulge in such reckless hedging at the height of the world food and fuel price hikes.
Nana Akufo-Addo said the global financial crisis would definitely reduce remittances from our compatriots abroad, which had become a lifeline to many Ghanaians and their relatives, as well as the regeneration and development of towns and cities in the country.
He added that the world financial problem had brought to the fore the need for the country to wean itself from over- reliance on foreign support for its budget because most of those countries that supported Ghana were facing serious financial problems.
He said it was unacceptable for a country like Ghana that had attained 50 years of nationhood to continually rely on the magnanimity of the hard-earned taxes of people of other nations to support its budget, hence the decision by the NPP to reduce such over-reliance.
Nana Akufo-Addo said Africa and the West African sub-region could not afford to be bystanders and mere observers of history and that it was important that the ECOWAS and the African Union (AU) took upon themselves the immediate and daunting task of co-ordinating Africa’s collective response in defence of the interest of the African people.
He said because the developed world would be meeting as a body on the crisis, Ghana must also position itself so that it would not be overtaken by events after such a dialogue.
Nana Akufo-Addo was addressing the press in Accra yesterday on the financial crisis that has hit countries such as the USA, the UK and Canada, its impact on Ghana and how the nation should prepare to absorb the shocks.
As a first move, he said he was empanelling financial and economic experts to liaise with the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), financial service providers and other institutions representing the business community to monitor the crisis and offer solutions.
The experts, according to him, would also review a wide range of policy options as might be appropriate to help position the country to maintain economic stability during and after the crisis.
According to the NPP flag bearer, he epitomised the proactive leader who was fully aware of and prepared to offer solutions to the current world financial crisis because “we cannot sit down and wait to be overwhelmed by problems. Rather, we need to be proactive in anticipating and responding appropriately and in due time to challenges as they loom on the horizon”.
Nana Akufo-Addo said although the current NPP administration had managed the economy to be able to weather the storm better than most African countries, something extra would be needed beyond 2008 in addressing the challenges.
He said it was for that reason that he had suggested the moves.
He noted that because of the inability of institutions in the developed world to protect their economies from the shocks, the developed countries were bound to hold dialogue to explore new ideas for a brave new economic order, for which reason the developing world must make its voice heard and its concerns taken care of at such fora.
He said the NPP was committed to improving access to affordable housing for most Ghanaians, saying that banks in Ghana had, in recent times, increasingly been making mortgage loans an essential part of their portfolios.
Nana Akufo-Addo said the challenges emanating from the recklessness on the global mortgage market should be a great lesson for the Ghanaian mortgage sector, adding, “We should, thus, be determined to build in Ghana the kind of responsible credit culture that can also secure our necessary push from the Third World to the First World.”
He said the strong economic fundamentals established by the NPP administration had made the country withstand the major oil price hikes of up to $147 per barrel, which was in sharp contrast with how the economy virtually collapsed after a minor oil price hike of $36 per barrel in 1999 and 2000.
He said it was the irresponsible indulgence in hedging and speculation that had culminated in the current global financial crisis and reminded Ghanaians of how the National Democratic Congress (NDC) wanted Ghana to also indulge in such reckless hedging at the height of the world food and fuel price hikes.
Nana Akufo-Addo said the global financial crisis would definitely reduce remittances from our compatriots abroad, which had become a lifeline to many Ghanaians and their relatives, as well as the regeneration and development of towns and cities in the country.
He added that the world financial problem had brought to the fore the need for the country to wean itself from over- reliance on foreign support for its budget because most of those countries that supported Ghana were facing serious financial problems.
He said it was unacceptable for a country like Ghana that had attained 50 years of nationhood to continually rely on the magnanimity of the hard-earned taxes of people of other nations to support its budget, hence the decision by the NPP to reduce such over-reliance.
Nana Akufo-Addo said Africa and the West African sub-region could not afford to be bystanders and mere observers of history and that it was important that the ECOWAS and the African Union (AU) took upon themselves the immediate and daunting task of co-ordinating Africa’s collective response in defence of the interest of the African people.
NDC launches Manifesto
THE National Democratic Congress (NDC), at the weekend, put another foot forward in its bid to regain political power by the launch of a 98-page manifesto anchored on four thematic pillars.
Launching the document, which the party hopes would form the basis for governance should it win the 2008 elections, leading members, including some who had not been seen in public for sometime now, took turns to explain their pledge to provide Ghanaians with an honest, accountable and transparent government and a better life for all.
The key points in the manifesto, titled “A better Ghana: Investing in people, jobs and the economy”, are: Transparent and Accountable Governance; Strong Economy for Real Jobs; Investing in People; and Expanding Infrastructure for Growth.
Those who took turns to explain their meanings to the crowd included Mr Alban Sumani Bagbin, Minority Leader; Dr Christine Amoako-Nuamah, a former minister in the NDC government; Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, the NDC 2004 running mate; Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the party’s National Youth Organiser; Mr Steve Akufo, a former Deputy Minister in the NDC government and Mrs Betty-Mould Iddrisu of the Commonwealth Secretariat.
The grand occasion at the packed Round Pavilion of the Accra Trade Fair Centre was marked with pomp and pageantry, including poetry recitals, “borborbor” dancing, “jama” groups and songs by the Dansoman Methodist Youth Choir.
Launching the manifesto , the flag bearer of the NDC, Prof John Evans Atta Mills, observed that Ghanaians wanted a change because the country was in distress and moving in the wrong direction.
He said since 2001, when the NDC handed over political power to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), there had been a growing gap between the rich and the poor, rise in social exclusion and the country having been in the grips of multifaceted crisis caused by hardship, incompetence and systemic corruption.
He said the nation now had lost its sense of morality and could not distinguish what was wrong from right.
Prof Mills said the country needed a government that would tell the truth, was humble and would account to the people for its stewardship
He said the manifesto was developed out of the experience of the party’s experience in power, in opposition and his recent door-to-toor campaign, which involved the interaction with the electorate.
He said a manifesto was just a document and that if its ideas and vision would come to fruition, it depended on human beings. “Therefore if our nation is to move forward, human quality was important. We need people who are humble, honest, God-fearing and not vindictive and care for one another,” he added.
Prof Mills said the manifesto entailed a schedule of activities which would be done in phases.
He said within the first 100 days the NDC government would establish an efficient and effective government cutting out “extravagant, profligate and ostentatious spending”.
Speaking to a deafening applause from the party members, he added that his administration would also rationalise the ministries and ministerial appointments, offering clear signs to the people of Ghana that the pillars of the NDC would be built on integrity, service and commitment to honesty.
“Within the first 100 days of my government, we will review and recompose the membership of boards of state institutions to ensure that such membership were based on competence and expertise, cutting out familiar connections.”
He also promised to resource state institutions that were charged with protecting life and property to allow Ghanaians to go about the legitimate duty as well as take steps to remove the filth that had engulfed the nation.
He said under his administration, corruption would be punished to serve as deterrent to others and also as a means of guarding the scarce resources of the state for the development of its people “I would want us to leave a mark as a government whose members did not dip their hands into state coffers. I would want us to be remembered as a government that was not vindictive and did not engage in selective justice but clamped down heavily on drug trade”.
Prof Mills, referring to the first stanza of the national anthem, said “God bless our homeland Ghana” and also help the people in the NDC to stand fearlessly for honesty, allow them to fight for those who had been socially excluded, and those marginalised. “This is a call of action to you to change Ghana.”
He promised to provide a leadership which is sincere and God-fearing, which, according to him, were the prerequisite to make Ghana better.
He ended his launch speech with the acknowledgement of the immense contribution of former President J.J. Rawlings and the foot soldiers of the party in making the NDC what it was today for they were people “who have stuck with us through thick and thin. Come January 7, 2009, Atta Mills and the NDC will be sworn in”.
In his remark before introducing Prof Mills, Mr John Dramani Mahama, the party’s running mate, said an NDC government would establish a Manifesto Oversight Body at the Presidency, which would monitor the development process against the promises in the party’s manifesto.
He said such a body would make its annual report public for Ghanaians to compare and contrast with what the NDC government had done against its promises.
He described the party’s manifesto as focused, achievable, realistic and people-based, which also sought to share the nation’s resources equitably among all Ghanaians.
He said Ghanaians were more discerning than ever and that they could easily distinguish between empty promises and achievable ones and added that the NDC’s manifesto would not pledge a first world status for Ghana when the nation was engulfed in filth, while at the same time simple traffic lights were not working.
Mr Mahama said what the NDC was promising was a major assault on poverty, which was crippling the nation and this would be done through prudent management of the economy.
He explained that under the circumstances, whereas as the NPP government was claiming that all the economic indicators were favourable, all the major social human development indicators were going towards the wrong direction.
Mr Mahama, whose speech was interspersed with cut calls of “Obama, Obama” from the crowd, described corruption as one of the major constraints of the nation’s development process and said as part of the moves to fight the canker of corruption, the NDC would establish the Office of Independent Fraud Investigator, which will be independent of the Attorney General’s Office and the Ministry of Justice but with the powers to initiate prosecution on its own.
He said the party would also amend the 1992 Constitution to review the authority of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), for the commission not to require complaints before initiating investigations and also have the power to investigate allegations of corruption without requesting for evidence from the complainant.
Launching the document, which the party hopes would form the basis for governance should it win the 2008 elections, leading members, including some who had not been seen in public for sometime now, took turns to explain their pledge to provide Ghanaians with an honest, accountable and transparent government and a better life for all.
The key points in the manifesto, titled “A better Ghana: Investing in people, jobs and the economy”, are: Transparent and Accountable Governance; Strong Economy for Real Jobs; Investing in People; and Expanding Infrastructure for Growth.
Those who took turns to explain their meanings to the crowd included Mr Alban Sumani Bagbin, Minority Leader; Dr Christine Amoako-Nuamah, a former minister in the NDC government; Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, the NDC 2004 running mate; Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the party’s National Youth Organiser; Mr Steve Akufo, a former Deputy Minister in the NDC government and Mrs Betty-Mould Iddrisu of the Commonwealth Secretariat.
The grand occasion at the packed Round Pavilion of the Accra Trade Fair Centre was marked with pomp and pageantry, including poetry recitals, “borborbor” dancing, “jama” groups and songs by the Dansoman Methodist Youth Choir.
Launching the manifesto , the flag bearer of the NDC, Prof John Evans Atta Mills, observed that Ghanaians wanted a change because the country was in distress and moving in the wrong direction.
He said since 2001, when the NDC handed over political power to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), there had been a growing gap between the rich and the poor, rise in social exclusion and the country having been in the grips of multifaceted crisis caused by hardship, incompetence and systemic corruption.
He said the nation now had lost its sense of morality and could not distinguish what was wrong from right.
Prof Mills said the country needed a government that would tell the truth, was humble and would account to the people for its stewardship
He said the manifesto was developed out of the experience of the party’s experience in power, in opposition and his recent door-to-toor campaign, which involved the interaction with the electorate.
He said a manifesto was just a document and that if its ideas and vision would come to fruition, it depended on human beings. “Therefore if our nation is to move forward, human quality was important. We need people who are humble, honest, God-fearing and not vindictive and care for one another,” he added.
Prof Mills said the manifesto entailed a schedule of activities which would be done in phases.
He said within the first 100 days the NDC government would establish an efficient and effective government cutting out “extravagant, profligate and ostentatious spending”.
Speaking to a deafening applause from the party members, he added that his administration would also rationalise the ministries and ministerial appointments, offering clear signs to the people of Ghana that the pillars of the NDC would be built on integrity, service and commitment to honesty.
“Within the first 100 days of my government, we will review and recompose the membership of boards of state institutions to ensure that such membership were based on competence and expertise, cutting out familiar connections.”
He also promised to resource state institutions that were charged with protecting life and property to allow Ghanaians to go about the legitimate duty as well as take steps to remove the filth that had engulfed the nation.
He said under his administration, corruption would be punished to serve as deterrent to others and also as a means of guarding the scarce resources of the state for the development of its people “I would want us to leave a mark as a government whose members did not dip their hands into state coffers. I would want us to be remembered as a government that was not vindictive and did not engage in selective justice but clamped down heavily on drug trade”.
Prof Mills, referring to the first stanza of the national anthem, said “God bless our homeland Ghana” and also help the people in the NDC to stand fearlessly for honesty, allow them to fight for those who had been socially excluded, and those marginalised. “This is a call of action to you to change Ghana.”
He promised to provide a leadership which is sincere and God-fearing, which, according to him, were the prerequisite to make Ghana better.
He ended his launch speech with the acknowledgement of the immense contribution of former President J.J. Rawlings and the foot soldiers of the party in making the NDC what it was today for they were people “who have stuck with us through thick and thin. Come January 7, 2009, Atta Mills and the NDC will be sworn in”.
In his remark before introducing Prof Mills, Mr John Dramani Mahama, the party’s running mate, said an NDC government would establish a Manifesto Oversight Body at the Presidency, which would monitor the development process against the promises in the party’s manifesto.
He said such a body would make its annual report public for Ghanaians to compare and contrast with what the NDC government had done against its promises.
He described the party’s manifesto as focused, achievable, realistic and people-based, which also sought to share the nation’s resources equitably among all Ghanaians.
He said Ghanaians were more discerning than ever and that they could easily distinguish between empty promises and achievable ones and added that the NDC’s manifesto would not pledge a first world status for Ghana when the nation was engulfed in filth, while at the same time simple traffic lights were not working.
Mr Mahama said what the NDC was promising was a major assault on poverty, which was crippling the nation and this would be done through prudent management of the economy.
He explained that under the circumstances, whereas as the NPP government was claiming that all the economic indicators were favourable, all the major social human development indicators were going towards the wrong direction.
Mr Mahama, whose speech was interspersed with cut calls of “Obama, Obama” from the crowd, described corruption as one of the major constraints of the nation’s development process and said as part of the moves to fight the canker of corruption, the NDC would establish the Office of Independent Fraud Investigator, which will be independent of the Attorney General’s Office and the Ministry of Justice but with the powers to initiate prosecution on its own.
He said the party would also amend the 1992 Constitution to review the authority of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), for the commission not to require complaints before initiating investigations and also have the power to investigate allegations of corruption without requesting for evidence from the complainant.
NPP sure of winning polls — Akufo-Addo
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag bearer, has said the NPP is sure of winning the December polls because of its unprecedented track record of developing the nation as well as the attainment of economic stability under the NPP.
He said President J.A. Kufuor had laid a solid foundation for the development of the nation, and that what was needed was another NPP Administration to build the structure for Ghanaians to experience a better condition of life.
Nana Akufo-Addo was addressing party supporters in Accra as part of his Greater Accra Regional campaign tour.
In the company of some leading members of the party, including Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, Mr Alan Kyerematen, Ms Vicki Bright and Mr Lord Commey, the NPP flag bearer held rallies and whistle stops at Obom Domeabra, Trobo Amasama and Ablekuma South constituencies. He also introduced the parliamentary aspirants for the three constituencies.
One unique feature of the tour was that the flag bearer, some reporters and party supporters were in one bus throughout the tour of about 10 places. According to some party members, the move was to cut down on the fleet of cars that form the campaign convoy.
Nana Akufo-Addo said that the next NPP government would find the resources to make senior high school education free.
“Just as we managed the economy prudently to get resources to fianance free education at the basic level, we will do same to ensure that all Ghanaians, rich or poor have quality secondary education. We have the track record”, he said.
Nana Akufo-Addo, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Akim Abuakwa South, said when the NPP announced that it was going to make basic education free, some doubting Thomases questioned how the Kufuor Administration would be able to fund such programme, but it had been able to achieve that.
He said the NPP believed that education was the best way of reducing poverty and of empowering the people to realise their God given talents to help in the achievement of a first world status for Ghana.
“There should not be any excuse whatsoever for any Ghanaian child not to benefit from secondary education. Whether their parents are rich or poor, there should not be any hindrance in benefiting from secondary education”, he added.
He said it was for that reason that the NPP administration was working assiduously to ensure that the Ghanaian youth were provided with the opportunity to also unleash their talents to help develop the nation”
The NPP flag bearer advised Ghanaians to be wary of politicians who played the ethnic card to score political points.
He described such politicians as being a threat to national unity, and enemies of progress, who must not be voted for.
He also appealed to the supporters of the NPP to be decorous in their campaign message, refrain from the use of abusive and intemperate language.
Mr Osafo-Maafo expressed surprise that after castigating the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the School Feeding Programme and the Metro Mass Transit System, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in their manifesto was proposing to continue their implementation when they won power.
He said this was a clear manifestation that the NDC lacked ideas, and therefore could not be trusted with the management of the country.
Mr Kyerematen urged party members to wholeheartedly welcome members of the other political parties who had realised the good works of the NPP.
He said President J.A. Kufuor had laid a solid foundation for the development of the nation, and that what was needed was another NPP Administration to build the structure for Ghanaians to experience a better condition of life.
Nana Akufo-Addo was addressing party supporters in Accra as part of his Greater Accra Regional campaign tour.
In the company of some leading members of the party, including Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, Mr Alan Kyerematen, Ms Vicki Bright and Mr Lord Commey, the NPP flag bearer held rallies and whistle stops at Obom Domeabra, Trobo Amasama and Ablekuma South constituencies. He also introduced the parliamentary aspirants for the three constituencies.
One unique feature of the tour was that the flag bearer, some reporters and party supporters were in one bus throughout the tour of about 10 places. According to some party members, the move was to cut down on the fleet of cars that form the campaign convoy.
Nana Akufo-Addo said that the next NPP government would find the resources to make senior high school education free.
“Just as we managed the economy prudently to get resources to fianance free education at the basic level, we will do same to ensure that all Ghanaians, rich or poor have quality secondary education. We have the track record”, he said.
Nana Akufo-Addo, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Akim Abuakwa South, said when the NPP announced that it was going to make basic education free, some doubting Thomases questioned how the Kufuor Administration would be able to fund such programme, but it had been able to achieve that.
He said the NPP believed that education was the best way of reducing poverty and of empowering the people to realise their God given talents to help in the achievement of a first world status for Ghana.
“There should not be any excuse whatsoever for any Ghanaian child not to benefit from secondary education. Whether their parents are rich or poor, there should not be any hindrance in benefiting from secondary education”, he added.
He said it was for that reason that the NPP administration was working assiduously to ensure that the Ghanaian youth were provided with the opportunity to also unleash their talents to help develop the nation”
The NPP flag bearer advised Ghanaians to be wary of politicians who played the ethnic card to score political points.
He described such politicians as being a threat to national unity, and enemies of progress, who must not be voted for.
He also appealed to the supporters of the NPP to be decorous in their campaign message, refrain from the use of abusive and intemperate language.
Mr Osafo-Maafo expressed surprise that after castigating the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the School Feeding Programme and the Metro Mass Transit System, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in their manifesto was proposing to continue their implementation when they won power.
He said this was a clear manifestation that the NDC lacked ideas, and therefore could not be trusted with the management of the country.
Mr Kyerematen urged party members to wholeheartedly welcome members of the other political parties who had realised the good works of the NPP.
Former Chairman DFP resigns
the former Chairman of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Alhaji Abdul Rahman Isakah, has resigned from the party.
“My reasons for resigning from the DFP are personal. This decision does not, however, imply that I have resigned from active politics,” he stated in statement to the press.
Alhaji Isakah, who said his future political activities would be communicated to the general public at a later date, thanked the DFP, the media and the general public for the support and the opportunity given him.
Alhaji Isakah was the interim National Chairman of the DFP and he also contested the flagbeareship position of the party, losing to the current DFP flag bearer, Mr Emmanuel Ansah-Antwi.
Later in an interview with the Daily Graphic, Alhaji Isakah said currently he was consulting with his followers in the DFP on the next step to take but added that there was no problem between him and other members of the party.
He, however, ruled out any move to lure his following to also resign en bloc with him.
He said he had remained inactive since the party’s congress because he realised that his oil marketing business “was going down”.
“My reasons for resigning from the DFP are personal. This decision does not, however, imply that I have resigned from active politics,” he stated in statement to the press.
Alhaji Isakah, who said his future political activities would be communicated to the general public at a later date, thanked the DFP, the media and the general public for the support and the opportunity given him.
Alhaji Isakah was the interim National Chairman of the DFP and he also contested the flagbeareship position of the party, losing to the current DFP flag bearer, Mr Emmanuel Ansah-Antwi.
Later in an interview with the Daily Graphic, Alhaji Isakah said currently he was consulting with his followers in the DFP on the next step to take but added that there was no problem between him and other members of the party.
He, however, ruled out any move to lure his following to also resign en bloc with him.
He said he had remained inactive since the party’s congress because he realised that his oil marketing business “was going down”.
Parties have no basis to complain •flag bearer of NVP
The flag bearer and the founder of the New Vision Party (NVP), Prophet Daniel Nkansah, has said other presidential and parliamentary aspirants “have no basis to complain about the filing fees being charged by the Electoral Commission (EC).”
He said any serious political party organising people across the country to solicit their votes and win general election must be able to raise GH¢5,000 to register a presidential candidate, adding that “I am even ready to pay GH¢ 100,000”.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic at his party’s headquarters in Atico near Odorkor in Accra, Prophet Nkansah reminded the political parties that they must bear in mind that if they obtained 25 per cent of the valid votes cast the EC would refund the fees paid.
He said if the political parties believed in winning the elections they should not be worried about the amount.
A fortnight ago all the four political parties with representation in Parliament kicked against the filing fees announced by the EC for presidential and parliamentary candidates for the December polls.
Their argument was that the GH¢5,000 for presidential candidates and GH¢500 for parliamentary candidates were prohibitive.
The parties are the National Democratic (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the People’s National Convention (PNC).
According to them, the EC was a state-funded institution that did not need the filing fees to run its operations for the December polls.
Another argument against the fees was the fact that the matter had not been discussed by the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC).
Prophet Nkansah said he did not understand why old political parties, which claimed to be well-rooted in every nook and cranny of the country and were able to pay between Gh¢10,000 and Gh¢ 15,000 for their primaries were expressing resentment about what the EC was charging.
Concerning his running mate, Prophet Nkansah who had always claimed that the activities of his party were following the direction of God, however said “I will chose a Muslim as my running mate, based on claims by some Ghanaians that the party is for Christians alone.”
He said the person to be chosen must be God-fearing, responsible and ready to serve Ghanaians at all times.
He also added that the party executives were putting finishing touches to the party’s manifesto which would be launched in two weeks’ time.
Prophet Nkansah explained that the manifesto would primarily show how the party intended to create jobs for Ghanaians, modernise agriculture and improve education and health delivery.
He said any serious political party organising people across the country to solicit their votes and win general election must be able to raise GH¢5,000 to register a presidential candidate, adding that “I am even ready to pay GH¢ 100,000”.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic at his party’s headquarters in Atico near Odorkor in Accra, Prophet Nkansah reminded the political parties that they must bear in mind that if they obtained 25 per cent of the valid votes cast the EC would refund the fees paid.
He said if the political parties believed in winning the elections they should not be worried about the amount.
A fortnight ago all the four political parties with representation in Parliament kicked against the filing fees announced by the EC for presidential and parliamentary candidates for the December polls.
Their argument was that the GH¢5,000 for presidential candidates and GH¢500 for parliamentary candidates were prohibitive.
The parties are the National Democratic (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the People’s National Convention (PNC).
According to them, the EC was a state-funded institution that did not need the filing fees to run its operations for the December polls.
Another argument against the fees was the fact that the matter had not been discussed by the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC).
Prophet Nkansah said he did not understand why old political parties, which claimed to be well-rooted in every nook and cranny of the country and were able to pay between Gh¢10,000 and Gh¢ 15,000 for their primaries were expressing resentment about what the EC was charging.
Concerning his running mate, Prophet Nkansah who had always claimed that the activities of his party were following the direction of God, however said “I will chose a Muslim as my running mate, based on claims by some Ghanaians that the party is for Christians alone.”
He said the person to be chosen must be God-fearing, responsible and ready to serve Ghanaians at all times.
He also added that the party executives were putting finishing touches to the party’s manifesto which would be launched in two weeks’ time.
Prophet Nkansah explained that the manifesto would primarily show how the party intended to create jobs for Ghanaians, modernise agriculture and improve education and health delivery.
Parties to chose running mate
With four days to filing of nominations, a number of political parties which are yet to choose their respective running mate are under pressure to nominate a candidate in order to meet the deadline.
The parties are the People’s National Convention (PNC), The Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), the Democratic Popular party (DPP) and the New Vision Party (NVP). Mr Kwesi Amoafo-Yeboah, an independent presidential aspirant, told the Daily Graphic that he would disclose the name of his running mate today.
The Electoral Commission has fixed October 16 and 17 for all political parties and independent candidates to file their nomination to contest the December election.
This morning, the 45-member National Executive Committee of the People’s National Convention will hold an emergency meeting to select a running mate for the party.
The flag bearer of the party, Dr Edward Mahama, is presenting three names, one of whom would be a woman, to the NEC for consideration.
If elected, the party’s running mate would be introduced tomorrow at a press conference where the party would also formally announce the launch of its campaign as well as the outdooring of the running mate to wrest political power come December.
Dr Mahama told the Daily Graphic that the names he was presenting to the committee were “classified until NEC meets to deliberate and choose the right person.”
He said he was looking for the personal and political criteria of the individual and that his foremost consideration was somebody who had an attitude of a “servant leadership” because as President of the nation “I will be the chief servant of Ghana.”
Dr Mahama said whilst one of his priority was gender, his running mate must also have integrity, be dedicated and committed to the welfare of the party as well as national development aspiration.
He said his party aimed at bringing equity, fair play and equal distribution of resources to the governance of the country.
According to the party’s General Secretary, Mr Bernard Mornah, the party was solid on the ground and looked forward to making a big impact in the December poll.
He said the party’s strategy was not to organise big rallies but to disseminate its message to individuals, professionals and identifiable groupings, including market women and artisans.
He said that the party had completed a campaign tour of the three northern regions, which he described as very successful, with the party’s flag bearer talking about peace and health.
He indicated that if elected into government, the PNC would expand the National Health Insurance Scheme.
The flag bearer of the Democratic Freedom Party, Mr Emmanuel Asanti-Antwi, also indicated that he was presenting two names to the NEC of his party for consideration tomorrow (Tuesday). He disclosed the names to the Daily Graphic but requested that they were kept on hold until the NEC decided finally.
He gave the assurance that the party was on course, working within schedule, and would meet the Electoral Commission’s deadlines.
He disclosed that the party would launch its manifesto on October 19, soon after it had filed its nomination with the EC.
The presidential aspirant of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Mr Dan Lartey, reiterated that his running mate would only be known when he filed his nomination on Thursday or Friday.
“I as the president will run the show and not the running mate; After all what is the running mate bringing on board”, he enquired.
Assigning reasons for the decision, the GCPP flag bearer said he was informed by past developments, where other political parties on the country’s political scene employed intrigues to encourage his running mate and other leading members of the party to resign their positions immediately he made their names public.
“ All that I want is a Ghanaian, be he or she a Muslim or Christian or from the northern or southern belt of the country,” Mr Lartey said.
The flag bearer of the Reformed Patriotic Democrat (RPD), Mr Kwabena Adjei, also said the party would announce its running mate in Accra today (Monday).
He made it clear that the party had been restricted to consider only males “because it was difficult to get the interest of females above 40 years.”
The New Vision Party (NVP), according to its National Chairman, Apostle Joel Aaron-King, had also settled on a running mate to pair Prophet Daniel Nkansah, the party’s flag bearer.
He said the National Executive Committee would meet today (Monday) to affirm the nominee as well as outdoor him in Accra.
Currently, he said the party executives were moving round the country to collect electoral particulars for the party’s presidential aspirant to file his nomination.
The DPP leader told the Daily Graphic in a telephone interview that he had settled on one Mr Francis Smith, a tax consultant.
He said Mr Smith was chosen because he was a God-fearing, honest and qualified to stand in when the president was away.
Efforts to reach the United Renaissance Party (URP), under the leadership of Mr Charles Kofi Wayo and the leaders of National Reformed Party and the Every Ghanaians Living Everywhere proved futile.
So far, three political parties, National Democratic Congress, New Patriotic Party and the Convention People’s Party have selected their running mates in the persons of Mr John Mahama, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Dr Abu Foster Sakara, respectively.
The parties are the People’s National Convention (PNC), The Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), the Democratic Popular party (DPP) and the New Vision Party (NVP). Mr Kwesi Amoafo-Yeboah, an independent presidential aspirant, told the Daily Graphic that he would disclose the name of his running mate today.
The Electoral Commission has fixed October 16 and 17 for all political parties and independent candidates to file their nomination to contest the December election.
This morning, the 45-member National Executive Committee of the People’s National Convention will hold an emergency meeting to select a running mate for the party.
The flag bearer of the party, Dr Edward Mahama, is presenting three names, one of whom would be a woman, to the NEC for consideration.
If elected, the party’s running mate would be introduced tomorrow at a press conference where the party would also formally announce the launch of its campaign as well as the outdooring of the running mate to wrest political power come December.
Dr Mahama told the Daily Graphic that the names he was presenting to the committee were “classified until NEC meets to deliberate and choose the right person.”
He said he was looking for the personal and political criteria of the individual and that his foremost consideration was somebody who had an attitude of a “servant leadership” because as President of the nation “I will be the chief servant of Ghana.”
Dr Mahama said whilst one of his priority was gender, his running mate must also have integrity, be dedicated and committed to the welfare of the party as well as national development aspiration.
He said his party aimed at bringing equity, fair play and equal distribution of resources to the governance of the country.
According to the party’s General Secretary, Mr Bernard Mornah, the party was solid on the ground and looked forward to making a big impact in the December poll.
He said the party’s strategy was not to organise big rallies but to disseminate its message to individuals, professionals and identifiable groupings, including market women and artisans.
He said that the party had completed a campaign tour of the three northern regions, which he described as very successful, with the party’s flag bearer talking about peace and health.
He indicated that if elected into government, the PNC would expand the National Health Insurance Scheme.
The flag bearer of the Democratic Freedom Party, Mr Emmanuel Asanti-Antwi, also indicated that he was presenting two names to the NEC of his party for consideration tomorrow (Tuesday). He disclosed the names to the Daily Graphic but requested that they were kept on hold until the NEC decided finally.
