Issue photo ID cards to all - Kufuor

Sefwi-Wiawso (Western Region) 1 Dec '98

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate, Mr. J. A. Kufuor, has called for the issuing of photo identity cards to all eligible voters throughout the country before the general elections in the year 2000. He said this will go a long way to eliminate fraud, impersonation and other electoral malpractices. Mr. Kufuor was speaking at a rally to introduce him to the electorates at Sefwi-Wiawso on Sunday. He noted that the present ID.cards, some with photographs and others without photographs, will not ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the country. Mr. Kufuor said it is only an NPP Government that can save Ghanaians from their hardships. He said Ghanaians have patiently looked up to the Rawlings Government for 'good 18 years' to make life worth living but "sadly, their hardships and sufferings keep mounting almost everyday''. Mr. Kufuor said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government has failed Ghanaians, adding that the party has no antidote to the problems facing the Nation but find it difficult to admit it even though Ghanaians have seen the signs clearly written on the wall. He asked Ghanaians to vote NPP into power to enable them to have a basis to judge the NDC. Mr. Kufuor regretted that the Western Region has been neglected in terms of development despite its rich mineral resources and said if he is voted into power, his government will start its development programmes in the region and ensure that its level of development is commensurate with its contribution to the national economy.

Mr. Samuel Odoi-Sykes, National Chairman, introduced Mr. Kufuor to the large gathering and asked Ghanaians not to jump to any conclusion that "President Rawlings really took the alleged bribe of five million dollars from the late Nigerian leader, General Sannie Abacha, but should allow him to clear his name''. He said the allegation does not only affect the integrity, image and reputation of President Rawlings but the nation as a whole. Nana Akuffo Addo, a defeated presidential aspirant of the party said the unity of the party is unbreakable adding that "there is no more anything like Akufo Addo, Apraku, Kufuor and J. H. Mensah groups. We are all children of one mother''. "All of us defeated Presidential aspirants are pooling our resources behind Mr. Kufuor to ensure that victory becomes ours in the year 2000 elections,'' Nana Akufo-Addo, also MP for Abuakwa said. The rally was attended by almost all the National Executives and leading members of the party including Dr. Kofi Apraku and Alhaji Yakubu Alhassan, MPs for Affinso North and Yendi respectively and both defeated Presidential aspirant.