NPP will shock NDC in Volta, and three northern regions

Cape Coast, Oct. 17, GNA - The government spokesman for social services and infrastructure, Mr Kofi Amponsah Bediako, on Saturday stated that, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will capture 60 per cent of the parliamentary seats in the upper East, West and Northern regions. "The NPP's story in the Volta Region will be the most shocking news for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party", he declared. Mr Amponsah Bediako, who was addressing members of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) branch of the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) of the NPP said, the Government, had built 60 new schools in the upper West alone.

He said, what the NPP administration had been able to achieve within its short term of office is a clear indication that given the mandate for another term, the economy would improve and Ghanaians would be better of.

According to him, the NDC throughout its eight year stay in office, never achieved any of its inflation targets and that it kept rising from 13.5 in 1992 to 70 per cent in 1995 and went down to 33 per cent in 1996 only to rise up again to 50 per cent in 2000 even though its targets for those years were five per cent, 18 per cent and 12.5 per cent respectively.

Mr Amponsah Bediako said the NPP government had been able to keep inflation down, since it took office and that currently, the inflation rate is 12.6 per cent, adding that, with hard work, the figure would be reduced to either ten per cent or a single digit by the end of the year. He asked Ghanaians to reject any kind of politics that is devoid of development, tolerance, freedom of speech and dialogue. Mr Kwabena Agyepong, press secretary to the president said the first four years of the NPP administration, is to prepare the grounds for "greater things to come" and that given the mandate again, the NPP government will ensure accelerated growth of the country.

He said the government had pursued sound and prudent economic policies that were yet to yield the expected results and urged all supporters of the party to educate the electorates by diluting disinformation and negative propaganda being injected into the system by the opposition parties.

He said the present administration had "demystified 'government' and 'the Castle' and has removed the "cloud of fear" that were associated with them.

Mr Agyepong said Ghanaians have seen the good works of President Kufour and would therefore return him to power in 2005. Ms Christine Churcher, Minister of State for Basic, Secondary and Girl Child Education urged the TESCON women to move into the surrounding villages, as ambassadors and win more people into their camp.

Mr Mohamed Ameen Anta, parliamentary candidate for Tamale Central said the NPP government has been able to stabilise the exchange rate, cushioned the price of crude oil and also reduced in inflation rate and called on Ghanaians to vote it into power again, since the NDC will mismanage the economy when given another chance.