He gave the assurance that the party was on course, working within schedule, and would meet the Electoral Commission’s deadlines.
He disclosed that the party would launch its manifesto on October 19, soon after it had filed its nomination with the EC.
The presidential aspirant of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Mr Dan Lartey, reiterated that his running mate would only be known when he filed his nomination on Thursday or Friday.
“I as the president will run the show and not the running mate; After all what is the running mate bringing on board”, he enquired.
Assigning reasons for the decision, the GCPP flag bearer said he was informed by past developments, where other political parties on the country’s political scene employed intrigues to encourage his running mate and other leading members of the party to resign their positions immediately he made their names public.
“ All that I want is a Ghanaian, be he or she a Muslim or Christian or from the northern or southern belt of the country,” Mr Lartey said.
The flag bearer of the Reformed Patriotic Democrat (RPD), Mr Kwabena Adjei, also said the party would announce its running mate in Accra today (Monday).
He made it clear that the party had been restricted to consider only males “because it was difficult to get the interest of females above 40 years.”
The New Vision Party (NVP), according to its National Chairman, Apostle Joel Aaron-King, had also settled on a running mate to pair Prophet Daniel Nkansah, the party’s flag bearer.
He said the National Executive Committee would meet today (Monday) to affirm the nominee as well as outdoor him in Accra.
Currently, he said the party executives were moving round the country to collect electoral particulars for the party’s presidential aspirant to file his nomination.
The DPP leader told the Daily Graphic in a telephone interview that he had settled on one Mr Francis Smith, a tax consultant.
He said Mr Smith was chosen because he was a God-fearing, honest and qualified to stand in when the president was away.
Efforts to reach the United Renaissance Party (URP), under the leadership of Mr Charles Kofi Wayo and the leaders of National Reformed Party and the Every Ghanaians Living Everywhere proved futile.
So far, three political parties, National Democratic Congress, New Patriotic Party and the Convention People’s Party have selected their running mates in the persons of Mr John Mahama, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Dr Abu Foster Sakara, respectively.
PNC choses Petra
A 49-year old female today became the first woman to be given the nod by People’s National Convention (PNC) to be its running mate to contest this years election.
Ms Petra Maria Amegashie, who had wanted to contest the 2008 election as an independent presidential candidate would pair Dr Edward Mahama to lead the PNC in the general election.
According to Dr Mahama, he decided on a female because, women as mothers were good managers both at home and everywhere, therefore it was high time they were given the opportunity to be in the presidency.
“It not because she is a woman, but we know that women, especially Ghanaian women are capable and qualified. We are taking example from Briton where Margaret Thacher led the whole country into war as well as the excellent work being done by Ms Sirleaf Johnson in Liberia”, he added.
Dr Mahama as a Christian who comes from the north s predominantly Muslim commmunity, he went for a Christian woman to balance the PNC ticket.
Ms Amegashie who hails from the Volta Region according to the flag bearer is a courageuous women, who could step forward, picked forms from the Electoral Commission to vie for the 2008 elections as an independent president candidate”.
He said his running make, beleived in improving the lot of Ghanaians especially the poor and the vulnerable and “this made it easy for us to agree politically.”
Regarding her personality, Dr Mahama said “only time will tell but I beleive that she has an affable personality, charming and posseses presidentail personality”.
Ms Amegashie, who was described by Dr Mahama as a “catholic evangelist” was the special assistatant to the CEO of Baywater Contract Minining with additional responsibility of translating all communication from all francopone countries from 2004 to 2006.
From 2001 to 2004, she was the Cordinator for Misso Ad Gentes (Evangelisationa of the People), a programme organised from Rome for the Episcopical Conference in Africa, she has also had a stint with Ghana News Agency as a reporter from 1986 to 1987 as a national service person.
Ms Petra Maria Amegashie, who had wanted to contest the 2008 election as an independent presidential candidate would pair Dr Edward Mahama to lead the PNC in the general election.
According to Dr Mahama, he decided on a female because, women as mothers were good managers both at home and everywhere, therefore it was high time they were given the opportunity to be in the presidency.
“It not because she is a woman, but we know that women, especially Ghanaian women are capable and qualified. We are taking example from Briton where Margaret Thacher led the whole country into war as well as the excellent work being done by Ms Sirleaf Johnson in Liberia”, he added.
Dr Mahama as a Christian who comes from the north s predominantly Muslim commmunity, he went for a Christian woman to balance the PNC ticket.
Ms Amegashie who hails from the Volta Region according to the flag bearer is a courageuous women, who could step forward, picked forms from the Electoral Commission to vie for the 2008 elections as an independent president candidate”.
He said his running make, beleived in improving the lot of Ghanaians especially the poor and the vulnerable and “this made it easy for us to agree politically.”
Regarding her personality, Dr Mahama said “only time will tell but I beleive that she has an affable personality, charming and posseses presidentail personality”.
Ms Amegashie, who was described by Dr Mahama as a “catholic evangelist” was the special assistatant to the CEO of Baywater Contract Minining with additional responsibility of translating all communication from all francopone countries from 2004 to 2006.
From 2001 to 2004, she was the Cordinator for Misso Ad Gentes (Evangelisationa of the People), a programme organised from Rome for the Episcopical Conference in Africa, she has also had a stint with Ghana News Agency as a reporter from 1986 to 1987 as a national service person.
NPP to make life better for women — Mrs Akufo-Addo
Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, the wife of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has said the NPP would continue to make the issue and welfare of the youth and women its priority when it forms the next government.
She said most of the policies of the NPP would always be geared towards making life better for women and the youth to realise their full potential in order to contribute to the advancement of the nation.
Mrs Akufo-Addo was speaking at the dedication of the refurbished old national headquarters of the party at Kokomlemle, as the headquarters of the youth and women’s wing of the NPP in Accra.
She named some of the opportunities as the provision and expansion of educational facilities, employment opportunities, free maternal and anti-natal care, school feeding programme, free bussing for pupils, Capitation Grant, among others.
“Under the NPP, the fear accompanying the blessing of pregnancy had been removed with the free maternal and anti-natal care and after birth the child would also benefit from free education” she said.
Mrs Akufo-Addo added that the Kufuor Administration had witnessed an unprecedented number of women attaining their highest position of national life, adding that all these would be enhanced under Nana Akufo-Addo’s Administration.
She said aside all these achievements, some challenges remained but with the foundation established, the problem hindering the advancement of women would be surmounted under Nana Akufo-Addo.
Touching on the press, she said the party believed that the individual and the press must be free to express their views about issues without let or hindrance, hence the unprecedented freedom that the press was enjoying.
Mrs Akufo-Addo who described the women and youth wings of the party as the main pillars that had contributed to the success story of the NPP also commended them for their zeal and steadfastness.
Ms Vicki Bright, a Minister of State at the Presidency, urged the women and youth to continue preaching the good work of the NPP administration to Ghanaians as a means to canvass vote to ensure that the party had a resounding victory.
She said the records spoke for themselves, Ghanaians could feel the good policies of the government in the form of the NHIS, School Feeding Programme, Capitation Grant, unfettered freedom of the individual and the press, but they must preach them to prevent their opponents from diluting them.
She said most of the policies of the NPP would always be geared towards making life better for women and the youth to realise their full potential in order to contribute to the advancement of the nation.
Mrs Akufo-Addo was speaking at the dedication of the refurbished old national headquarters of the party at Kokomlemle, as the headquarters of the youth and women’s wing of the NPP in Accra.
She named some of the opportunities as the provision and expansion of educational facilities, employment opportunities, free maternal and anti-natal care, school feeding programme, free bussing for pupils, Capitation Grant, among others.
“Under the NPP, the fear accompanying the blessing of pregnancy had been removed with the free maternal and anti-natal care and after birth the child would also benefit from free education” she said.
Mrs Akufo-Addo added that the Kufuor Administration had witnessed an unprecedented number of women attaining their highest position of national life, adding that all these would be enhanced under Nana Akufo-Addo’s Administration.
She said aside all these achievements, some challenges remained but with the foundation established, the problem hindering the advancement of women would be surmounted under Nana Akufo-Addo.
Touching on the press, she said the party believed that the individual and the press must be free to express their views about issues without let or hindrance, hence the unprecedented freedom that the press was enjoying.
Mrs Akufo-Addo who described the women and youth wings of the party as the main pillars that had contributed to the success story of the NPP also commended them for their zeal and steadfastness.
Ms Vicki Bright, a Minister of State at the Presidency, urged the women and youth to continue preaching the good work of the NPP administration to Ghanaians as a means to canvass vote to ensure that the party had a resounding victory.
She said the records spoke for themselves, Ghanaians could feel the good policies of the government in the form of the NHIS, School Feeding Programme, Capitation Grant, unfettered freedom of the individual and the press, but they must preach them to prevent their opponents from diluting them.
NDC lacks original ideas — Mac Manu
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has asked Ghanaians not to risk their future by returning the NDC to power.
“The fact that the NDC was the first political party to elect its flag bearer nearly two years ago, and yet the last major political party to launch its manifesto suggests that the NDC either lacks original ideas or has a sense of inertia.
This presages how the party would approach the problems of the country if they are elected, Mr Peter Mac Manu, the National Chairman of the NPP, said this at a press conference in Accra yesterday.
Addressing the press on why NPP had the best programme for Ghana, he described the NDC as a party that could not blaze the trail in anything and therefore “ cannot lead in solving national problems.”
He said instead of telling Ghanaians about their plans, the flag bearer, National Chairman and founder of the NDC, Prof J.E.A. Mills, Dr Kwabena Adjei and Mr J.J. Rawlings, respectively made statements inconsistent with the facts and were also insincere.
Mr Mac Manu said while in one breath the NDC was discrediting the policies of the NPP, both implemented and in the manifesto, it was at the same time promising to continue with those policies with little tinkering.
He mentioned some of the policies as the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), School Feeding Programme, Metro Mass Transit System and the Northern Ghana Development Fund.
He also pointed out that some of the inaccuracies in the NDC manifesto was that growth in 2007 was 6.3 per cent and not 5.8 per cent, the current national debt at the end of June was Ghc 7.8 billion,and not 91 trillion cedis as the NDC claims.
“What is important is the size of the nation’s debt as compared to the size of the economy. Under the NPP, that had fallen from 189 per cent of GDP under the NDC to 48 per cent”, the NPP National Chairman added.
He explained that the NDC’s pledge to introduce a one-time premium instead of the annual premium, charges normally associated with insurance schemes would endanger the scheme and render it cash strapped.
“They now say they will maintain the NYEP which Mr John Mahama, the NPP running mate, has said the NDC would phase out with minor tinkering. Timidity and insincerity. They now say they will continue the Metro Mass Transit System, which they have repeatedly criticised, with minor modifications. Timidity and insincerity” he said.
He said when Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the NPP flag bearer, pledged a one billion Northern Regional Development Fund, Mr John Mahama ridiculed it but the NDC had copied the concept but given it a different name, Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA).
Mr Mac Manu said according to the NDC’s own projections, their plan would get Ghana to middle income status, GDP of $ 1,000, until 2020, while on the other hand, according to figures from the World Bank and Bank of Ghana, among others, per capita GDP which was $270 in 2000 rose to $ 677 in 2007, under the NPP and was on course to reach $1,000 in 2012.
“With the GDP now at $717 per annum, the NPP and the hardworking people of Ghana have added $447 in the last seven years. The NDC wants Ghanaians to wait for 12 more years to add $ 300 to our per capita income” he added.
He said the NDC’s impressive management of the economy had earned the country debt forgiveness, Millennium Challenge Account, the over-suscription of Ghana’s sovereign bond issue and the desiganation of Ghana as one of the best places to do business.
He expressed worry about the introduction of former military capos by former President Rawlings, and that the former president appears to miss the days when governments were changed with bullets, and not ballots, adding that Ghanaians wanted democracy.
Mr Mac Mann debunked the claim by the NDC that there was growing inequalities and social exclusion in Ghana since 2001.
He said the poverty rate had fallen from 39.2 per cent to 28 per cent, minimum wage had nearly quadrupled and workers in general were being chased by banks with loans for the first time in the nation’s history.
“The fact that the NDC was the first political party to elect its flag bearer nearly two years ago, and yet the last major political party to launch its manifesto suggests that the NDC either lacks original ideas or has a sense of inertia.
This presages how the party would approach the problems of the country if they are elected, Mr Peter Mac Manu, the National Chairman of the NPP, said this at a press conference in Accra yesterday.
Addressing the press on why NPP had the best programme for Ghana, he described the NDC as a party that could not blaze the trail in anything and therefore “ cannot lead in solving national problems.”
He said instead of telling Ghanaians about their plans, the flag bearer, National Chairman and founder of the NDC, Prof J.E.A. Mills, Dr Kwabena Adjei and Mr J.J. Rawlings, respectively made statements inconsistent with the facts and were also insincere.
Mr Mac Manu said while in one breath the NDC was discrediting the policies of the NPP, both implemented and in the manifesto, it was at the same time promising to continue with those policies with little tinkering.
He mentioned some of the policies as the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), School Feeding Programme, Metro Mass Transit System and the Northern Ghana Development Fund.
He also pointed out that some of the inaccuracies in the NDC manifesto was that growth in 2007 was 6.3 per cent and not 5.8 per cent, the current national debt at the end of June was Ghc 7.8 billion,and not 91 trillion cedis as the NDC claims.
“What is important is the size of the nation’s debt as compared to the size of the economy. Under the NPP, that had fallen from 189 per cent of GDP under the NDC to 48 per cent”, the NPP National Chairman added.
He explained that the NDC’s pledge to introduce a one-time premium instead of the annual premium, charges normally associated with insurance schemes would endanger the scheme and render it cash strapped.
“They now say they will maintain the NYEP which Mr John Mahama, the NPP running mate, has said the NDC would phase out with minor tinkering. Timidity and insincerity. They now say they will continue the Metro Mass Transit System, which they have repeatedly criticised, with minor modifications. Timidity and insincerity” he said.
He said when Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the NPP flag bearer, pledged a one billion Northern Regional Development Fund, Mr John Mahama ridiculed it but the NDC had copied the concept but given it a different name, Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA).
Mr Mac Manu said according to the NDC’s own projections, their plan would get Ghana to middle income status, GDP of $ 1,000, until 2020, while on the other hand, according to figures from the World Bank and Bank of Ghana, among others, per capita GDP which was $270 in 2000 rose to $ 677 in 2007, under the NPP and was on course to reach $1,000 in 2012.
“With the GDP now at $717 per annum, the NPP and the hardworking people of Ghana have added $447 in the last seven years. The NDC wants Ghanaians to wait for 12 more years to add $ 300 to our per capita income” he added.
He said the NDC’s impressive management of the economy had earned the country debt forgiveness, Millennium Challenge Account, the over-suscription of Ghana’s sovereign bond issue and the desiganation of Ghana as one of the best places to do business.
He expressed worry about the introduction of former military capos by former President Rawlings, and that the former president appears to miss the days when governments were changed with bullets, and not ballots, adding that Ghanaians wanted democracy.
