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12.06.2007 General News

Stop blaming others for energy crisis – NDC Chairman

12.06.2007 LISTEN
By myjoyonline

The Bolgatanga Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Epsona Ayamga, has asked the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government to stop blaming previous governments for the country's energy crisis and rather focus on solving the problem.

He said the NDC government was able to improve on the voltage of the Akosombo Dam, put up the Aboadze Thermal Plant, among other measures, all aimed at increasing and improving on the energy supply of the nation.

He said this in an interview with the Daily Graphic at Bolgatanga.

He, however, commended the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government for importing some generators, aimed at easing the energy crisis in the short term.

This notwithstanding, he said, the consumer would continue to suffer because electricity bills would go up.

He said there was ample evidence that the NPP government had failed to heed the Energy Commission's advice and early warning notice about the impending energy crisis.

Dr Ayamga said if the government had continued with the interventions instituted by the NDC to improve upon the energy supply to the whole country and acted on the Energy Commission's report and advice, the country would not be experiencing such a crisis.

Dr Ayamga described the door-to-door campaign employed by the NDC's flag bearer, Professor J. E. A. Mills, as the best and most effective means of winning the support of the electorate.

"It would afford Professor Mills the opportunity to draw closer to the electorate and interact with them to enable him evolve strategies to solve their problems when he is elected the next president of Ghana," he explained.

According to the constituency chairman, the door-to-door campaign had so far proved to be essential and called on Professor Mills to do it repeatedly so that his cam¬paign message would be accepted by the electorate.

"The grassroots is the base of politics. If the NDC national leadership and members of Parliament (MPs) are not able to interact with the down trodden, but sit on radio and television stations and talk big language, the people would not accept their messages," he emphasised.

Dr Ayamga called on the leadership and supporters of the NPP to stop criticising Professor Mills' campaign strategies and compel their government to remedy the current energy crisis and other socio-economic problems confronting Ghanaians.

He charged the state-owned media, particularly Ghana Television, to highlight the NDC's political activities to ensure that there was balance in the coverage of political party activities.

The constituency chairman urged the party's polling station agents to sacrifice and be extra vigilant during the 2008 elections to enable the NDC to clinch victory during the elections.

“The constituency, regional and national executives must ensure that only committed and dedicated members of the party are made polling station agents.”

The constituency chairman appealed to former ministers of state, district chief executives (DCEs) and other government appointees in the NDC era not to turn their back on the party but contribute their quota, both financially and morally to enhance the party's chances in the 2008 elections.

On the Representation of the People Amendment Law (ROPAL), he entreated the Electoral Commission (EC) to concentrate on rectifying anomalies in domestic elections before thinking of implementing it.

“Such a law is another ploy by the NPP government to rig the next elections,” he said.

He reiterated that the NDC would accept the implementation of the ROPAL only on condition that the EC would ensure that every Ghanaian living in any part of the world was allowed to vote.

Culled from Daily Graphic

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