Vote out NPP for incompetence - NDC Chairman

Accra, Aug 15, GNA - The electorate must throw away the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in the 2008 elections for gross incompetence and mismanagement of the economy, Mr Daniel Nii Okai, Chairman of the Odododiodoo Constituency of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has said.

Speaking in an interview in Accra on Tuesday, he noted that while the total external debts of Ghana since independence to the end of the NDC rule in 2001 was 41 trillion cedis, that of the NPP under President J A Kufuor from 2001 to 2007 had hit the figure of 60 trillion cedis. According to Mr Okai, the NPP had not finished contracting foreign debts, which would take the figure higher by the end of 2008 "When the NDC would be in charge after the elections", he said.

The NDC Chairman stated that, "This is against a backdrop of increased foreign cash inflow into the country as a result of debt forgiveness and other aids and grants as well as internally generated money such as taxes and VAT rates, which have all been increased". He noted that while the NPP in opposition criticised the NDC for having many Ministers of State, the government of President Kufuor now has 45 Ministers as against the 37 of the NDC.

The Odododiodoo NDC Chairman expressed concern about the upsurge in the activities of drug traffickers in the country and urged the security agencies to deal with the "big time" dealers, who he said had "connections in high places".

He said reports of the arrest of some three NPP women executives for alleged drug related offences at the Kotoka International Airport was "dying a premature death" without going through the legal and judicial system.

Mr Okai said he was reliably informed that the Omnibus Services Authority (OSA) established in 1927 by the Colonial government had a debt of seven billion cedis at the time of its liquidation while the Mass Metro Transport (MMT) after only four months of operation had accumulated over 30 billion cedis debt.

He described the NPP administration as "a property grabbing government" and asked, "Is this what the NPP means by a property owning democracy?"

"The people must vote for the NDC because of its policy of Social Democracy, which has the welfare of the people on top of its agenda", Mr Okai stated.

"The government up till now can not find its feet", he said and quoted the popular Nigerian writer, Chinu Achebe saying, "Things fall apart and the centre can not hold".

He stressed that the NPP did not have any vision and said, "Like the giraffe with a long neck the party is made up of 'Mr Know it alls' who do not consult for advise and are doing everything haphazardly without direction".

The Odododiodoo NDC Chairman stated that, "instead of working they have focused all of their attention on how to spoil the former President Rawlings and destroy the NDC party".

Mr Okai called on the people to vote for Professor John Evans Atta Mills and the NDC in the 2008 elections for a civil and humane government with a face to ensure an improved standard of living for the future generation.