Mr Mac Mann debunked the claim by the NDC that there was growing inequalities and social exclusion in Ghana since 2001.
He said the poverty rate had fallen from 39.2 per cent to 28 per cent, minimum wage had nearly quadrupled and workers in general were being chased by banks with loans for the first time in the nation’s history.
NPP,NDC disappointed Ghanaians says Nduom
The Convention People's Party (CPP) has said that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have for the past 16 years failed Ghanaians with their bad policies and antagonism.
It has, therefore, urged the electorate to disregard their empty promises as contained in their manifestos and their campaigns of animosity and vote for the CPP for a better and a united Ghana.
Mr David Ampofo, the Campaign Strategist of the CPP who was reacting the launch of the manifestos of the two parties said "The people of Ghana wanted a change and the CPP is the party with a well-thought out programme of 'Change you can feel in your pocket'".
"It has become obvious that the NDC and the NPP have a collective plan to engage in a war of words and turn the campaign this year into a contest of who has the worst records in government", he said.
He said under the Presidency of Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, just like Dr Kwame Nkrumah did during the first Republic, the CPP government would place Ghanaian interest first and use the resources of the nation for its development, build industries to provide jobs, offer quality education and health delivery to all.
"A CPP administration will create a just and disciplined society with a passion for excellence with a per capita income of at least $5,000 and work to move Ghana progressively from the third world to a first world", Mr Ampofo said.
Mr Ampofo said the NDC and the NPP were only interested in taking Ghanaians back to the politics of divide and rule, exclusion as well as continue to experiment their mediocre ideologies.
He said both parties were making claims to certain development like free education, health, GETFund and freedom, forgetting that Ghana under the CPP in the First Republic experienced all these and more in a better and wider fashion.
Mr Ampofo said unlike the two parties, the CPP in launching its manifesto concentrated on what it would do when given the opportunity, because it was ready to offer response to the change that Ghanaians were yearning for.
He said when the NPP flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was launching the party's manifesto, he focused much on what the Kufuor Administration had done as the basis why Ghanaians should vote for him.
"The NPP flag bearer would have made a better point if he had outlined the promises made in the 2000 and 2008 manifestos of his party and why they failed to live up to it", he asked.
Mr Ampofo again said in launching the NDC manifesto, Prof JEA Mills, the NDC flag bearer spent a great deal of time to compare the records of the NDC and the NPP, especially who had built more schools, provided more electricity for communities and built more roads.
He said Prof Mills would have also done a better job if he had told Ghanaians what the NDC had promised in 1992 and 1996 manifestos and in the Vision 2020 and what it had delivered, what it failed to do and why.
He added that Prof Mills' claim that Ghana was currently moving backward and that there was hardship and systemic parochialism were the same reason Ghanaian gave when they rejected the NDC in 2000 and that the claim would have been better made with an objective comparison of what was there today compared to what the NDC left in 2001.
Mr Ampofo said under the governments of both the NDC and the NPP, Ghana had remained vulnerable and relied on foreign aid to fund its basic social and infrastructure.
He said the Ghanaians economy has been turned back after the gains made under the CPP administration led by Kwame Nkrumah, and this was evident in the reversal of the industrialisation process to a situation where in now imported 70 per cent of what its citizens used.
"At the same time, we are still exporters or raw materials, - gold, cocoa, timber, bauxite, etc. The question is what did the NPP and the NDC do when they were given the chance to lead the nation", Mr Ampofo said.
It has, therefore, urged the electorate to disregard their empty promises as contained in their manifestos and their campaigns of animosity and vote for the CPP for a better and a united Ghana.
Mr David Ampofo, the Campaign Strategist of the CPP who was reacting the launch of the manifestos of the two parties said "The people of Ghana wanted a change and the CPP is the party with a well-thought out programme of 'Change you can feel in your pocket'".
"It has become obvious that the NDC and the NPP have a collective plan to engage in a war of words and turn the campaign this year into a contest of who has the worst records in government", he said.
He said under the Presidency of Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, just like Dr Kwame Nkrumah did during the first Republic, the CPP government would place Ghanaian interest first and use the resources of the nation for its development, build industries to provide jobs, offer quality education and health delivery to all.
"A CPP administration will create a just and disciplined society with a passion for excellence with a per capita income of at least $5,000 and work to move Ghana progressively from the third world to a first world", Mr Ampofo said.
Mr Ampofo said the NDC and the NPP were only interested in taking Ghanaians back to the politics of divide and rule, exclusion as well as continue to experiment their mediocre ideologies.
He said both parties were making claims to certain development like free education, health, GETFund and freedom, forgetting that Ghana under the CPP in the First Republic experienced all these and more in a better and wider fashion.
Mr Ampofo said unlike the two parties, the CPP in launching its manifesto concentrated on what it would do when given the opportunity, because it was ready to offer response to the change that Ghanaians were yearning for.
He said when the NPP flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was launching the party's manifesto, he focused much on what the Kufuor Administration had done as the basis why Ghanaians should vote for him.
"The NPP flag bearer would have made a better point if he had outlined the promises made in the 2000 and 2008 manifestos of his party and why they failed to live up to it", he asked.
Mr Ampofo again said in launching the NDC manifesto, Prof JEA Mills, the NDC flag bearer spent a great deal of time to compare the records of the NDC and the NPP, especially who had built more schools, provided more electricity for communities and built more roads.
He said Prof Mills would have also done a better job if he had told Ghanaians what the NDC had promised in 1992 and 1996 manifestos and in the Vision 2020 and what it had delivered, what it failed to do and why.
He added that Prof Mills' claim that Ghana was currently moving backward and that there was hardship and systemic parochialism were the same reason Ghanaian gave when they rejected the NDC in 2000 and that the claim would have been better made with an objective comparison of what was there today compared to what the NDC left in 2001.
Mr Ampofo said under the governments of both the NDC and the NPP, Ghana had remained vulnerable and relied on foreign aid to fund its basic social and infrastructure.
He said the Ghanaians economy has been turned back after the gains made under the CPP administration led by Kwame Nkrumah, and this was evident in the reversal of the industrialisation process to a situation where in now imported 70 per cent of what its citizens used.
"At the same time, we are still exporters or raw materials, - gold, cocoa, timber, bauxite, etc. The question is what did the NPP and the NDC do when they were given the chance to lead the nation", Mr Ampofo said.
NPP posters under threat in Weija?
THE Weija Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has expressed worry at the increasing rate at which people are defacing, dismantling and destroying the party’s posters in the constituency.
It said over the last three months, over 200 posters, seven bill boards have either been defaced or destroyed.
Alhaji Issa Tafciru, the Wieja Constituency Chairman of the NPP, was speaking to journalists after he had taken them to about 25 spots in the constituency where the bill boards and posters of the aspirant, Ms Ayorkor Botchwey, were either removed or defaced with green paint.
Alhaji Tafciru said no amount of destruction of the party's bill boards and posters would stop it from winning the seat.
He said the developmental projects and good governance by the Kufuor Administration coupled with the resilience and commitment of the NPP parliamentary aspirant for Weija, Ms Ayokor Botchway would bear fruit.
Some of the areas visited where most of the bill boards and posters were either destroyed, defaced and removed entirely were Galeleo, Amanfrom, J Dee, Top Base.
He said although three people had been arrested and handed over to the Anyaa Police, the incident seemed to be on the ascendancy.
"What surprises me is that all posters and billboards of the other aspirants are intact, although most of them are posted on the same walls or poles," he said.
He said he was surprised that these recalcitrants were not deterred at the arrest of the culprits who were being arraigned before court.
It said over the last three months, over 200 posters, seven bill boards have either been defaced or destroyed.
Alhaji Issa Tafciru, the Wieja Constituency Chairman of the NPP, was speaking to journalists after he had taken them to about 25 spots in the constituency where the bill boards and posters of the aspirant, Ms Ayorkor Botchwey, were either removed or defaced with green paint.
Alhaji Tafciru said no amount of destruction of the party's bill boards and posters would stop it from winning the seat.
He said the developmental projects and good governance by the Kufuor Administration coupled with the resilience and commitment of the NPP parliamentary aspirant for Weija, Ms Ayokor Botchway would bear fruit.
Some of the areas visited where most of the bill boards and posters were either destroyed, defaced and removed entirely were Galeleo, Amanfrom, J Dee, Top Base.
He said although three people had been arrested and handed over to the Anyaa Police, the incident seemed to be on the ascendancy.
"What surprises me is that all posters and billboards of the other aspirants are intact, although most of them are posted on the same walls or poles," he said.
He said he was surprised that these recalcitrants were not deterred at the arrest of the culprits who were being arraigned before court.
Political parties request, disappointing — EC
A Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr David Kangah, has described the call by political parties for the reduction in the filing fees for nomination by presidential and parliamentary candidates as disappointing.
“These political parties are disappointing themselves and Ghanaians. If they can raise so much and pay huge sums of money for their primaries, why are they not willing to pay the filing fees charged by the EC, which in themselves are refundable after attaining a certain threshold?” he asked.
Mr Kangah, who is in charge of the EC’s Finance and Administration, was speaking to the Daily Graphic on a petition written by some political parties to the EC to reduce the GH¢5,000 fee for presidential candidates and GH¢500 for parliamentary candidates.
The parties sent the petition just after an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting in Accra on Thursday.
Explaining the petition, which had been signed by all the political parties, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the National Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), said on the EC’s timetable, the filing of nominations should have taken place in August but due to its own making, the date had been shifted to October.
He said the EC must also bear in mind that the political parties had already prepared their budgets and “ambushing them and slapping them with an over 100 per cent increase in filing fees was unacceptable”.
He said the EC must not act in a way that would suggest that democracy was for the highest bidder.
He said paying GH¢500 for each of 230 parliamentary candidates amounted to GH¢120,000, which was on the high side.
All the leading members of the political parties interviewed welcomed the move by the EC to train polling agents for them.
The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Peter Mac Manu, said that would help the political parties to monitor the elections, as well as ensure that the nation went through free and fair elections.
“These political parties are disappointing themselves and Ghanaians. If they can raise so much and pay huge sums of money for their primaries, why are they not willing to pay the filing fees charged by the EC, which in themselves are refundable after attaining a certain threshold?” he asked.
Mr Kangah, who is in charge of the EC’s Finance and Administration, was speaking to the Daily Graphic on a petition written by some political parties to the EC to reduce the GH¢5,000 fee for presidential candidates and GH¢500 for parliamentary candidates.
The parties sent the petition just after an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting in Accra on Thursday.
Explaining the petition, which had been signed by all the political parties, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the National Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), said on the EC’s timetable, the filing of nominations should have taken place in August but due to its own making, the date had been shifted to October.
He said the EC must also bear in mind that the political parties had already prepared their budgets and “ambushing them and slapping them with an over 100 per cent increase in filing fees was unacceptable”.
He said the EC must not act in a way that would suggest that democracy was for the highest bidder.
He said paying GH¢500 for each of 230 parliamentary candidates amounted to GH¢120,000, which was on the high side.
All the leading members of the political parties interviewed welcomed the move by the EC to train polling agents for them.
The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Peter Mac Manu, said that would help the political parties to monitor the elections, as well as ensure that the nation went through free and fair elections.
Aspirants must not condone acts of lawlessness — Mills
Professor John Evans Atta Mills, the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has called on all presidential aspirants to publicly pledge not to condone any acts of lawlessness before, during and after the elections.
"We must also not hesitate to condemn wrongdoing on the part of either our supporters or opponents, to send a clear signal that we abhor such bad behaviours, " he said.
Prof. Mills was addressing party supporters, market women and commercial drivers in various communities within the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency in Accra on Thursday. The communities include Dome, Kwabenya, Taifa, Haatso and Atomic.
In the company of Mr Eddie Annan, a former NDC presidential hopeful, Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe, NDC Women Organiser, and Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, Deputy National Organiser of the NDC, Prof. Mills also introduced the NDC aspiring MP for the constituency, Mrs Zita Okaikoi.
At the Haatso Yam Market, the traders donated a white dove to Prof., Mills as a sign of their support for him.
Prof. Mills described the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as a party made up of arrogant people who look down on Ghanaians who were not rich or of high social standing.
He said it was for this reason that President Kufuor could describe Ghanaians who had no money in their pockets as lazy and added " but my brothers and sisters, I know that you are not lazy, but just that the opportunities are not there".
"Currently, it is only those who deal in corrupt practices and cocaine that have money in their pockets. I know that those of you who have gathered here cannot deal in such things that is why there is no money in your pockets", he said.
He said all the talk about free education would come to naught because until the bad working conditions of teachers had been improved for them, they would not offer their best and quality education would not be a reality.
He said the NDC built 258 secondary schools, compared to the 19 by the NPP and promised that when the NDC came to power in 2009 it would build 300 more secondary schools to make up for the shortfall.
Prof. Mills expressed worry that only 40 per cent of students from junior high schools could gain access to senior high schools and described the situation as worrying.
He also promised that his administration would build two technical and two vocational institutions in each district.
Prof. Mills asked Ghanaians to reject the NPP during the election and vote for a listening NDC government headed by him, adding that " if after eight years the NPP government could not do any good thing for the people, why should they be given another opportunity to worsen the plight of Ghanaians?"
He rhetorically asked "where are the jobs the NPP promised you? Where are the good living conditions and the money they promised ?"
He said all the road construction that the NPP was laying claim to were initiated and the drawing done by the NDC but the NPP had constructed some of these roads at a greater cost.
Prof. Mills said the NPP was claiming to be a better administration than the NDC but during the NDC administration, a dollar was exchanged for 68 Ghp, but currently a dollar is exchanged for GH¢1.10.
Mrs Okaikoi said Ghanaians had tried the NDC and NPP and were in better position to make the best choice during the election but advised that they must consider their standard of living when casting their votes.
"We must also not hesitate to condemn wrongdoing on the part of either our supporters or opponents, to send a clear signal that we abhor such bad behaviours, " he said.
Prof. Mills was addressing party supporters, market women and commercial drivers in various communities within the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency in Accra on Thursday. The communities include Dome, Kwabenya, Taifa, Haatso and Atomic.
In the company of Mr Eddie Annan, a former NDC presidential hopeful, Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe, NDC Women Organiser, and Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, Deputy National Organiser of the NDC, Prof. Mills also introduced the NDC aspiring MP for the constituency, Mrs Zita Okaikoi.
At the Haatso Yam Market, the traders donated a white dove to Prof., Mills as a sign of their support for him.
Prof. Mills described the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as a party made up of arrogant people who look down on Ghanaians who were not rich or of high social standing.
He said it was for this reason that President Kufuor could describe Ghanaians who had no money in their pockets as lazy and added " but my brothers and sisters, I know that you are not lazy, but just that the opportunities are not there".
"Currently, it is only those who deal in corrupt practices and cocaine that have money in their pockets. I know that those of you who have gathered here cannot deal in such things that is why there is no money in your pockets", he said.
He said all the talk about free education would come to naught because until the bad working conditions of teachers had been improved for them, they would not offer their best and quality education would not be a reality.
He said the NDC built 258 secondary schools, compared to the 19 by the NPP and promised that when the NDC came to power in 2009 it would build 300 more secondary schools to make up for the shortfall.
