The Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Ado on Saturday stormed the Northern Regional capital Tamale with his fifth leg “Rise and Build” tour.
A huge crowd of members and sympathizers ushered Nana Addo and his team into Tamale amidst drumming and dancing.
Nana Addo’s first port of call was at the Tamale central Mosque where he interacted with the Ulamah [scholar], led by the regional chief Imam Sheikh Alhaji Abdul Salam Ahmed.
He implored the Muslim community to continue praying for national peace.
Nana Addo promised a corruption-free regime and urged Ghanaians to give him and the NPP the chance to govern.
On the incessant rumpus within the NPP, the Presidential candidate assured the Chief Imam and his elders of his commitment to resolve the impasse.
He called for calm in the elephant fraternity which he touted as the best alternative to the Mahama-Amisah Arthur led administration.
“NPP we are getting ready to come back and assume the reigns of the country and we will improve on President Kufuor’s legacy.”
“It is doable because the NPP has first class of people who are coming to do an honest job for Ghana: people who will not drain the nation’s resources for their selfish gains.”
The regional chief Imam, Sheikh Alhaji Salam Ahmed prayed for the nation’s peace and called for unity in the NPP.
New voters register
Nana Addo on Tamale based Radio Justice stressed that the old voters register was tainted for which reason it must be replaced.
“Our register is compromised: it lacks integrity and it cannot be relied on for free, fair and transparent elections in 2016.”
He insisted, “anything that we can do to make the register reliable and credible must be adopted to help consolidate our democracy and to maintain the nation’s stability.”
Nana Addo pointed to Nigeria, Togo and Cote D’I Voire where new voters’ registers were compiled and maintained that Ghana deserved same to guarantee free, fair and credible elections in 2016.
Government’s free SHS policy
Nana Addo downplayed President Mahama’s recently launched “Free SHS” concept for day students which began in Otuam.
He described it as a scam and explained that the exact details of that programme were unclear.
He said the NPP was committed to the fullest implementation of its 2012 election campaign flagship free SHS programme.
NADA will replace SADA
Nana Addo asserted that the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) was riddled with corruption and mismanagement.
“Embezzlement and corruption has riddled SADA under President Mahama who is of northern origin.”
He said the next NPP administration under his leadership will revamp SADA and rebrand it as the Northern Accelerated Development Authority (NADA) which was enshrined in the party’s 2008 campaign manifesto.
“I want to assure the people of the northern sector that the next NPP administration will restructure it to make the north become the growth pole of the Ghanaian economy: we will use NADA as a special vehicle to raise funds to develop Northern Ghana.”
“Making life better for the young people of the north is my major priority and under my honest leadership I will ensure all year round agriculture to provide jobs for the youth,” Nana Addo stated.
Nana Addo is on the two days Rise and Build Northern Regional tour with former Ministers of State including, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Madam Elizabeth Ohene and Hajia Alima Mahama.
The rest are a founding father of the NPP, Alhaji Aminu Zohi-Limam, NPP national women’s Organizer, Otiko Afisah Djabah, campaign press Aide Musah Superior, Press Secretary Eugene Arhin, both old and new Northern Regional executives and Farouk Mahama, son of the late Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama.
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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana