Gov't Organises Forum For NDC Supporters

A top NDC figure addressing the gathering
The Greater Accra edition of the 'Government for the People (G4P)' forum , which was to afford ministers of state the opportunity to brief Ghanaians on how President John Mahama had fared, turned out to be a meeting for supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Supporters of NDC thronged the Accra International Conference Centre on Thursday where the forum was held, occupying all the seats and leaving some journalists stranded.

The supporters cheered the ministers who took the podium to speak to them about how President Mahama had executed the mandate entrusted to him and why he should be voted for again in 2016. It was the last in the series, having been held in all the regions of the country.

Among the speakers were Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, Minister for Communications; Ms Sherry Ayitey , Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development; Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Education Minister; Nana Oye Lithur,   Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection; Alhaji  Inussah  Fuseini, Minister  for  Roads  and Highways and Mrs.  Joyce Bawa Mogtari,  Deputy Minister of Transport.

ECOWAS Begged Mahama
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, made a shocking revelation to the gathering. He said the leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) begged President John Mahama to accept the offer to chair the sub-regional economic grouping for a second term.

This, according to the deputy minister, was due to President Mahama's exemplary leadership and commitment to work hard to better the lives of citizens of the ECOWAS countries.

'Last week the ECOWAS Heads of States in Abuja extended the term of President John Dramani Mahama unanimously…they actually were begging [and] I hear some of them almost wanted to go on their knees to get him to accept to serve another term,' Ablakwa told the cheering NDC supporters.

Free Education
The deputy minister, who is the Member of Parliament for North Tongu constituency, said President Mahama was putting measures in place to ensure that the free senior high school (SHS) policy takes off next year.

He further revealed that 500,000 school uniforms and 15 million exercise books would be procured for students at the basic level next year.

The minister said government was on course to complete the first 50 school buildings to accommodate the extra students who might be taking advantage of the free SHS policy.

'I have no doubt that because of all those good works going on in education and many other sectors, the good people of this country will extend the term once more in Ghana for President John Dramani Mahama,' Mr. Ablakwa posited.

Past ECOWAS Leaders
President Mahama is not the only Ghanaian leader to have had the opportunity in recent times to serve the ECOWAS twice as two of his predecessors – Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor – served two successive terms as ECOWAS chairpersons.

Former President Rawlings is credited to have contributed to restoring stability to Liberia when in August 1994 he became the ECOWAS chairman, facilitating the signing of the Akosombo Agreement and the Accra Clarification. Jerry John Rawlings was elected for a second term as ECOWAS chairman at the 18th Summit in July 1995.

His successor, John Agyekum Kufuor, served as chairman of the regional grouping for two consecutive terms - 2003 and 2004 – and was elected on 29 January, 2007 as chairperson of the African Union for the 2007- 2008 AU Session.

Mr. Mahama took over from Alhassane Ouattara of Cote d'Ivoire who was elected ECOWAS chairman in February 2012.

When President Ouattara's tenure expired in 2013 it was renewed until March 2014 when the regional body elected  Ghana's John Mahama to succeed him on March 28, 2014.

By Cephas Larbi
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