Prof. Mills expressed worry that only 40 per cent of students from junior high schools could gain access to senior high schools and described the situation as worrying.
He also promised that his administration would build two technical and two vocational institutions in each district.
Prof. Mills asked Ghanaians to reject the NPP during the election and vote for a listening NDC government headed by him, adding that " if after eight years the NPP government could not do any good thing for the people, why should they be given another opportunity to worsen the plight of Ghanaians?"
He rhetorically asked "where are the jobs the NPP promised you? Where are the good living conditions and the money they promised ?"
He said all the road construction that the NPP was laying claim to were initiated and the drawing done by the NDC but the NPP had constructed some of these roads at a greater cost.
Prof. Mills said the NPP was claiming to be a better administration than the NDC but during the NDC administration, a dollar was exchanged for 68 Ghp, but currently a dollar is exchanged for GH¢1.10.
Mrs Okaikoi said Ghanaians had tried the NDC and NPP and were in better position to make the best choice during the election but advised that they must consider their standard of living when casting their votes.
EC launches electoral safeguards
The Electoral Commission (EC) has launched a project “ Safeguarding the Integrity of the Ballot”, which is aimed at deepening the commitment of presidential and parliamentary candidates and their agents to the outcome of the December polls.
It seeks to do this by providing information to and building the capacity of the candidates and their agents through the provision of enhanced knowledge about the in-built integrity of the electoral process.
The activities for the project include training programmes for presidential and parliamentary candidates, dialogue between EC members, presidential candidates, their running mates and their party chairmen, training workshops for polling agents and the publication of guidelines for candidates and their agents.
The project is being financed by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and being facilitated by the KAB Governance Consult.
As the first step, the EC distributed copies of the guide on roles and responsibilities towards a free and transparent election to political parties, candidates and their polling agents.
The 20-page document, titled “A guide to Candidates and their Agents”, is divided into three parts. The first contains information about what it required to qualify as a presidential or parliamentary candidate as well as other pertinent information for candidates.
The second part deals with the importance of polling station agents and the dos and don’ts of a good agent, whiles the third part provides general useful information about elections.
In a forward in the publication, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, the Chairman of the EC, said the position of a polling agent was one that demanded trust, not only for the political party or candidates but also for the credibility of the elections.
“If you play your watchdog role well at the polling station, you will contribute immensely to the acceptability of the elections results”, he said.
Addressing the gathering, he announced that the EC had published 250,000 copies for the use of the political parties and their agents and urged the political parties to use their guide to educate their polling agents as well as their members.
The project was launched by the Deputy Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mrs Augustina Akumanyi.
It seeks to do this by providing information to and building the capacity of the candidates and their agents through the provision of enhanced knowledge about the in-built integrity of the electoral process.
The activities for the project include training programmes for presidential and parliamentary candidates, dialogue between EC members, presidential candidates, their running mates and their party chairmen, training workshops for polling agents and the publication of guidelines for candidates and their agents.
The project is being financed by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and being facilitated by the KAB Governance Consult.
As the first step, the EC distributed copies of the guide on roles and responsibilities towards a free and transparent election to political parties, candidates and their polling agents.
The 20-page document, titled “A guide to Candidates and their Agents”, is divided into three parts. The first contains information about what it required to qualify as a presidential or parliamentary candidate as well as other pertinent information for candidates.
The second part deals with the importance of polling station agents and the dos and don’ts of a good agent, whiles the third part provides general useful information about elections.
In a forward in the publication, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, the Chairman of the EC, said the position of a polling agent was one that demanded trust, not only for the political party or candidates but also for the credibility of the elections.
“If you play your watchdog role well at the polling station, you will contribute immensely to the acceptability of the elections results”, he said.
Addressing the gathering, he announced that the EC had published 250,000 copies for the use of the political parties and their agents and urged the political parties to use their guide to educate their polling agents as well as their members.
The project was launched by the Deputy Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mrs Augustina Akumanyi.
Maintain political maturity to win December election *4 leading CPP members declare
FOUR leading members of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) have urged their rank and file to maintain the level of political maturity so far exhibited in the conduct of campaigns in order to wrest political power during the elections.
And that in the face of mounting tension between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), such a conduct by the party would galvanise a lot of support and goodwill.
The four were speaking at a strategic workshop for the parties regional and constituency organisers and aspiring Members of Parliament (MP) drawn from the Greater Accra, Western, Eastern, Volta and Central regions in Accra. It was sponsored by the Institute of Multi-Party Democracy and Institute of Economic Affairs.
The speakers were Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, the flag bearer of the party, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, the party’s spokesperson on Economy, Mr Ekow Duncan, the Director of Operations and Mr David Ampofo, the CPP Campaign Strategist.
Dr Nduom commended the party members for their high level maturity exhibited.
He said by the peaceful nature of the CPP members and its leadership, Ghanaians have been offered the alternative to the hostilities of the two parties.
"We are talking about how to make Ghanaians put money into their pockets, cater for their families and how free, compulsory and progressive education for the Ghanaians would be maintained.
“We have offered Ghanaians realistic and achievable policies that would bring about industrialisation, proper health care and high moral standards for them," he said.
He expressed his discomfort that leading members of the NPP and the NDC in one breath preached peace and do issue-based campaigns but assumed another posture and utter innuendoes which were not in consonance with what they preached.
"We are not part of those who are beating war drums and engaging in name calling which would not bring food to the table, offer quality education and health care for our people. Ghanaians are watching and because they do not want any problem, they would vote for the CPP that stand for peace and tranquility," he said.
Dr Thompson said the party believed in offering its message of a better alternative to what the NDC and the NPP were offering.
He said it was the party’s belief that the nature of the youth of the country today would determine the level of leadership that the country would have in the future.
He said that was why the CPP was offering the youth quality leadership and direction for them to become responsible and useful citizens.
Dr Thompson said very little attention had been given to the needs and aspirations of the youth and this had made them to become tools of destruction by the same politicians who failed to cater for their needs.
He said the CPP would launch a State of the Youth Report, which would critically assess the needs of the youth and also help them to build their future, make proper life choices to become useful citizens in future.
"We will ban the advertisement of alcoholic beverages on the television before 10pm, because this was making the nation's youth take into alcoholism which its attendant health and social problems,” he added.
Mr Ampofo said Ghanaians by their peaceful nature were associating themselves with the CPP because they had realised that the NPP and the NDC were brewing unnecessary tension.
He also announced that the CPP would hold a national youth rally just before the election to exhibit once again to Ghanaians that its youth from all over the country could be gathered together without any incident.
Mr Duncan on his part said CPP since its inception had remained peaceful and would never do anything that would mar the beauty of the current democratic process.
He also urged the party members to be law abiding before, during and after the election but must be vigilant and never hesitate to report any malpractice to the appropriate quarters.
And that in the face of mounting tension between the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), such a conduct by the party would galvanise a lot of support and goodwill.
The four were speaking at a strategic workshop for the parties regional and constituency organisers and aspiring Members of Parliament (MP) drawn from the Greater Accra, Western, Eastern, Volta and Central regions in Accra. It was sponsored by the Institute of Multi-Party Democracy and Institute of Economic Affairs.
The speakers were Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, the flag bearer of the party, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, the party’s spokesperson on Economy, Mr Ekow Duncan, the Director of Operations and Mr David Ampofo, the CPP Campaign Strategist.
Dr Nduom commended the party members for their high level maturity exhibited.
He said by the peaceful nature of the CPP members and its leadership, Ghanaians have been offered the alternative to the hostilities of the two parties.
"We are talking about how to make Ghanaians put money into their pockets, cater for their families and how free, compulsory and progressive education for the Ghanaians would be maintained.
“We have offered Ghanaians realistic and achievable policies that would bring about industrialisation, proper health care and high moral standards for them," he said.
He expressed his discomfort that leading members of the NPP and the NDC in one breath preached peace and do issue-based campaigns but assumed another posture and utter innuendoes which were not in consonance with what they preached.
"We are not part of those who are beating war drums and engaging in name calling which would not bring food to the table, offer quality education and health care for our people. Ghanaians are watching and because they do not want any problem, they would vote for the CPP that stand for peace and tranquility," he said.
Dr Thompson said the party believed in offering its message of a better alternative to what the NDC and the NPP were offering.
He said it was the party’s belief that the nature of the youth of the country today would determine the level of leadership that the country would have in the future.
He said that was why the CPP was offering the youth quality leadership and direction for them to become responsible and useful citizens.
Dr Thompson said very little attention had been given to the needs and aspirations of the youth and this had made them to become tools of destruction by the same politicians who failed to cater for their needs.
He said the CPP would launch a State of the Youth Report, which would critically assess the needs of the youth and also help them to build their future, make proper life choices to become useful citizens in future.
"We will ban the advertisement of alcoholic beverages on the television before 10pm, because this was making the nation's youth take into alcoholism which its attendant health and social problems,” he added.
Mr Ampofo said Ghanaians by their peaceful nature were associating themselves with the CPP because they had realised that the NPP and the NDC were brewing unnecessary tension.
He also announced that the CPP would hold a national youth rally just before the election to exhibit once again to Ghanaians that its youth from all over the country could be gathered together without any incident.
Mr Duncan on his part said CPP since its inception had remained peaceful and would never do anything that would mar the beauty of the current democratic process.
He also urged the party members to be law abiding before, during and after the election but must be vigilant and never hesitate to report any malpractice to the appropriate quarters.
Aspirants must not condone acts of lawlessness — Mills
Professor John Evans Atta Mills, the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has called on all presidential aspirants to publicly pledge not to condone any acts of lawlessness before, during and after the elections.
"We must also not hesitate to condemn wrongdoing on the part of either our supporters or opponents, to send a clear signal that we abhor such bad behaviours, " he said.
Prof. Mills was addressing party supporters, market women and commercial drivers in various communities within the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency in Accra on Thursday. The communities include Dome, Kwabenya, Taifa, Haatso and Atomic.
In the company of Mr Eddie Annan, a former NDC presidential hopeful, Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe, NDC Women Organiser, and Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, Deputy National Organiser of the NDC, Prof. Mills also introduced the NDC aspiring MP for the constituency, Mrs Zita Okaikoi.
At the Haatso Yam Market, the traders donated a white dove to Prof., Mills as a sign of their support for him.
Prof. Mills described the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as a party made up of arrogant people who look down on Ghanaians who were not rich or of high social standing.
He said it was for this reason that President Kufuor could describe Ghanaians who had no money in their pockets as lazy and added " but my brothers and sisters, I know that you are not lazy, but just that the opportunities are not there".
"Currently, it is only those who deal in corrupt practices and cocaine that have money in their pockets. I know that those of you who have gathered here cannot deal in such things that is why there is no money in your pockets", he said.
He said all the talk about free education would come to naught because until the bad working conditions of teachers had been improved for them, they would not offer their best and quality education would not be a reality.
He said the NDC built 258 secondary schools, compared to the 19 by the NPP and promised that when the NDC came to power in 2009 it would build 300 more secondary schools to make up for the shortfall.
Prof. Mills expressed worry that only 40 per cent of students from junior high schools could gain access to senior high schools and described the situation as worrying.
He also promised that his administration would build two technical and two vocational institutions in each district.
Prof. Mills asked Ghanaians to reject the NPP during the election and vote for a listening NDC government headed by him, adding that " if after eight years the NPP government could not do any good thing for the people, why should they be given another opportunity to worsen the plight of Ghanaians?"
He rhetorically asked "where are the jobs the NPP promised you? Where are the good living conditions and the money they promised ?"
He said all the road construction that the NPP was laying claim to were initiated and the drawing done by the NDC but the NPP had constructed some of these roads at a greater cost.
Prof. Mills said the NPP was claiming to be a better administration than the NDC but during the NDC administration, a dollar was exchanged for 68 Ghp, but currently a dollar is exchanged for GH¢1.10.
Mrs Okaikoi said Ghanaians had tried the NDC and NPP and were in better position to make the best choice during the election but advised that they must consider their standard of living when casting their votes.
"We must also not hesitate to condemn wrongdoing on the part of either our supporters or opponents, to send a clear signal that we abhor such bad behaviours, " he said.
Prof. Mills was addressing party supporters, market women and commercial drivers in various communities within the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency in Accra on Thursday. The communities include Dome, Kwabenya, Taifa, Haatso and Atomic.
In the company of Mr Eddie Annan, a former NDC presidential hopeful, Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe, NDC Women Organiser, and Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, Deputy National Organiser of the NDC, Prof. Mills also introduced the NDC aspiring MP for the constituency, Mrs Zita Okaikoi.
At the Haatso Yam Market, the traders donated a white dove to Prof., Mills as a sign of their support for him.
Prof. Mills described the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as a party made up of arrogant people who look down on Ghanaians who were not rich or of high social standing.
He said it was for this reason that President Kufuor could describe Ghanaians who had no money in their pockets as lazy and added " but my brothers and sisters, I know that you are not lazy, but just that the opportunities are not there".
"Currently, it is only those who deal in corrupt practices and cocaine that have money in their pockets. I know that those of you who have gathered here cannot deal in such things that is why there is no money in your pockets", he said.
He said all the talk about free education would come to naught because until the bad working conditions of teachers had been improved for them, they would not offer their best and quality education would not be a reality.
He said the NDC built 258 secondary schools, compared to the 19 by the NPP and promised that when the NDC came to power in 2009 it would build 300 more secondary schools to make up for the shortfall.
Prof. Mills expressed worry that only 40 per cent of students from junior high schools could gain access to senior high schools and described the situation as worrying.
He also promised that his administration would build two technical and two vocational institutions in each district.
Prof. Mills asked Ghanaians to reject the NPP during the election and vote for a listening NDC government headed by him, adding that " if after eight years the NPP government could not do any good thing for the people, why should they be given another opportunity to worsen the plight of Ghanaians?"
He rhetorically asked "where are the jobs the NPP promised you? Where are the good living conditions and the money they promised ?"
He said all the road construction that the NPP was laying claim to were initiated and the drawing done by the NDC but the NPP had constructed some of these roads at a greater cost.
Prof. Mills said the NPP was claiming to be a better administration than the NDC but during the NDC administration, a dollar was exchanged for 68 Ghp, but currently a dollar is exchanged for GH¢1.10.
Mrs Okaikoi said Ghanaians had tried the NDC and NPP and were in better position to make the best choice during the election but advised that they must consider their standard of living when casting their votes.
Mills to set up fund for industrial expansion
The flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof John Evans Atta Mills, has given the asurance that a government under his watch would set up a fund for industrial expansion, especially in the export sector.
Although he did not mention the amount involved, he said it would provide the youth with sustainable employment as well as enough foreign exchange for the country.
Addressing a mini rally at Ashaley Botwe in the Adentan-Kpeshie-Gonno Constituency as part of his campaign in some parts of the Greater Accra Region in Accra, Prof Mills said the youth of Ghana would also be encouraged to enter mainstream agriculture.
He said encouragement would also include technical, financial and service support as well as ensuring that they had ready markets for the produce.
Prof Mills also visited the Ashaley Botwe New Mosque and Adenta Trotro Station. Members of his entourage included, Dr Kwabena Adjei; NDC National Chairman, Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe; NDC Women Organiser and Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, Deputy National Organiser.
