Power Sharing in Ghana; Veep rules out the Possibility

Toronto, Canada: Ghana’s Vice-President Alhaji Aliu Mahama has warned that any attempt by anybody to disturb the peace, stability and tranquility of the nation would find himself eliminated first adding that the security of Ghana is the prime importance of the government.

Alhaji Mahama was addressing the New Patriotic Party (NPP) faithful at a private dinner hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Mireku Asare, owners of Afrocan (rpt Afrocan) Company, on Tuesday, October 14 in Toronto He was in transit to Quebec City, Capital of the Province of Quebec in Canada, to attend the Francophone conference.

The Vice-President told the NPP faithful amid applause the government was leaving no stone unturned to maintain the democratic successes accomplished in Ghana so far.

He said the government has provided needed logistics and resources by the Electoral Commission to conduct fair elections in December 2008.”We cannot afford to set the clock backwards. We must seriously guard against our achievements.”

Alhaji Mahama ruled out the possibility of power sharing in Ghana because the country’s electoral laws enable a political party to win elections without violence, disturbance or upheaval.

He observed that Ghana, unlike other African States, is uniquely positioned under “our electoral laws” not to experience power sharing.

The Vice-President said “you in the Diaspora have a say in the 2008 elections. You have long arms to reach all corners of Ghana” and urged them to influence their people to vote massively for NPP.

Currently, Alhaji Mahama said Ghana is highly recognized among the international community for “our economic achievements” He said “we used prudent measures to bring the economy of Ghana to where it is now”.

On education, Alhaji Mahama announced that the government was building highly equipped secondary schools in all the district capitals to prevent students from travelling long distances for higher education.

Without boasting, the Vice-President said all primary schools housed under trees in the villages have been eliminated, and regretted that some of the primary school buildings are under utilized.

About Health Care, Alhaji Mahama said the government has made it assessable to all Ghanaians and the premium to qualify every Ghanaian to benefit from it is affordable.

He said Ghana is becoming greener and greener and that “Ghana ranks second in Africa in the payment of salaries to health care personnel and appealed to Ghanaian professionals to take advantage of the changes to return home.

He said the improvement in the salaries was geared towards keeping the country’s trained medical personnel here (in Ghana).

According to the Vice-President, the government wants to make the OIL Ghana has struck as a blessing to Ghanaians and not a curse. As a result, a committee has been set up to ensure that any income from the oil would benefit the present and future generations.

About the food crisis in the world, Alhaji Mahama quoted a World Bank report that says Ghana is one of the four countries in the world that has not been hit by the crisis.

The Vice-President emphasized that the government’s improvement on the income levels of farmers in the country had been a contributory factor to food production and cocoa.

He was full of praise for the Toronto chapter of the NPP and congratulated the members for the wonderful reception accorded him and his entourage.

To a question about his legacy after leaving office, Alhaji Mahama said his eight years service to the nation under President John Agyekum Kufuor would be his legacy.

He said there had been instances where a President could not even talk to his Vice let alone discussing the affairs of the nation. “I have enjoyed working with President Kufuor and we have accomplished a lot for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Flag bearer of the NPP to continue.”

Mr.Kwabena Asare, Consul General of Toronto, who welcomed the Vice-President on behalf the High Commissioner, thanked Alhaji Mahama for transiting in Toronto to the Francophone conference.

The Consul General had earlier in the day taken the Vice–President and his entourage for a tour of the Niagara Falls, about 150 kilometers west of Toronto.

The Chairman of the Toronto Chapter of the NPP, Mr. MacDonald Agbenyo, congratulated the Kufuor administration for the good job. He told the Vice-President that he would be leaving Toronto end of October, this year to join Nana Akufo-Addo’s campaign team for 2008 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

It is the chapter’s aim to ensure victory, Mr. Agbenyo added.