Monday, February 25, 2008

2008 ELECTION NOT WAR, SAYS AKUFO-ADDO (PAGE 14)

Story: Rose Hayford Darko, Tema

THE Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party,(NPP) Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has appealed to Ghanaians to ensure a peaceful election during the December 2008 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
He said elections did not mean war and expressed the hope that not a single blood would be shed during and after this year’s elections.
Nana Addo made these assertions when he called on the Chiefs and Elders of the Kpone and Tema Traditional Councils last Friday at separate ceremonies to announce his candidature to them.
He said Ghanaians must acknowledge the contributions of the NPP government to the development of the country.
Nana Addo appealed to the people of Kpone and Tema Traditional areas to make education a priority for the youth of the fishing community who have taken to early parenthood.
He also called on the people to give credence to the Capitation Grant, which is to make education attractive to encourage parents to send their children of school age to school to enable them understand the trend of national issues, which is the yardstick with which to take good decisions.
He said the status of the country had since the year 2000 changed for the better, and promised to continue with the good works.
He also urged them to retain the NPP in power for accelerated development.
Nana Addo, who was accompanied by 10 of the 17 aspirants, noted that Ghana had become a paradise which could be testified by any peace- loving and developmen-oriented Ghanaian.
He, therefore, called on them to join hands with the NPP government and massively vote for the party to continue with the good works it was doing .
Nana was optimistic that based on its good works, ‘the NPP is in the majority and would still be in the majority and would still be in the majority after the elections’.
He reiterated the call on every eligible voter to have his name written for future elections when the voter’s register was opened on May 17. Nana Addo noted that it was the only way they could exercise their civic rights.
He said no Ghanaian must be denied his constitutional right to register to become a voter, the only means through which every citizen could have the tool to decide on who to rule the nation for good governance and development.
At Kpone, the spokesman for the Traditional Council ,Mr Nathaniel Nortek commended the NPP for showing maturity, especially during the election for a flag bearer.
He said the campaign which they had started must be based on very important issues which would benefit Ghanaians and not on lies and insults.
Mr Nortek said negative campaigns potrayed the deficiencies of the parties involved.
He, therefore, appealed to the parties to send convincing messages to make people vote for their parties .
The Paramount Chief of the Kpone Traditional Council, Nii Tetteh Otu, who is also the President of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, presided over the meeting. The Tema Mantse, Nii Adjei Crake, welcomed the flag bearer to his traditional area and gave the assurance that they had instituted an educational fund to encourage the youth to pursue their education.
He said every Ghanaian was watching the activities of the political parties to enable them make informed decisions during the elections.
Nii Crake was optimistic that with peace and unity, Ghana could become one of the most enviable nations.
He wished the NPP luck in its endeavours and hoped it would deliver on its promise to become the toast of the people.
Nana Addo and his entourage later took turns to address a rally at the Manhean Market and to introduce himself and all the former aspirants to the people.
The Member of Parliament for the Tema East, Mr Ishmael Ashietey ,who did the introduction, appealed to the people to vote massively for the NPP for a brighter future. Mr Dan Botwe a former NPP presidential aspirant, said the campaign was about to take off and assured the people of a vigorous and intensified campaign based on the good works of the NPP.
He said the NPP, if given the mandate, would once again continue to work hard to transform Ghana.
Mr Botwe, therefore, called on the Ghanaian citizenry to see NPP as a working partner, which was ready to deliver, and advised them to vote for the party, come December 2008.

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