"NPP Still Solid in the North" -NPP

THE NORTHERN regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alhaji C.O.P. has said that inspite of reports that the party had lost some of its supporters in Dagbon as a result of the Yendi crisis, it would sweep the 2004 elections in the region.

He made the assertion in an interview with the Chronicle.

He said: "it is just a matter of time and people will get to realise that this government (NPP) is not a party to the unfortunate incident in Yendi".

He is worried that those who are supposed to know better have jumped into conclusion about the Yendi crisis and are politicising it.

"Let me assure you that, those people will fail miserably. Look, my brother, President Kufuor is the single most worried and concerned Ghanaian as far as what has befallen us here is concerned". Alhaji C.O.P. added.

On why the President had not yet visited Dagbon to mourn with them over the murder of the late Ya-Na, Alhaji C.O.P. replied: "The President, no doubt, loved the late Ya-Na and will be with the people at the appropriate time".

On the handling of contracts in the region, Alhaji C.O.P. claimed that he is an individual contractor and has never benefited from any government contract within the last 20 years.

He said he survived on joint business with friends, who he did not mention. Alhaji C.O.P. said what is significant about the NPP government's policy on the award of contracts is that, it is based on merit and not on partisanship: "As we speak now, some of our friends belonging to the NDC have enjoyed and continue to enjoy contracts under this government, but we never got some".

The NPP chairman thinks the government is on course with its determination to boost agriculture in the country, as it has provided twelve tractors on hire purchase to some farmers' groups in the region.

He said since the arrival of the tractors, more than 8,000 acres of rice have been cultivated in the region this year.