Do not retain NPP in power - Rawlings

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has asked the electorate not to make the mistake and retain the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in power in the upcoming elections.

He said that only few members of the ruling government were enjoying and amassing wealth for themselves and their families at the expense of the masses who entrusted power into their hands.

Former President Rawlings was addressing a rally at Navrongo in the Upper East Region at the weekend.

He said there was no true democracy, freedom and justice in the country under the present administration and that the ordinary people had been imprisoned economically, socially and politically. The former President blamed Parliament for failing to take action against President Kufuor and some of his ministers who had become corrupt and were amassing wealth for themselves and their families. Former President Rawlings asked Ghanaians to take a critical look at the lifestyle of some of the Ministers and the District Chief Executives under the current government and compare the situation to the time of the NDC.

He said that the NDC was more committed to the welfare of Ghanaians than the NPP.

Former President Rawlings said the NDC executed a lot of development projects and cited electrocution, establishment of schools adding that school fess were moderate. He said if the NPP had continued from where the NDC left off, the country would have been a paradise.

He said that majority of Ghanaians could not afford to pay for their children's school fees and electricity bills among others, and urged the electorate to reverse the trend by voting the NDC to power to restore true democracy, freedom and justice in the country.

Former President Rawlings said the NDC was sure of coming back to power since there was a wind of change blowing everywhere. He appealed to all stakeholders in the upcoming elections including the electorate to protect the integrity of the electoral process. Former President Rawlings said "We would not sit down this time to allow the election to be rigged like that of 2004".

He also addressed students of the Bolgatanga Polytechnic and students of the Navrongo campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS), where he pledged that the NDC would provide more educational infrastructure if it wins the December 7 elections.