Atta-Mills asks Government to take decision on HND

Takoradi, June 14, GNA - Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Flag Bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has called on the Government to be bold and to take a decision on the status of Higher National Diploma Holders.

He made the call at the annual forum of Takoradi Polytechnic Chapter of Tertiary Educational Network (TIEN) of the NDC in Takoradi at the weekend.

Professor Mills said the decision on the matter must be taken soon to enable the country to obtain the needed manpower for industry. He said the HND programme was introduced by the NDC and was designed to be equivalent to a University Degree.

Professor Mills said the NDC would address the issue when it was voted into power because HND should be made equivalent to a degree. He advised students to work hard at their books to enable them to contribute towards national development and to cultivate leadership qualities of humility, sacrifice and transparency.

Mr Alban Bagbin, Minority Leader, who swore-in new executives for the Chapter, said the NDC had come to know its true followers from "elephants hiding under the umbrella".

He said the elephant was associated with destruction and NPP was feeding the nation with lies to lead it to destruction. He told the new Executives that "a child that does not respect his father and mother cannot prosper in life" and urged them to strive to excel the performance of the old Executives.

Mr Daniel Ohene Agyekum, former Ashanti Regional Minister, said the NPP was paying lip service to democracy and for the past three years there had not been real democracy in the country.

He said what the NPP was doing contradicted all values of democracy and urged students to stand up against tendencies of nepotism and trampling on the people's right to vote. Mr Agyekum said the NPP came to power through deception pointing out that the members of the NDC were not criminals as the NPP was portraying them.