Misery and hardship will continue, if .... - Obed Asamoah

Nkawkaw, Feb. 29, GNA - The Chairman of National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Obed Yaw Asamoah on Friday said Ghanaians would continue to experience misery and hardship if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was retained in power in Election 2004.

He said the increase in the current price of goods and services which had affected the people's standard of living was due to the HIPC initiative, that required full cost recovery of all services.

Dr Asamoah was addressing members of the party from Abetifi, Mpraeso and Nkawkaw constituencies at Nkawkaw, on as part of his weeklong tour of 24 out of the 26 constituencies in the Eastern Region.

He said the high rate of unemployment in the country was as a result of high taxes, which accounted for the collapse of businesses.

Dr Asamoah cited the national reconstruction levy on businesses, ten per cent levy on exported lumber, 150 per cent income tax increase on commercial vehicles and the introduction of companies withholding tax of seven per cent which, he said, had led to the closure of a lot of companies and the laying off of workers as some of the hgigh taxes.

He advised supporters of the NDC to register massively in the forthcoming voters' registration exercise to enable them vote for the party in Election 2004 to improve the people's standard of living.

The National Organizer of the party, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, said the NPP economic policy had failed the nation and that it had brought untold hardship to the people with increases in school fees, utility bills, prices of petrol, kerosene and agricultural inputs.

He said the visit to the constituencies was part of the party's capacity building 'of core party operatives,' and part of a programme to train 42,000 agents to man polling centres throughout the country during the forthcoming elections.