Don`t listen to NDC– Nana Addo urges Ghanaians

THE PRESIDENTIAL candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has urged Ghanaians not to listen to the messages of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), because they were lies and deceitful.

He accused the NDC of wasting the 19 years of its rule, to the detriment of its citizenry, saying, “If we had been given 19 years to rule, we would have rapidly transformed the nation. It is clear that the value of the nation today, as compared to 2001 when we took over power, is not the same. I, therefore, ask all Ghanaians to reward the NPP with their votes in the December elections, to continue with its good works.”

The NPP flagbearer, who was speaking at a rally, organized by the party at Bukum, on Friday, dismissed allegations that the NPP was planning to rig the elections.

According to him, it would be out of place for the NPP to rig the elections, after they had beaten the NDC in two elections, both in opposition and in government.

“We know the people who are going to loose the December elections, and they have started crying fowl. Why should we rig elections? In 2000, when we were in opposition, we beat them, and in 2004 we beat them again. If, in both home and away matches, we have beaten you, why should we rig to win? We shall not rig any elections,” he affirmed. Nana Akufo-Addo noted that Ghana had become the beacon of Africa's democracy, and charged that nothing untoward should be done to mar it.

“There would be no problem at the elections. What we should do is that, let all of us help the Electoral Commission to put its house together, so that at the end of the elections, whoever wins, wins. It is not good for blood to spill, just because of elections.”

The presidential candidate of the NPP, speaking in the Ga dialect, called for peace and unity, stating that they were the bedrock of national development.

According to him, any action by any individual, including political parties, which would trigger upheavals, should be condemned. To this end, he has condemned tribal sentiments, being allegedly expressed by the flagbearer of the NDC, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills.

He said, “We are all Ghanaians. Introduction of tribal politics into the system is not good for us. Let us look like Ghanaians, and do things like Ghanaians. The fact that somebody is Ewe, Ga, Akan, or what have you, does not matter. What matters, is to put our resources together in building our nation.”

Akufo-Addo contended further that the key to the nation's development, was education, and emphasised that since President Kufuor was able to make basic education free, with the introduction of Capitation Grant, he (Nana Addo) would continue to make secondary education free.

“The NDC has been going round saying that we cannot do it. I want to assure the nation that the way and the manner we managed to do that of the basic schools, we shall do the same for the secondary schools. We are going to make education a key priority in our government, and make it free.”

He intimated that Malaysia that gained independence with Ghana, at the same time, yet was able to eradicate illiteracy, and stressed that Ghana would do the same, when he had assumed the presidency, after the elections.

Beaming with the hope, and assurance that he would be declared the next president, after the elections, Nana Akufo-Addo said the future of Ghana was the future of the youth, and that everything must be done to protect the future of the youth.

The NPP flagbearer said contrary to reports that the support base of the NPP was eroded in the Central Region, the party was gaining more support, which he said was evident when he toured the region last week.

“When we were going to the Central Region, we were told that our support base was shaking, but when we got there, we realised that our support was solid on the ground. It is only in the papers that they say we have lost our support base. Go to the ground, and you will see,” he intoned.