We Must View Election As Regular, Normal Affair - Nana Akufo-Addo

The presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has challenged Ghanaians to view elections as a regular and normal affair.

Ghanaians, he pointed out, must move towards such a goal and work to make democracy become so deeply rooted that it would not require Priests and Imams to pray for peace during elections.

In a media encounter in Accra, dubbed “Akufo-Addo's Freedom Dinner with the Media” he said Ghanaians must also support and strengthen governance institutions to work regularly and normally as well as organise elections that do not create hysteria.

“We want to have governance institutions that are respected because they have integrity, are credible and cannot be questioned,” he opined.

Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo pointed out, had an open democratic system and people could criticise freely but indicated that what was required was for the nation to work in such a way that every four years we go to the polls to elect our leaders without intimidation.

“It is time to build the new Ghanaian civilisation”, he stated, and called on media practitioners to support and actualise this “big dream”.

He observed that politicians and media practitioners had natural affinity to help shape society, build an informed citizenry and improve the quality of life of the people.

What was required, he advocated, was effective and enhanced working collaboration between two bodies to galvanise society to speed up development, adding: “Tonight allows such interplay between us, politicians, and media practitioners.”

He said if such interplay were sustained, “you will discover that we are all very much the same requiring that the two need each other better.”

He said, at this stage of the country's development effort, what was required was concerted co-ordinated effort to industrialise the country.

“Raw material producing countries are the poorest in the world and the wealth of the West is created by industrial revolution”, he stated, adding that “value-added products are the key to sanitise the micro economy.”

“Let's continue to engage each other and have the best for us and Ghana. We have the opportunity in our generation to change the thinking of the times”.

The Chairman of the Nana Akufo- Addo for President campaign team, Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, hinted that the NPP campaign was going on very well and would peak at the time of election to prove to Ghanaians that “we are indeed on course to retain political power”.

“We will develop the momentum to win the election and move forward the nation's development aspiration as well as safeguard its inherent freedoms”.

Mr Alan Kyerematen, a leading member of the NPP, was also upbeat when he spoke to a section of the media, saying: “A onetouch victory was what the party is working towards.”

He would not declare the percentage point that the NPP would attain to win the election but gave the assurance that everything was on course for a first round victory.

The running mate of the party, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, was also at the function and Nana Akufo-Addo in introducing him to the gathering, said: “One of the happiest decision I made in my life is to choose him as my running mate.”