Nana Addo Storms Western Region

Nana Addo responmding to cheers on arrival in the region

The New Patriotic Party's (NPP) presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, yesterday brought commercial activities in certain parts of the Western Region to a halt when he took his listening tour to the region.

Nana Addo was mobbed by residents, traders and commercial drivers who abandoned everything to catch a glimpse of him. They described him as the next president of Ghana.

Yesterday's listening tour took Nana Addo to Anlo Beach community, Beposo, Supom Dunkwaw, Assorkor Essaman, Komfo Eku, Shama Junction, Shama Town and Inchaban all in the Shama constituency of the region.

He took time to shake hands and interact with as many people as possible in the various communities he visited with his entourage.

Nana Addo's first point of call was the Anlo Beach community, a stronghold of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the constituency, where the chiefs and people pledged their full support for the NPP flagbearer in the December 7 general elections.

According to them, even though they had been voting for the NDC in previous general elections, the ruling government had neglected them in terms of some basic social amenities.

They praised the previous NPP administration for constructing the main road from Beposo to the area and the construction of a 3-unit classroom block as well as the granting of loans to women in the area for economic activities which had gone a long way to improve the people's living standard.

 
Mrs. Gladys Asmah, former Minister for Fisheries, told the people in the fishing community that the NPP had plans to establish a 3,000 acre tilapia farm for the people that would create more jobs for the youth in the area to help curb the rural-urban drift.

Speaking in the local Ewe dialect, a native of the area popularly known as 'Kalusha' asked the people whether they had benefited from President Mills' so-called unprecedented achievements. They responded with a loud no.

He said, 'Instead of putting money in our pockets as he promised, President Mills has rather created holes in our pockets.'

He stressed the need for all registered voters in the community who had been made poorer and helpless by the incompetent NDC administration to vote massively for the NPP in December to ensure that Ghana was put back on the pedestal of growth and development.

He said, 'We all have to vote massively to retire this incompetent NDC administration to make way for the NPP to come and make our lives better.'

There was excitement galore when a 'Borboobor' group in the Ewe community hit the floor with some dance skills to the admiration of all.

Addressing the people, Nana Addo stressed that he remained committed to providing free senior high school education for all the youth, adding, 'I believe we cannot make any meaningful transformation if majority of our people remain illiterate.'

He said when elected as president, his focus would also be to expand and transform the Ghanaian economy to create and sustain jobs for the many unemployed in the country.

He bemoaned the fact that the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) introduced by the previous NPP regime was at the verge of collapse and pledged that when given the nod, the NPP would resuscitate the scheme to the benefit of all Ghanaians.

He also promised that the next NPP government would bring back the Ministry of Fisheries to address the concerns of fishers.

Joseph Cantamanto Gabrah, NPP parliamentary candidate for Shama, noted that it was obvious that President Mills and his team did not have the knowledge and expertise to manage the affairs of the country.

'I entreat all of you, to join Nana Akufo-Addo and vote massively for him and the NPP so that together we can restore the economy', he said.

At Shama, Nana Akufo-Addo and his entourage paid a courtesy call on the Elders of the town at the Shama palace.

Nana Addo explained that he was in the area to appeal to the chiefs and people to vote for him and Mr. Garbrah, the parliamentary candidate for Shama.

By Emmanuel Opoku