Professor John Evans Atta Mills has taken a swipe at President Kufuor for labeling suffering Ghanaians as a "lazy bunch of people" who don't want to work hence have no money in their pockets.

Speaking at various gatherings on his current tour of the Central Region, he took issue with President Kufuor's insults to the suffering and struggling people of Ghana, saying that it was failed policies, rather than lazy people that was the cause of the discontentment in the country. He added amidst applause, that Ghanaians, when provided with the opportunity, would work to fend for themselves.

"After voting for him to become president and for his kids to own hotels and shopping malls and for their pockets to be filled, President Kufuor is now using the back of his hand to thank you because he now has what he wants from you, and does not care about his numerous unfulfilled promises of giving you jobs and filling your pockets."

He quipped, "You don't have money in your pockets because there are no jobs and you don't want to go into crime and the selling of cocaine in order to make ends meet, that is why your pockets are empty.

Assuring the people that his government will provide jobs to enable them live above the poverty line, the NDC Leader said his government would promote people centered policies - caring for the masses and not his friends and cronies. This, he said will prove Kufuor wrong, that given the right environment, Ghanaians, as hardworking as they are could make the best out of a bad situation. The turnout at Saltpond was not any different. There, the NDC Leader pledged that his government will revive the ceramics factory located there for the youth to gain emplyment, adding that his Management Team has already finalized all negotiations for the factory to take off once he takes over as the President of the Republic.

Professor Mills further noted that since the factory would using a lot of energy from the national grid, his government will use the gas deposits in the Saltpond oil fields to generate thermal energy to ensure constant power supply to the company in order to create more sustainable jobs.

At Anomabo, a fishing community, Professor Mills once again pledged to hand over the distribution of premix fuel to the fishermen so as to allow stakeholders of the industry to manage the distribution themselves. He mentioned the possibility of establishing an outboard motor assembly plant to help fishermen buy them at reasonable prices, something that will boost their business, making it possible to grow the fishing industry consistently over the years. As part of his agenda to invest in people, Professor Mills has plans to promote vocational and technical training institutions across the districts to feed industry with the right caliber of people. He mentioned that his government will make sure the current system, which does not allow those who fail at the JSS level to continue their education by re-taking their examinations is changed, this, according to him, will reduce the number of unemployed able-bodied young men and women on our streets.

Prof Mills sees a strong economy that is supported in part by an agro-based industry equipped with processing plants to boost export and local consumption.

He said 'The factories will buy from the farmers, in order for the farmers to get value for their sweat and toil; the factories will be supported to find ready markets for their products so that they will have the needed funds to stay in business; and once the farms are working and expanding and the factories have a constant cash flow, then we will be building the economy solidly from the base and move to the top".
He then turned his attention to issues in the country, “This country is too polarized and God forbid that President Atta Mills will further divide the nation along, ethnic, tribal and party political lines” He further assured that he will lead a team that will care for all Ghanaians and not only for a selected few.
Prof Mills will be canvassing for more votes in the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abrim and Mfantsiman East constituencies next.