He said another area that would receive attention from the next NDC government, and made attractive to the youth was bamboo and cane planting, for craft making, adding that this would serve two purposes, to provide employment for the youth and to replenish the depleted vegetation.
Prof Mills also pledged that his administration would provide financial support to tertiary students to further their studies in the area of medicine, accountancy, among others, to be able to sharpen their skillsin order to provide their best for the service of the nation.
He again added that his government would build 300 senior high schools.
This is to provide opportunity for about 60 per cent of junior high school (JHS) students who do not gain access to senior high school (SHS) as a result of the inability of the New Patriotic Party’ (NPP) to build more SHSs.
According to him, only 40 per cent of students from JHS gained admission to SHS, and added that during the eight-year administration of the NDC it was able to build 264 senior high schools, however the NPP had been able to build only 19 senior high schools.
Prof Mills added that his administration would build more technical and vocational school with adequate facilities and enhanced curriculum to provide quality skills for the youth.
Prof Mills also added that Ghanaian contractors would be given support to be internationally competitive in order to win contracts in the West African sub region.
He added that companies that would employ more youth would be given tax incentives as a way to encourage them to provide employment for the youth.
The NDC parliamentary aspirant for Adentan-Kpeshie-Gonno Constituency, Mr Kwadwo Adu-Asare, urged the electorate to vote for him and Prof Mills for the development of the area and Ghana in general.
Although he did not mention the amount involved, he said it would provide the youth with sustainable employment as well as enough foreign exchange for the country.
Addressing a mini rally at Ashaley Botwe in the Adentan-Kpeshie-Gonno Constituency as part of his campaign in some parts of the Greater Accra Region in Accra, Prof Mills said the youth of Ghana would also be encouraged to enter mainstream agriculture.
He said encouragement would also include technical, financial and service support as well as ensuring that they had ready markets for the produce.
Prof Mills also visited the Ashaley Botwe New Mosque and Adenta Trotro Station. Members of his entourage included, Dr Kwabena Adjei; NDC National Chairman, Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe; NDC Women Organiser and Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, Deputy National Organiser.
He said another area that would receive attention from the next NDC government, and made attractive to the youth was bamboo and cane planting, for craft making, adding that this would serve two purposes, to provide employment for the youth and to replenish the depleted vegetation.
Prof Mills also pledged that his administration would provide financial support to tertiary students to further their studies in the area of medicine, accountancy, among others, to be able to sharpen their skillsin order to provide their best for the service of the nation.
He again added that his government would build 300 senior high schools.
This is to provide opportunity for about 60 per cent of junior high school (JHS) students who do not gain access to senior high school (SHS) as a result of the inability of the New Patriotic Party’ (NPP) to build more SHSs.
According to him, only 40 per cent of students from JHS gained admission to SHS, and added that during the eight-year administration of the NDC it was able to build 264 senior high schools, however the NPP had been able to build only 19 senior high schools.
Prof Mills added that his administration would build more technical and vocational school with adequate facilities and enhanced curriculum to provide quality skills for the youth.
Prof Mills also added that Ghanaian contractors would be given support to be internationally competitive in order to win contracts in the West African sub region.
He added that companies that would employ more youth would be given tax incentives as a way to encourage them to provide employment for the youth.
The NDC parliamentary aspirant for Adentan-Kpeshie-Gonno Constituency, Mr Kwadwo Adu-Asare, urged the electorate to vote for him and Prof Mills for the development of the area and Ghana in general.
Baah Wiredu was role model — John Mahama
MR John Dramani Mahama, the running mate to Prof John Evans Atta Mills, the Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described the late Hon. Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, as one of the exemplar politicians the country has had in recent times.
"If Ghana can have ten politicians like Baah Wiredu, the country would not have any problem. He was not arrogant, he was humble, affable, very cheerful and always beaming with smiles", he added.
Mr Mahama was speaking to the widow and family members of the late Mr Baah Wiredu ,after he had signed a book of condolence in honour of the late Minister in Accra yesterday.
Mr Baah Wiredu died in South Africa after a short illness.
Mr Mahama said the late Baah Wiredu related well with everyone ranging from "the highest person to the most simple person he came into contact with".
He also described the death as a big blow to the entire nation and added that "we can simply say that death has wilfully caused financial loss to the state of Ghana".
Mr Mahama who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bole Bamboi and had been in parliament with the late minister since 1996 said the NDC was mourning with the family and the entire nation on the death of his colleague.
"If Ghana can have ten politicians like Baah Wiredu, the country would not have any problem. He was not arrogant, he was humble, affable, very cheerful and always beaming with smiles", he added.
Mr Mahama was speaking to the widow and family members of the late Mr Baah Wiredu ,after he had signed a book of condolence in honour of the late Minister in Accra yesterday.
Mr Baah Wiredu died in South Africa after a short illness.
Mr Mahama said the late Baah Wiredu related well with everyone ranging from "the highest person to the most simple person he came into contact with".
He also described the death as a big blow to the entire nation and added that "we can simply say that death has wilfully caused financial loss to the state of Ghana".
Mr Mahama who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bole Bamboi and had been in parliament with the late minister since 1996 said the NDC was mourning with the family and the entire nation on the death of his colleague.
Two wage campaign for peaceful elections
Two friends who are supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have decided to wage a campaign to educate supporters of the two political parties to campaign in a friendly atmosphere.
They said Ghana was bigger than the two parties and their supporters must bear in mind that the future of Ghana, especially that of the youth, was paramount.
The two have so far toured Kumasi and Takoradi and several parts of Accra.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra, Frederick Ewiah, aka Joe Beechem, and Yaw Asare, aka Misty, who had respectively painted themselves in NPP and NDC colours, expressed worry over violent clashes between supporters of the two parties.
“We belong to different parties, but we see no reason we cannot walk hand in hand in our different party colours.
Whether it is Prof John Evans Atta Mills of the NDC or Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the NPP who wins the election, that person is coming to govern Ghanaians and not his political party,” they said.
The duo, who reside at Adabraka in Accra, were spotted at the Cathedral Square on the Castle Road at Adabraka and they later visited the offices of the Graphic Communications Group Limited.
They moved hand in hand and told passengers and drivers along the road about the need to co-exist, irrespective of their political differences.
“We are unemployed, and that is the reason we have resorted to this kind of campaign. If we had money, we would hold concerts and invite the leaders of the two parties to the platform to hold hands, sing and dance in unison for their supporters to realise that political opponents are not enemies,” they added.
The two said Ghana was the only country that Ghanaians could call their own, adding that if the country was destabilised as a result of violent confrontation before, during or after the elections, lives and property would be lost.
They said Ghanaians would be compelled, under the circumstance, to flee the country.
The two, therefore, appealed to supporters of the various political parties to see themselves as one people and co-exist peacefully, irrespective of the political parties they supported as individuals.
The two friends appealed to individuals and corporate bodies to support them with cash to be able to continue with their peace march.
They said Ghana was bigger than the two parties and their supporters must bear in mind that the future of Ghana, especially that of the youth, was paramount.
The two have so far toured Kumasi and Takoradi and several parts of Accra.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra, Frederick Ewiah, aka Joe Beechem, and Yaw Asare, aka Misty, who had respectively painted themselves in NPP and NDC colours, expressed worry over violent clashes between supporters of the two parties.
“We belong to different parties, but we see no reason we cannot walk hand in hand in our different party colours.
Whether it is Prof John Evans Atta Mills of the NDC or Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the NPP who wins the election, that person is coming to govern Ghanaians and not his political party,” they said.
The duo, who reside at Adabraka in Accra, were spotted at the Cathedral Square on the Castle Road at Adabraka and they later visited the offices of the Graphic Communications Group Limited.
They moved hand in hand and told passengers and drivers along the road about the need to co-exist, irrespective of their political differences.
“We are unemployed, and that is the reason we have resorted to this kind of campaign. If we had money, we would hold concerts and invite the leaders of the two parties to the platform to hold hands, sing and dance in unison for their supporters to realise that political opponents are not enemies,” they added.
The two said Ghana was the only country that Ghanaians could call their own, adding that if the country was destabilised as a result of violent confrontation before, during or after the elections, lives and property would be lost.
They said Ghanaians would be compelled, under the circumstance, to flee the country.
The two, therefore, appealed to supporters of the various political parties to see themselves as one people and co-exist peacefully, irrespective of the political parties they supported as individuals.
The two friends appealed to individuals and corporate bodies to support them with cash to be able to continue with their peace march.
John Mahama calls for cleaning of register
MR John Dramani Mahama, the running mate of Prof. John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to be proactive in taking effective initiatives to cleaning of the register.
He suggested that the EC could identify those who looked below 18 years. In that case, he suggested they could get to the suspects’ communities and verify whether or not they were below 18. “They must be handed over to the law enforcement agencies, if they are found to be below 18,” he stressed.
Mr Mahama was speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview with him in Accra on the measures, he believed, could be taken to clean the voters register.
"I am not saying the EC should go and arrest those who could easily be identified as minors. The commission should identify these people and verify and if they are true then the law takes it course. This could make others readily own up or prevent future occurrences of such malpractice,” the running mate said.
"The register is the document the EC works with. Therefore, it has the responsibility to ensure that it is genuine and useful to enhance the electoral process," he added.
Mr Mahama, who said the political parties would also, on their part, assist the EC in cleaning the register, added that "the law says that under-age people should not register and it is the responsibility of the EC to prevent such people from registering".
Just after the recently held limited voter registration, the Chairman of the EC, Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan, described the figures on the current voters register as statistically incorrect and made a passionate appeal to Ghanaians to help him and the EC to clean it up.
He said in its current form, the register could be a recipe for chaos on election day, warning that if Ghanaians did not assist the EC to clean it during the voters register exhibition exercise, Ghanaians will see children, foreigners and people with double identity voting on election day, “and nothing could be done about it”.
“If we don’t correct it now and we wait till the voting day, we will see a minor voting, and because we cannot challenge his/her eligibility, some people might resort to using force to take the person away from the queue, and that could result in chaotic situations,” he noted.
He said with the current national population of 22 million, having almost 13 million people on the voters register was unheard of.
During the recent limited registration, the EC estimated that at most, one million people would be registered, but the number soared to a staggering 1,835,417. This increased the voter number from 10,354,970 to 12,822,474.
He suggested that the EC could identify those who looked below 18 years. In that case, he suggested they could get to the suspects’ communities and verify whether or not they were below 18. “They must be handed over to the law enforcement agencies, if they are found to be below 18,” he stressed.
Mr Mahama was speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview with him in Accra on the measures, he believed, could be taken to clean the voters register.
"I am not saying the EC should go and arrest those who could easily be identified as minors. The commission should identify these people and verify and if they are true then the law takes it course. This could make others readily own up or prevent future occurrences of such malpractice,” the running mate said.
"The register is the document the EC works with. Therefore, it has the responsibility to ensure that it is genuine and useful to enhance the electoral process," he added.
Mr Mahama, who said the political parties would also, on their part, assist the EC in cleaning the register, added that "the law says that under-age people should not register and it is the responsibility of the EC to prevent such people from registering".
Just after the recently held limited voter registration, the Chairman of the EC, Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan, described the figures on the current voters register as statistically incorrect and made a passionate appeal to Ghanaians to help him and the EC to clean it up.
He said in its current form, the register could be a recipe for chaos on election day, warning that if Ghanaians did not assist the EC to clean it during the voters register exhibition exercise, Ghanaians will see children, foreigners and people with double identity voting on election day, “and nothing could be done about it”.
“If we don’t correct it now and we wait till the voting day, we will see a minor voting, and because we cannot challenge his/her eligibility, some people might resort to using force to take the person away from the queue, and that could result in chaotic situations,” he noted.
He said with the current national population of 22 million, having almost 13 million people on the voters register was unheard of.
During the recent limited registration, the EC estimated that at most, one million people would be registered, but the number soared to a staggering 1,835,417. This increased the voter number from 10,354,970 to 12,822,474.
CPP to hand over members with violent tendencies •Pledges Dr Nduom
DR Paa Kwesi Nduom, the Convention People’s Party (CPP) flag bearer, has said the CPP will hand over any of its members who engage in any insulting or violent behaviour during the electioneering.
He said CPP cherished peace, which was the requisite for development, and that it was also challenging other political parties who believed in peace to equally commit themselves to such a move.
Dr Nduom was speaking at Saltpond in the Mfantsiman West as part of his tour of some parts of the Central Region. He also addressed party supporters at Gomoa Brofo in the Gomoa West Constituency as well as those at the national convention of the Twelve Apostle Church.
He emphasised that the CPP wanted to win an election that was devoid of violence and rancour and also wanted to govern a united Ghana.
Dr Nduom also called on Ghanaians not to vote for political parties that exhibit aggressive tendencies and abhor violent acts to ensure that the country moved on in peace and stability.
He consequently urged the electorate to vote for the CPP, which had never been involved in or exhibited brute force or clashes with any of its opponent.
He also asked the people in the Central Region to realised that they still remained the fourth poorest region after the three northern regions, although they had voted for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) eight years each.
Dr Nduom, who is also the CPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirim in the Central Region, said it was high time the people in the region voted for the CPP for a progressive change in their living conditions.
“Who destroyed the industries established by Dr Kwame Nkrumah? Is it not the NPP and the NDC? So, it is time you voted for the CPP,” he said.
“Am not asking you to vote for the CPP and Nduom because I am from the Central Region, but vote for it based on its past record. Remember it was the CPP that built industries in this region for people to work and earn a decent living,” he said.
He also announced that the party would soon organise regional rallies in all the 10 regional capitals, and this would be attended by only party supporters from those particular regions, and that nobody from any other region would attend that of a different region.
He said CPP cherished peace, which was the requisite for development, and that it was also challenging other political parties who believed in peace to equally commit themselves to such a move.
Dr Nduom was speaking at Saltpond in the Mfantsiman West as part of his tour of some parts of the Central Region. He also addressed party supporters at Gomoa Brofo in the Gomoa West Constituency as well as those at the national convention of the Twelve Apostle Church.
He emphasised that the CPP wanted to win an election that was devoid of violence and rancour and also wanted to govern a united Ghana.
Dr Nduom also called on Ghanaians not to vote for political parties that exhibit aggressive tendencies and abhor violent acts to ensure that the country moved on in peace and stability.
He consequently urged the electorate to vote for the CPP, which had never been involved in or exhibited brute force or clashes with any of its opponent.
He also asked the people in the Central Region to realised that they still remained the fourth poorest region after the three northern regions, although they had voted for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) eight years each.
Dr Nduom, who is also the CPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirim in the Central Region, said it was high time the people in the region voted for the CPP for a progressive change in their living conditions.
“Who destroyed the industries established by Dr Kwame Nkrumah? Is it not the NPP and the NDC? So, it is time you voted for the CPP,” he said.
“Am not asking you to vote for the CPP and Nduom because I am from the Central Region, but vote for it based on its past record. Remember it was the CPP that built industries in this region for people to work and earn a decent living,” he said.
He also announced that the party would soon organise regional rallies in all the 10 regional capitals, and this would be attended by only party supporters from those particular regions, and that nobody from any other region would attend that of a different region.
