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21.07.2009 Politics

Alan, Nana Addo set Chiraa agog

21.07.2009 LISTEN
By Michael Boateng, Chiraa - Ghanaian Chronicle

The presence of the two leading contenders in the last Presidential race of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo and John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen at a funeral at Chiraa near Sunyani, sent the entire town agog as supporters thronged the venue for the final funeral rites of the late Madam Ama Tiwaa, the Grandmother of the Brong-Ahafo Regional Women's Organizer of the NPP, Madam Felicia Adoma.

Mr. Alan Kyerematen, who was the first to arrive at the funeral grounds received a deafening welcome from the supporters, turning the supposed solemn occasion into a sort of hilarity, as they chanted and danced to some of the campaign songs of the NPP. When Nana Addo later arrived with his entourage, the crowd in the same way moved to welcome him to the funeral grounds.

The moment of joyful explosion occurred when the two gentlemen embraced each other to the admiration of their supporters, with Mr. Kyerematen rising to welcome Nana Addo to his seat.

Both Nana and Alan were seen engaged in a healthy chit chat, which diffused the perception in the mind of the supporters that the two were not on good talking terms.

The way they interacted and consulted each other proved that really there is no “bad blood” between them, which portends a united front for the party, come the 2012 elections.

Mr. Kyerematen was the first to leave, because he had other funeral engagements to attend at Wamanafo in the Dormaa Municipality, where the Brong-Ahafo Regional Secretary of the party, Mr. Anthony Kusi was mourning his 72 year old family member, Christiana Elizabeth Obeng, a former matron of the University of Ghana Hospital. Nana Addo had already attended that funeral before proceeding to Chiraa.

The cheerful crowd at Chiraa and Wamanafo indicated that their confidence to wrestle back political power in the 2012 elections has been rekindled by the presence of the two gentlemen who have demonstrated unity and friendliness.

Mr. Kyerematen and Nana Addo donated cash of GHc500.00 each to the bereaved families at Chiraa and Wamanafo.

The former Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, Ignatius Baffour Awuah used the occasion to advise supporters of the NPP to exercise patience and be resolute until 2012, since the NPP would surely come back to power.

He said the NPP has just 'borrowed' the presidency to the NDC for four years, for Ghanaians to have the opportunity to examine and distinguish between the two, as to which is the best.

Mr. Baffour Awuah, who is the current Member of Parliament for Sunyani West, expressed concern about the freezing of employment in the public sector for two years, as conditionality attached to the IMF loan.

He said this would compound the already existing economic hardship in the country and expressed worry about how the NDC government has kept mute over the amount of loans sourced within six months since they assumed power, but rather keep on hammering on the debt of NPP government for the past eight years.

According to him, within the six months that the NDC has accumulated debts from loans alone is 25 trillion Ghana Cedis. He called on the supporters to start urgent campaign, devoid of rancor and division to make it easy to win back power in 2012.

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