Koforidua, Dec. 13, GNA - The National Chairman of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Peter Mac-Manu has observed that the world would hold President John Atta Mills responsible to ensure peaceful elections in 2012.

He said the "nasty" by-ele ctions, which was witnessed in Chereponi and Akwatia under President Mills Administration could not be described as the best.

Mr Mac-Manu called for the prosecution of the National Democratic Congress operative who was arrested with a rifle at Chereponi to serve as a deterrent to others.

He was speaking at the opening of a three- day workshop for the leadership of the Tertiary Education Students Confederacy (TESCON), a youth group within the NPP in Koforidua at the weekend.

Mr Mac-Manu noted that losing an election does not mean the disorganisation of a political party but a process that every democratic body had to experience.

He said after the elections all affected political parties and the society in general learn their lessons.

The Chairman said despite 2008 election results the party was still formidable and remained the best organised political party in Africa. Mr Mac-Manu briefed the youth about the various reforms the NPP had undergone since January and said as at now, the party had organised more than 110,000 internal elections.

He said by the end of December it might have organised about 110,640 internal elections covering all branches of the party in the country.

The General Secretary of the party, Nana Ohene Ntow called for re-strategising of TESCON to focus not only on their campuses but also to operate in their communities to help shape the opinion of the public. He called on TESCON as the intellectual brigade of the party to be ready to represent the NPP in what he described as the "battle for the minds" on the media front and the propaganda machinery.

He urged the members to be ready to provide the physical strength and the intellectual power that the party would rely on during Election 2012. Nana Ohene Ntow assured the members of TESCON that the party would continue to offer them greater space for their expressions and views and advised them to groom themselves individually to develop into future leaders of the party.

The National Youth Organiser of the party, Mr John Boadu called on the members of TESCON to be proud of the NPP and its achievements when it was in power because their opponents even show some level of appreciation for those achievements. The National Co-ordinator of TESCON, Mr Emmanuel Attafuah Danso expressed appreciation that TESCON had been given a voting right in the party. 13 Dec.09