CPP to hand over members with violent tendencies •Pledges Dr Nduom
DR Paa Kwesi Nduom, the Convention People’s Party (CPP) flag bearer, has said the CPP will hand over any of its members who engage in any insulting or violent behaviour during the electioneering.
He said CPP cherished peace, which was the requisite for development, and that it was also challenging other political parties who believed in peace to equally commit themselves to such a move.
Dr Nduom was speaking at Saltpond in the Mfantsiman West as part of his tour of some parts of the Central Region. He also addressed party supporters at Gomoa Brofo in the Gomoa West Constituency as well as those at the national convention of the Twelve Apostle Church.
He emphasised that the CPP wanted to win an election that was devoid of violence and rancour and also wanted to govern a united Ghana.
Dr Nduom also called on Ghanaians not to vote for political parties that exhibit aggressive tendencies and abhor violent acts to ensure that the country moved on in peace and stability.
He consequently urged the electorate to vote for the CPP, which had never been involved in or exhibited brute force or clashes with any of its opponent.
He also asked the people in the Central Region to realised that they still remained the fourth poorest region after the three northern regions, although they had voted for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) eight years each.
Dr Nduom, who is also the CPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirim in the Central Region, said it was high time the people in the region voted for the CPP for a progressive change in their living conditions.
“Who destroyed the industries established by Dr Kwame Nkrumah? Is it not the NPP and the NDC? So, it is time you voted for the CPP,” he said.
“Am not asking you to vote for the CPP and Nduom because I am from the Central Region, but vote for it based on its past record. Remember it was the CPP that built industries in this region for people to work and earn a decent living,” he said.
He also announced that the party would soon organise regional rallies in all the 10 regional capitals, and this would be attended by only party supporters from those particular regions, and that nobody from any other region would attend that of a different region.
He said CPP cherished peace, which was the requisite for development, and that it was also challenging other political parties who believed in peace to equally commit themselves to such a move.
Dr Nduom was speaking at Saltpond in the Mfantsiman West as part of his tour of some parts of the Central Region. He also addressed party supporters at Gomoa Brofo in the Gomoa West Constituency as well as those at the national convention of the Twelve Apostle Church.
He emphasised that the CPP wanted to win an election that was devoid of violence and rancour and also wanted to govern a united Ghana.
Dr Nduom also called on Ghanaians not to vote for political parties that exhibit aggressive tendencies and abhor violent acts to ensure that the country moved on in peace and stability.
He consequently urged the electorate to vote for the CPP, which had never been involved in or exhibited brute force or clashes with any of its opponent.
He also asked the people in the Central Region to realised that they still remained the fourth poorest region after the three northern regions, although they had voted for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) eight years each.
Dr Nduom, who is also the CPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirim in the Central Region, said it was high time the people in the region voted for the CPP for a progressive change in their living conditions.
“Who destroyed the industries established by Dr Kwame Nkrumah? Is it not the NPP and the NDC? So, it is time you voted for the CPP,” he said.
“Am not asking you to vote for the CPP and Nduom because I am from the Central Region, but vote for it based on its past record. Remember it was the CPP that built industries in this region for people to work and earn a decent living,” he said.
He also announced that the party would soon organise regional rallies in all the 10 regional capitals, and this would be attended by only party supporters from those particular regions, and that nobody from any other region would attend that of a different region.
Voter list in Volta Region goes up
With the recent limited voter registration organised by the Electoral Commission (EC), the total number of voters on the Volta Regional voter list has increased from 882,532 in 2006 to 1,034,250.
The increase of 151,718 represents a 17.2 per cent increase. It also recorded 188 challenged cases.
Nationwide, 1,835,417 people were registered in the limited registration. This increased the total voter population from 10,987,057 to 12,822,474 with 7,374 challenged cases.
The breakdown of the numbers of people registered during the limited registration in the Volta Region are Keta, 11,860; Ketu, 22,504; Akatsi,7,489; Sogakope, 8,572; Adidome, 10,228; Adaklu Anyigbe, 5,252; Ho, 18,543; South Dayi, 4,881; North Dayi, 8,455; Hohoe, 13,464; Jasikan, 8,105; Kadjebi, 6,643; Krachi East, 7,071; Krachi West, 7,534 and Nkwanta, 11,117.
The EC reopened the voters register for the supplementary registration of eligible voters from Thursday, July 31, to Sunday, August 10, this year,
The supplementary registration allowed those who have turned 18 and have not registered, as well as anybody who is over 18 but has never registered to do so.
The increase of 151,718 represents a 17.2 per cent increase. It also recorded 188 challenged cases.
Nationwide, 1,835,417 people were registered in the limited registration. This increased the total voter population from 10,987,057 to 12,822,474 with 7,374 challenged cases.
The breakdown of the numbers of people registered during the limited registration in the Volta Region are Keta, 11,860; Ketu, 22,504; Akatsi,7,489; Sogakope, 8,572; Adidome, 10,228; Adaklu Anyigbe, 5,252; Ho, 18,543; South Dayi, 4,881; North Dayi, 8,455; Hohoe, 13,464; Jasikan, 8,105; Kadjebi, 6,643; Krachi East, 7,071; Krachi West, 7,534 and Nkwanta, 11,117.
The EC reopened the voters register for the supplementary registration of eligible voters from Thursday, July 31, to Sunday, August 10, this year,
The supplementary registration allowed those who have turned 18 and have not registered, as well as anybody who is over 18 but has never registered to do so.
CPP launches campaign
THE flag bearer of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, has said Ghanaians must vote for the CPP for it to re-introduce the good policies that Dr Kwame Nkrumah introduced just after independence.
He said during the tenure of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) governments, they sold what Dr Nkrumah put together, particularly industries, and that “it is time for the builders, CPP, to be given back the mandate to re-build industries for Ghanaians”.
Dr Nduom was speaking at a grand rally to launch the party’s campaign and introduce his running mate, Dr Abu Foster Sakara. The occasion also coincided with the 99th birthday of Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Flanked by three of the people who contested him for the flagbearership — Mr Bright Akwetey, Dr Frederick W. A. Akuffo and Dr Kwaku Osafo — Dr Nduom said, “A CPP government will take back what belongs to Ghanaians and give it back to the people.”
He asked Ghanaians to be wary of the NDC and the NPP for they had specialised in selling national assets built by Dr Nkrumah, explaining that a CPP government would rebuild and reclaim them to provide honour, jobs and security for the people.
Dr Nduom said as a sign of its willingness to rebuild industries, a CPP government would, within the first 100 days of assumption of office, resuscitate the Pwalugu Meat Factory and then follow it up with other factories across the country to provide jobs for the people.
He said as was being done in all developed nations, all products made in Ghana would be given special attention and that “only foods produced in Ghana will be served at all state functions”.
He described the current CPP as a rejuvenated party that was in a good stead to wrest power from the NPP to form the next government “because almost all those gathered here are card bearing members of the CPP”.
At that juncture, he asked the people at the rally to show their party identity cards and, true to his word, most of the people held up their green CPP membership identity cards, amidst shouts of “Yeresesamu”, ( to wit, ”We want change”.
Dr Nduom reiterated his statement that “if the crude oil found in the Western Region will not benefit Ghanaians the most, then it should better stay in the ground”.
He said an Nduom-led government would institute good policies to ensure that the plight that had befallen communities around gold mining areas in the country never happened to those living close to where the oil had been found.
The CPP, which is the only political party to have translated its manifesto into Braille form for the visually-impaired, also had a sign language translator on the platform to translate everything said at the rally into sign language for the hearing impaired.
Dr Nduom urged all those who attended the rally to move to their various destinations peacefully and never attack or insult their opponents.
He described his running mate as a “a family man who has been able to take good care of his family”.
He said Dr Sakara was a man who had the capacity, technical know-how and record to be able to transform agriculture in the country to benefit poor farmers who had toiled for the development of the country and yet remained poor.
In his acceptance speech, Dr Sakara said he had been humbled by the great honour done him to assist Dr Nduom to win the elections and serve the people of Ghana.
He said the sweetest part of every victory by any political party was when all the odds were against it and stated that some political parties were of the view that the CPP was mince meat, saying Ghanaians were the best jury that would pass judgement on December 7, 2008.
He said the present-day CPP had the strategy and the will to win the elections and that he, together with other party members, would support Dr Nduom to bring victory to the CPP.
As a sign of the peaceful nature of the CPP, Dr Sakara presented 12 white doves to Dr Nduom which were released into the air.
Earlier in the morning, the Central Committee of the party had accepted Dr Nduom’s nomination of Dr Sakara as his running mate.
Dr Sakara was also introduced to the National Executive Council of the party at the Teacher’s Hall in Accra.
He said during the tenure of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) governments, they sold what Dr Nkrumah put together, particularly industries, and that “it is time for the builders, CPP, to be given back the mandate to re-build industries for Ghanaians”.
Dr Nduom was speaking at a grand rally to launch the party’s campaign and introduce his running mate, Dr Abu Foster Sakara. The occasion also coincided with the 99th birthday of Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Flanked by three of the people who contested him for the flagbearership — Mr Bright Akwetey, Dr Frederick W. A. Akuffo and Dr Kwaku Osafo — Dr Nduom said, “A CPP government will take back what belongs to Ghanaians and give it back to the people.”
He asked Ghanaians to be wary of the NDC and the NPP for they had specialised in selling national assets built by Dr Nkrumah, explaining that a CPP government would rebuild and reclaim them to provide honour, jobs and security for the people.
Dr Nduom said as a sign of its willingness to rebuild industries, a CPP government would, within the first 100 days of assumption of office, resuscitate the Pwalugu Meat Factory and then follow it up with other factories across the country to provide jobs for the people.
He said as was being done in all developed nations, all products made in Ghana would be given special attention and that “only foods produced in Ghana will be served at all state functions”.
He described the current CPP as a rejuvenated party that was in a good stead to wrest power from the NPP to form the next government “because almost all those gathered here are card bearing members of the CPP”.
At that juncture, he asked the people at the rally to show their party identity cards and, true to his word, most of the people held up their green CPP membership identity cards, amidst shouts of “Yeresesamu”, ( to wit, ”We want change”.
Dr Nduom reiterated his statement that “if the crude oil found in the Western Region will not benefit Ghanaians the most, then it should better stay in the ground”.
He said an Nduom-led government would institute good policies to ensure that the plight that had befallen communities around gold mining areas in the country never happened to those living close to where the oil had been found.
The CPP, which is the only political party to have translated its manifesto into Braille form for the visually-impaired, also had a sign language translator on the platform to translate everything said at the rally into sign language for the hearing impaired.
Dr Nduom urged all those who attended the rally to move to their various destinations peacefully and never attack or insult their opponents.
He described his running mate as a “a family man who has been able to take good care of his family”.
He said Dr Sakara was a man who had the capacity, technical know-how and record to be able to transform agriculture in the country to benefit poor farmers who had toiled for the development of the country and yet remained poor.
In his acceptance speech, Dr Sakara said he had been humbled by the great honour done him to assist Dr Nduom to win the elections and serve the people of Ghana.
He said the sweetest part of every victory by any political party was when all the odds were against it and stated that some political parties were of the view that the CPP was mince meat, saying Ghanaians were the best jury that would pass judgement on December 7, 2008.
He said the present-day CPP had the strategy and the will to win the elections and that he, together with other party members, would support Dr Nduom to bring victory to the CPP.
As a sign of the peaceful nature of the CPP, Dr Sakara presented 12 white doves to Dr Nduom which were released into the air.
Earlier in the morning, the Central Committee of the party had accepted Dr Nduom’s nomination of Dr Sakara as his running mate.
Dr Sakara was also introduced to the National Executive Council of the party at the Teacher’s Hall in Accra.
It would be disastrous to vote NDC — Bawumia
The running mate of the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, has cautioned it would be disastrous for Ghanaians to vote back the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to power again.
He said comparing the economic and human rights record of both the NPP and the NDC, the former stood out as the better manager of the economy in the face of most turbulent local and world economic hardships and respector of human rights.
Dr Bawumia who was interacting with the youth from Ablekuma South and TESCON members from the Methodist University, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and Regent University in Accra on Saturday said “today people can insult President J.A. Kufuor and nothing would happen to them, after that their pregnant wives would go to hospital and deliver free of charge”.
“With the current record of sound economic management, the NPP has demonstrated that it has the better ability and capacity to manage the oil revenue that would accrue to the nation, hence Ghanaians must vote for the NPP again”, he added.
He said prior to the assumption of office of the Kufuor Administration, the nation was using nearly 22 per cent of its total export revenue to service its debt and also had a Gross Domestic Product of $ 2.7 billion, while spending only 4.4 per cent of GDP on education.
He said following the prudent management of the economy and the wise decision by the NPP to opt for the HIPC initiative which resulted in the cancellation of its debt, the NPP was able to increase GDP from the $2.7 billion to a whopping $ 16 billion and was also able to multiply the total expenditure on education to 9.1 per cent of GDP.
Dr Bawumia said all these had been going on alongside unprecedented infrastructural development in education, health, roads and water facilities as well as other social services such as the School Feeding Programme, Free Bussing of Students, Capitation Grant, National Health Insurance Scheme and the National Youth Employment.
He said aside that the NPP government through its skilful economic management had been able to put the country in a position where it did not take instruction from the Bretton Woods institutions when drawing up its economic policies.
Dr Bawumia said for the first time in the 50-year history of this country, it had been able issue a sovereign bond in the international market which had been over subscribed, an indication of the confidence that the world of business had in the current Ghanaian economy.
He said the economy had been able to withstand an unprecedented oil price of $ 147 per barrel, yet the economy was still resilient, unlike the day of the NDC when the economy nearly collapsed when the prices did not even reach $ 50 per barrel.
He said President Kufuor had laid all these foundation for the Nana Addo Administration to execute its promise of building universities in all regions that had no public university, eliminate illiteracy and afford Ghanaians the opportunity to realise their individual dreams.
“Although the elimination of illiteracy is a big idea, it is possible under a Nana Akufo-Addo Administration, because we have the foundation. After all if we think it’s expensive to eliminate illiteracy, the alternative will be more expensive for the nation”, said Dr Bawumia.
He said comparing the economic and human rights record of both the NPP and the NDC, the former stood out as the better manager of the economy in the face of most turbulent local and world economic hardships and respector of human rights.
Dr Bawumia who was interacting with the youth from Ablekuma South and TESCON members from the Methodist University, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and Regent University in Accra on Saturday said “today people can insult President J.A. Kufuor and nothing would happen to them, after that their pregnant wives would go to hospital and deliver free of charge”.
“With the current record of sound economic management, the NPP has demonstrated that it has the better ability and capacity to manage the oil revenue that would accrue to the nation, hence Ghanaians must vote for the NPP again”, he added.
He said prior to the assumption of office of the Kufuor Administration, the nation was using nearly 22 per cent of its total export revenue to service its debt and also had a Gross Domestic Product of $ 2.7 billion, while spending only 4.4 per cent of GDP on education.
He said following the prudent management of the economy and the wise decision by the NPP to opt for the HIPC initiative which resulted in the cancellation of its debt, the NPP was able to increase GDP from the $2.7 billion to a whopping $ 16 billion and was also able to multiply the total expenditure on education to 9.1 per cent of GDP.
Dr Bawumia said all these had been going on alongside unprecedented infrastructural development in education, health, roads and water facilities as well as other social services such as the School Feeding Programme, Free Bussing of Students, Capitation Grant, National Health Insurance Scheme and the National Youth Employment.
He said aside that the NPP government through its skilful economic management had been able to put the country in a position where it did not take instruction from the Bretton Woods institutions when drawing up its economic policies.
Dr Bawumia said for the first time in the 50-year history of this country, it had been able issue a sovereign bond in the international market which had been over subscribed, an indication of the confidence that the world of business had in the current Ghanaian economy.
He said the economy had been able to withstand an unprecedented oil price of $ 147 per barrel, yet the economy was still resilient, unlike the day of the NDC when the economy nearly collapsed when the prices did not even reach $ 50 per barrel.
He said President Kufuor had laid all these foundation for the Nana Addo Administration to execute its promise of building universities in all regions that had no public university, eliminate illiteracy and afford Ghanaians the opportunity to realise their individual dreams.
“Although the elimination of illiteracy is a big idea, it is possible under a Nana Akufo-Addo Administration, because we have the foundation. After all if we think it’s expensive to eliminate illiteracy, the alternative will be more expensive for the nation”, said Dr Bawumia.
Blay welcomes CPP moves to settle case out of court
The Member of Parliament in the Ellembele Constituency, Mr Frederick Worsemao Armah Blay, has welcomed moves by some elders of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) to settle the impasse between him and the elders of the party out of court.
“I am not a litigant but a lawyer and also amenable to dialogue, ready to iron out our differences out of court but definitely without prejudice to what has happened in Ellembele,” he told the Daily Graphic in an interview yesterday.
Mr Blay, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, was speaking on the recent moves by the party executive for an out-of-court settlement of an issue in court between him and the party.
An internal squabble broke out within the CPP over the re-election of Mr Freddie Blay, at a meeting of constituency delegates on August 23, 2008, to represent the party at Ellembele, one of the party’s few strongholds.
Mr Blay has represented the constituency in Parliament since 1996.
Just after the election the Central Committee of the party at its meeting in Accra objected to the election of Mr Blay as the CPP aspirant.
This made Mr Blay to file a suit in an Accra High Court against the CPP and some of its leading members seeking a declaration that the primary held to elect him as the CPP’s parliamentary aspirant was proper, valid and in compliance with the party’s constitution.
The CPP in a counter motion said it had not nullified the primary but objected to Mr Blay’s election.
But during the first hearing of the case, Mr Bright Akwetey, a leading member of the party, pleaded with the court to give the party seven days to resolve its differences with Mr Blay out of court.
Explaining further his reasons to dialogue with the party for amicable settlement, Mr Blay said all the parties involved must also be mindful that while all these problems were going on other opponents of the CPP in the constituency were frantically campaigning.
He was also not happy about the rush to take issues to the press before the individual involved was made aware.
“I am not a litigant but a lawyer and also amenable to dialogue, ready to iron out our differences out of court but definitely without prejudice to what has happened in Ellembele,” he told the Daily Graphic in an interview yesterday.
Mr Blay, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, was speaking on the recent moves by the party executive for an out-of-court settlement of an issue in court between him and the party.
An internal squabble broke out within the CPP over the re-election of Mr Freddie Blay, at a meeting of constituency delegates on August 23, 2008, to represent the party at Ellembele, one of the party’s few strongholds.
Mr Blay has represented the constituency in Parliament since 1996.
Just after the election the Central Committee of the party at its meeting in Accra objected to the election of Mr Blay as the CPP aspirant.
This made Mr Blay to file a suit in an Accra High Court against the CPP and some of its leading members seeking a declaration that the primary held to elect him as the CPP’s parliamentary aspirant was proper, valid and in compliance with the party’s constitution.
The CPP in a counter motion said it had not nullified the primary but objected to Mr Blay’s election.
But during the first hearing of the case, Mr Bright Akwetey, a leading member of the party, pleaded with the court to give the party seven days to resolve its differences with Mr Blay out of court.
Explaining further his reasons to dialogue with the party for amicable settlement, Mr Blay said all the parties involved must also be mindful that while all these problems were going on other opponents of the CPP in the constituency were frantically campaigning.
He was also not happy about the rush to take issues to the press before the individual involved was made aware.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Mills to set up fund for industrial expansion
The flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof John Evans Atta Mills, has given the asurance that a government under his watch would set up a fund for industrial expansion, especially in the export sector.
Although he did not mention the amount involved, he said it would provide the youth with sustainable employment as well as enough foreign exchange for the country.
Addressing a mini rally at Ashaley Botwe in the Adentan-Kpeshie-Gonno Constituency as part of his campaign in some parts of the Greater Accra Region in Accra, Prof Mills said the youth of Ghana would also be encouraged to enter mainstream agriculture.
He said encouragement would also include technical, financial and service support as well as ensuring that they had ready markets for the produce.
Prof Mills also visited the Ashaley Botwe New Mosque and Adenta Trotro Station. Members of his entourage included, Dr Kwabena Adjei; NDC National Chairman, Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe; NDC Women Organiser and Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, Deputy National Organiser.
He said another area that would receive attention from the next NDC government, and made attractive to the youth was bamboo and cane planting, for craft making, adding that this would serve two purposes, to provide employment for the youth and to replenish the depleted vegetation.
Prof Mills also pledged that his administration would provide financial support to tertiary students to further their studies in the area of medicine, accountancy, among others, to be able to sharpen their skillsin order to provide their best for the service of the nation.
He again added that his government would build 300 senior high schools.
This is to provide opportunity for about 60 per cent of junior high school (JHS) students who do not gain access to senior high school (SHS) as a result of the inability of the New Patriotic Party’ (NPP) to build more SHSs.
According to him, only 40 per cent of students from JHS gained admission to SHS, and added that during the eight-year administration of the NDC it was able to build 264 senior high schools, however the NPP had been able to build only 19 senior high schools.
Prof Mills added that his administration would build more technical and vocational school with adequate facilities and enhanced curriculum to provide quality skills for the youth.
Prof Mills also added that Ghanaian contractors would be given support to be internationally competitive in order to win contracts in the West African sub region.
He added that companies that would employ more youth would be given tax incentives as a way to encourage them to provide employment for the youth.
The NDC parliamentary aspirant for Adentan-Kpeshie-Gonno Constituency, Mr Kwadwo Adu-Asare, urged the electorate to vote for him and Prof Mills for the development of the area and Ghana in general.
Although he did not mention the amount involved, he said it would provide the youth with sustainable employment as well as enough foreign exchange for the country.
Addressing a mini rally at Ashaley Botwe in the Adentan-Kpeshie-Gonno Constituency as part of his campaign in some parts of the Greater Accra Region in Accra, Prof Mills said the youth of Ghana would also be encouraged to enter mainstream agriculture.
He said encouragement would also include technical, financial and service support as well as ensuring that they had ready markets for the produce.
Prof Mills also visited the Ashaley Botwe New Mosque and Adenta Trotro Station. Members of his entourage included, Dr Kwabena Adjei; NDC National Chairman, Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe; NDC Women Organiser and Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, Deputy National Organiser.
He said another area that would receive attention from the next NDC government, and made attractive to the youth was bamboo and cane planting, for craft making, adding that this would serve two purposes, to provide employment for the youth and to replenish the depleted vegetation.
Prof Mills also pledged that his administration would provide financial support to tertiary students to further their studies in the area of medicine, accountancy, among others, to be able to sharpen their skillsin order to provide their best for the service of the nation.
He again added that his government would build 300 senior high schools.
This is to provide opportunity for about 60 per cent of junior high school (JHS) students who do not gain access to senior high school (SHS) as a result of the inability of the New Patriotic Party’ (NPP) to build more SHSs.
According to him, only 40 per cent of students from JHS gained admission to SHS, and added that during the eight-year administration of the NDC it was able to build 264 senior high schools, however the NPP had been able to build only 19 senior high schools.
Prof Mills added that his administration would build more technical and vocational school with adequate facilities and enhanced curriculum to provide quality skills for the youth.
Prof Mills also added that Ghanaian contractors would be given support to be internationally competitive in order to win contracts in the West African sub region.
He added that companies that would employ more youth would be given tax incentives as a way to encourage them to provide employment for the youth.
The NDC parliamentary aspirant for Adentan-Kpeshie-Gonno Constituency, Mr Kwadwo Adu-Asare, urged the electorate to vote for him and Prof Mills for the development of the area and Ghana in general.
Baah Wiredu was role model — John Mahama
MR John Dramani Mahama, the running mate to Prof John Evans Atta Mills, the Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described the late Hon. Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, as one of the exemplar politicians the country has had in recent times.
"If Ghana can have ten politicians like Baah Wiredu, the country would not have any problem. He was not arrogant, he was humble, affable, very cheerful and always beaming with smiles", he added.
Mr Mahama was speaking to the widow and family members of the late Mr Baah Wiredu ,after he had signed a book of condolence in honour of the late Minister in Accra yesterday.
Mr Baah Wiredu died in South Africa after a short illness.
Mr Mahama said the late Baah Wiredu related well with everyone ranging from "the highest person to the most simple person he came into contact with".
He also described the death as a big blow to the entire nation and added that "we can simply say that death has wilfully caused financial loss to the state of Ghana".
Mr Mahama who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bole Bamboi and had been in parliament with the late minister since 1997 said the NDC was mourning with the family and the entire nation on the death of his colleague.
"If Ghana can have ten politicians like Baah Wiredu, the country would not have any problem. He was not arrogant, he was humble, affable, very cheerful and always beaming with smiles", he added.
Mr Mahama was speaking to the widow and family members of the late Mr Baah Wiredu ,after he had signed a book of condolence in honour of the late Minister in Accra yesterday.
Mr Baah Wiredu died in South Africa after a short illness.
Mr Mahama said the late Baah Wiredu related well with everyone ranging from "the highest person to the most simple person he came into contact with".
He also described the death as a big blow to the entire nation and added that "we can simply say that death has wilfully caused financial loss to the state of Ghana".
Mr Mahama who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bole Bamboi and had been in parliament with the late minister since 1997 said the NDC was mourning with the family and the entire nation on the death of his colleague.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Aspirants must not condone acts of lawlessness — Mills
Professor John Evans Atta Mills, the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has called on all presidential aspirants to publicly pledge not to condone any acts of lawlessness before, during and after the elections.
"We must also not hesitate to condemn wrongdoing on the part of either our supporters or opponents, to send a clear signal that we abhor such bad behaviours, " he said.
Prof. Mills was addressing party supporters, market women and commercial drivers in various communities within the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency in Accra on Thursday. The communities include Dome, Kwabenya, Taifa, Haatso and Atomic.
In the company of Mr Eddie Annan, a former NDC presidential hopeful, Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe, NDC Women Organiser, and Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, Deputy National Organiser of the NDC, Prof. Mills also introduced the NDC aspiring MP for the constituency, Mrs Zita Okaikoi.
At the Haatso Yam Market, the traders donated a white dove to Prof., Mills as a sign of their support for him.
Prof. Mills described the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as a party made up of arrogant people who look down on Ghanaians who were not rich or of high social standing.
He said it was for this reason that President Kufuor could describe Ghanaians who had no money in their pockets as lazy and added " but my brothers and sisters, I know that you are not lazy, but just that the opportunities are not there".
"Currently, it is only those who deal in corrupt practices and cocaine that have money in their pockets. I know that those of you who have gathered here cannot deal in such things that is why there is no money in your pockets", he said.
He said all the talk about free education would come to naught because until the bad working conditions of teachers had been improved for them, they would not offer their best and quality education would not be a reality.
He said the NDC built 258 secondary schools, compared to the 19 by the NPP and promised that when the NDC came to power in 2009 it would build 300 more secondary schools to make up for the shortfall.
Prof. Mills expressed worry that only 40 per cent of students from junior high schools could gain access to senior high schools and described the situation as worrying.
He also promised that his administration would build two technical and two vocational institutions in each district.
Prof. Mills asked Ghanaians to reject the NPP during the election and vote for a listening NDC government headed by him, adding that " if after eight years the NPP government could not do any good thing for the people, why should they be given another opportunity to worsen the plight of Ghanaians?"
He rhetorically asked "where are the jobs the NPP promised you? Where are the good living conditions and the money they promised ?"
He said all the road construction that the NPP was laying claim to were initiated and the drawing done by the NDC but the NPP had constructed some of these roads at a greater cost.
Prof. Mills said the NPP was claiming to be a better administration than the NDC but during the NDC administration, a dollar was exchanged for 68 Ghp, but currently a dollar is exchanged for GH¢1.10.
Mrs Okaikoi said Ghanaians had tried the NDC and NPP and were in better position to make the best choice during the election but advised that they must consider their standard of living when casting their votes.
"We must also not hesitate to condemn wrongdoing on the part of either our supporters or opponents, to send a clear signal that we abhor such bad behaviours, " he said.
Prof. Mills was addressing party supporters, market women and commercial drivers in various communities within the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency in Accra on Thursday. The communities include Dome, Kwabenya, Taifa, Haatso and Atomic.
In the company of Mr Eddie Annan, a former NDC presidential hopeful, Madam Ama Benyiwa Doe, NDC Women Organiser, and Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, Deputy National Organiser of the NDC, Prof. Mills also introduced the NDC aspiring MP for the constituency, Mrs Zita Okaikoi.
At the Haatso Yam Market, the traders donated a white dove to Prof., Mills as a sign of their support for him.
Prof. Mills described the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as a party made up of arrogant people who look down on Ghanaians who were not rich or of high social standing.
He said it was for this reason that President Kufuor could describe Ghanaians who had no money in their pockets as lazy and added " but my brothers and sisters, I know that you are not lazy, but just that the opportunities are not there".
"Currently, it is only those who deal in corrupt practices and cocaine that have money in their pockets. I know that those of you who have gathered here cannot deal in such things that is why there is no money in your pockets", he said.
He said all the talk about free education would come to naught because until the bad working conditions of teachers had been improved for them, they would not offer their best and quality education would not be a reality.
He said the NDC built 258 secondary schools, compared to the 19 by the NPP and promised that when the NDC came to power in 2009 it would build 300 more secondary schools to make up for the shortfall.
Prof. Mills expressed worry that only 40 per cent of students from junior high schools could gain access to senior high schools and described the situation as worrying.
He also promised that his administration would build two technical and two vocational institutions in each district.
Prof. Mills asked Ghanaians to reject the NPP during the election and vote for a listening NDC government headed by him, adding that " if after eight years the NPP government could not do any good thing for the people, why should they be given another opportunity to worsen the plight of Ghanaians?"
He rhetorically asked "where are the jobs the NPP promised you? Where are the good living conditions and the money they promised ?"
He said all the road construction that the NPP was laying claim to were initiated and the drawing done by the NDC but the NPP had constructed some of these roads at a greater cost.
Prof. Mills said the NPP was claiming to be a better administration than the NDC but during the NDC administration, a dollar was exchanged for 68 Ghp, but currently a dollar is exchanged for GH¢1.10.
Mrs Okaikoi said Ghanaians had tried the NDC and NPP and were in better position to make the best choice during the election but advised that they must consider their standard of living when casting their votes.
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