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General News of Saturday, 15 November 2008

Source: GNA

Rawlings urge electorate to reject the NPP

Donkorkrom (ER), Nov. 15, GNA- Former President Jerry John Rawlings, has asked the electorate to reject the New Patriotic Party at the December

polls because its leaders are only concerned about winning the elections to amass wealth rather than seek the welfare of the people. He said by returning the NPP into power, the electorate would have unsuspectingly be "voting for poverty" as the ruling party's ideology and political agenda seemed to run counter to the real and genuine needs of the people.

He said the performance of the NPP over the past seven years clearly indicated that the leadership of the NPP was consumed by their own needs and parochial interest instead of working for the common good for all Ghanaians for, which reason they must be removed from office.

Addressing an enthusiastic throng of supporters at the Donkorkrom 'Sakora' park as part of his five-day campaign tour of the Eastern Region Former President Rawlings asked them to vote massively for the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, Prof. J.E.A. Mills, so he can put back the economy on track for real development. He castigated the NPP for being self-centred and its leaders being consumed by their survival to the extent they have no shame in pillaging national resources for their personal gains leaving the majority of the people in a state of penury.

He said when given the nod, the NDC would pursue sound socio-economic polices that shall place ordinary Ghanaians at the centre piece of its programmes to ensure that every individual, regardless of his political, ethnic and religious inclination could develop to achieve his potential. Former President Rawlings said what obtained under the NPP currently was a concentration of power and state resources at the behest of the ruling elite, a situation, he said, which had further exacerbated poverty levels in the country and thus making it possible for only the children of the privileged to advance.

At Nkawkaw where the Former President was given a rousing welcome by adherents and sympathizers who had to wait until 2300 hours for the rally to begin owing to similar engagements at the Akyem Mansa and Birim North Districts, the NDC Founder asked the people not to let the NPP get away with its ineptitude but vote them out of power. He said it was time the electorate demonstrated that they were fed up with the NPP propaganda and by so doing expressed that, real political power belonged to the electorate and not a few political leaders. Former President Rawlings met with chiefs and addressed various rallies at Akyem Ntronang, Nkwateng, New Abirem, Kwao Boadi, Etwereso, Adwobue, Anyinase, Ekye Amanfrom and Maame Krobo.

Other places visited include Akroso, Aperade, Achiase and Akyem Swedru. On the NDC Founder's campaign tour were Rear Admiral Owusu Ansah (Rtd), a former Naval Chief of Staff, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the party, Mr. Julius Debrah and Mr. Antwi Boasiako-Sekyere, Chief of Staff at the Professor John Evans Atta-Mills campaign office.