United Cadre Front affirms support for President Mills

Accra, April 26, GNA - The Greater Accra Regional United Cadre Front (UCF) on Tuesday has confirmed their unflinching support for the candidacy of President John Evans Atta Mills to lead the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to the 2012 elections.

"We further express our total support for him during the forthcoming Congress of the party and assure him that he will win massively and comfortably to lead the Party to another victory, come the next elections," Mr Mathew Kwadwo Soadwa, Chairman of the UCF, told a press conference in Accra.

He noted that their support for the President and Vice President John Mahama followed their track record of sustained record of development throughout the country.

The UCF said that their stand followed the untiring efforts of President Mills towards re-building the country and the positive development efforts so far achieved as well as their desire to ensure party unity.

"Our support for His Excellency Professor Mills emanates from his good character, strong ability of self comportment, which have enabled him to exercise extreme patience even when placed under excessive pressure."

Mr Soadwa added: 93We of the Cadre Front wish to re-affirm our commitment to the covenant made with the President, Prof Atta Mills in 2000 when he was the Vice President and the flag bearer of the NDC. This covenant of total support and loyalty we still stand by." The Cadre Front noted that the President's record of speedy provision of water facilities, housing, electricity, good roads, improved agricultural production systems, overwhelming increase of educational facilities from the basic school level to the senior high schools to the universities, health facilities and concern for workers were worth mentioning.

"With the good display of God fearing attitude, humility, hard work and respect for all and sundry over the short period of two years, he has definitely served this nation through the 91Better Ghana Agenda'," they added.

Mr Soadwa said the stand of the Cadres Front was not to malign anybody but to affirm unflinching support to the decision taking to allow the party structures to develop towards enhanced progress of the country and its people.

"The NDC will stand the test of time since it is not a losing party and its members should collaborate and stand together against any machinations of division."

Mr Asare Obeng, a staff of National Disaster Management Organisation who chaired the press conference, said cadres were the pivot of the NDC government since they laid down their lives towards the formation of the Party.

He said it was the wish of all cadres that there would be understanding among all followers of the party since they would not countenance any move that would not only derail the good works of the government but might lead to the downfall of the party and its members.

Second Ghana Policy Fair opens in Accra

Accra, April 26, GNA - The second Ghana Policy Fair to showcase policies, projects and activities of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) opened in Accra on Tuesday. The fair on the theme: 93Empowering the People As We Build A Better Ghana," was to afford the citizenry the chance to interact, made inputs or critique about government policies to expedite Ghana's development.

The five-day fair will create the platform for dialogue between policy makers, implementers and the citizenry. Vice President John Dramani Mahama, who opened the fair said it would provide opportunity for many Ghanaians to learn about the policies and activities of State institutions.

He urged Ghanaians to take interest in policies of MMDAs by offering suggestions and ideas to improve on their activities. Vice President Mahama explained that the dialogue sessions would be the important aspect during the fair and implored the public especially the private sector to participate to bring their ideas on board.

He reiterated government's commitment to run a transparent and accountable government by making the fair an annual affair. Mr John Tia Akologu, Minister of Information, said the fair was a clear demonstration of President Mills commitment to afford the citizenry an opportunity to make direct assessment of government policies, projects and programmes.

He said the theme was chosen to reflect efforts of government in creating the enabling environment through harnessing the potentials of the people for national development.

Mr Akologu noted that last year's fair was successful because there were suggestions from the people to replicate it to other regions and even beyond Ghana's borders.

"In organising this year's policy fair, we have taken into consideration, suggestions that were made last year. I am happy to announce that budgetary allocation has been made to take the fair to three regions this year," he said.

He said they were Volta, Ashanti and Northern Regions and expressed the hope that other regions would be catered for when funds were available.

Mr Akologu said currently government was negotiating with the World Bank and the Private Sector Reform Office to raise funds for the purpose.

Dr Tony Aidoo, Head of Policy Evaluation Oversight Unit, Office of the President, said a lot had been achieved over the past 18 months the NDC assumed office and appealed to the MDAs to take advantage of the fair to propagate their policies and projects. He noted that their performance would be meaningless if the citizenry was not aware of their work.

Dr Kofi Amoah, a Private Participant lauded the ideas behind the fair and urged government to sustain it.

He said the Land Title Policy and Land Holding Policy were hindrance to the agricultural sector and appealed to government to review the policies to make them friendly to agriculture and manufacturing. 26 April 11