Don't prevent your opponents from campaigning - Veep cautions

Asamnkese (E/R), Oct. 14, GNA - Vice President Aliu Mahama has advised political party activists against disrupting the campaigns of their rivals, saying they should rather listen to all sides to be able to make sound choices about who would best serve the interest of the nation.

"We should always be mindful that politics is not a physical contes. It is about who is the best competitor, to ensure your welfare and the development of your area. Let us, therefore, be tolerant and listen to all the messages and on the day of voting, between your conscience and your God, you can make your privileged choice in the polling booth".

Vice President Mahama, who was addressing a durbar held in his honour at Asamankese in the West Akim District, warned that engaging in physical contest during political campaigns would disrupt the peace and progress, which had earned Ghana a high reputation in the comity of Nations.

He received a tumultuous welcome to the Eastern Region as enthusiastic people rushed from their homes and shops to line-up the streets from Medie, through Nsawam, Adoagyiri, Adeiso, Asamankese, Akwatia and other places to wave and cheer him.

The Vice President, who would be in the Region for three-days, has been addressing various durbars, inspecting and inaugurating development projects and explaining Government policies and programmes.

Vice President Mahama said New Patriotic Party Administration would uphold their principles as democrats and continue to promote programmes that would deepen democracy, ensure the respect for the rule of law and freedom of expression as well as facilitate socio-economic development.

"We are democrats by choice and not by force", he said, adding: "We believe that Ghana is bigger than all of us and we are all equal before the law as the children of God."

Alhaji Mahama said the Government would, therefore, put the interest of the nation first at all times and ensure that "no single person's interest is sacrificed to the detriment of that of the nation. We are all important and no one is indispensable".

Vice President Mahama mentioned the provision many educational and health infrastructure and the promotion of agriculture that had improved the standard of living of Ghanaians across the country.

These include the expansion and improvement of all major roads, the upgrading of health facilities, the construction of school blocks, the modernization of agriculture, especially high-tech intervention in cocoa production and the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme. Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, said more development projects would be executed to make Ghana prosperous with the stabilization of the economy.

He said the present administration could not speedily implement its vision to create jobs and wealth because of the weak economy it inherited but now that it had put it back on track for growth, more infrastructure and policies for enhanced social conditions would follow in the coming years if the NPP were returned to power in December. Both the Vice President and Mr Osafo-Maafo urged those who registered to go and check if their names were in the Voters' Register now on exhibition.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Dr Francis Osafo Mensah and Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Gustav Narh-Dometey, Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, Dr Charles Brimpong-Yeboah are accompanying the Vice President, who is scheduled to visit East Akim, Kwahu South and the Afram Plains Districts on Thursday.

He has already visited the Akwapim South, West Akim and the Kwaebibrem Districts.