Atta Mills: I won’t regard my election as Hollywood coronation

Prof. Evans Atta Mills, the Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) says when he is elected to become Ghana's president in this year's elections, he would not regard it as a “Hollywood coronation.”

“I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth, and therefore, when I am elected this year, I will not regard it as a Hollywood coronation, but as a God-given opportunity to serve the people of Ghana,” he said.

Prof. Atta Mills was speaking at the 2008 Campaign Launch of the NDC and the out-dooring of the party's running mate, John Mahama at the National Theatre, Accra, Wednesday May 7, 2008.

Prof. Mills accused the government of President Kufuor of failing Ghanaians. He accused the Kufuor administration of using political power as “hammer and seeing others as nails, and whenever they had the opportunity they hit them on the head,” he said.

He questioned why President Kufuor has not fulfilled all the promises he made to the people of Ghana. He recounted the President's speech to workers on May Day this year. The President on May Day, implored Ghanaian workers to be patient with the government as it works on improving salaries.

He asked why it took President Kufuor seven years to realise how long it was going to take to work on improving salaries for workers after he made the promise to Ghanaians in 2000.

He asked why President Kufuor has failed to create the jobs he promised Ghanaians, but instead was using the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), as a cover up, and why he reneged on his promise to keep the size of government small.

He questioned the wisdom of in investing in presidential palaces, jets and expensive anniversary celebrations by the NPP, promising that the NDC would rather spend to improve the lives of the people.

Prof. Atta Mills asked, “What happened to zero tolerance for corruption?”

He promised Ghanaians that the NDC's vision is a vision of change from what we have now. He said “it is time for the comfort of leadership to be subordinated to the interest of the majority.” And the filled room of NDC members gave rapturous response and cheers as he spoke.

Prof. Mills said the NDC will invest in people, job creation, expand infrastructure and run a “caring and transparent government.”

He said the NDC will not allow Ghana to be made a “wholly owned subsidiary for drug barons.” Prof. Mills promised that when the NDC comes into power after this year's elections, which he says is the NDC's year, his government, he promises, will save Ghanaians from crime and armed robbery.

He said Ghana never lacked plans, but the men to implement these plans to make Ghana a better place. “The NDC has the men to implement these plans to make Ghana a better place,” he said. And the arsenals he said the party will use to achieve these are “truth, honesty, transparency and selflessness.”

Prof. Mills also promised that when he is elected as president, he will be “president for all Ghanaians.”

Speaking to the media, he said, “your greatest moments are not when you have stood with the state, but when you have stood firm for your principles.”

In his address, the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, said “Ghana is in the mood to vote for the NDC, but called on President Kufuor to provide enough funding for the Electoral Commission to organise free and fair elections.

He also said the NDC was more united now than ever, and this drew cheers from NDC faithfuls in the Hall.