Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the 2012 Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has stated that the ultimate test for Ghana’s democracy, besides confidence in the electoral system, is by winning the enduring war against mass poverty and this can be achieved by building a new society of opportunities.

He made this known at a Thanksgiving Service held at the Ridge Church on Saturday, August 14th 2010, where members of the NPP gave thanks to the Almighty God for His dominion over last Saturday’s historic NPP presidential primary and for the peace and solidarity that prevailed. The Thanksgiving Service also afforded members the opportunity to pray for God’s guidance in the party’s quest for power in 2012.

In his speech, Nana Akufo-Addo recalled the fateful Saturday of 4th August 1947, when the founders of Ghanaian nationalism met at Saltpond to initiate the process for national independence and freedom by the establishment of the UGCC. The goals of that meeting, he said, were to establish a Ghana free from foreign control, and a Ghana that nurtures and respects the freedoms of its citizens.

He stated that the dreams of Ghana’s founding fathers was for free men and women, boys and girls, living ever-enhancing lives under orderly liberty as the masters of the state and not living in a society where freedom of religion is absent, freedom of speech is suppressed, the media is distorted with propaganda and citizens go to jail for expressing honest opinions.

Nana Addo said it was therefore the mission of the New Patriotic Party to build in Ghana a brighter future in a *New Society of Opportunities* where the mass of the people will be well schooled; well skilled; well employed; well clothed; well fed; and well housed

This new society of opportunities, he said, would be built through the radical intensification of efforts in pursuing the transformation and modernisation of the national economy, so that it could create jobs and prosperity for the broad mass of the people on the basis of social justice, the rule of law, respect for human rights, the principles of democratic accountability, and individual liberty and enterprise.

The NPP, he said, believed that every individual is endowed with God-given talents and thus it is the fundamental duty of government to create an environment that allows the individual to use that talent positively for the benefit of him- or herself, his or her family and society, at large.

Nana Akufo-Addo further went on to say that the NPP’s goal of building a property-owning democracy in a free, independent Ghana has never meant, does not mean, and will not mean, luxury for the elite at the expense of the majority but rather to extend the benefit of property ownership to each and every citizen to enhance their dignity and welfare.

Nana Akufo-Addo pledged that for the December 2012 general election the behaviour and attitude of the NPP will be proactive to ensure that the integrity of Ghana’s electoral process is enhanced for the sake of Ghana’s democracy and the peace of the nation.

He said an election marred by violence, intimidation and widespread irregularities, will not promote the nation’s peace and unity nor its democracy but will only generate tension and unrest and Ghana must be spared such an outcome.

He thanked God for giving him a second chance to aspire to be able to serve the Ghanaian nation at its highest office and asked for God for the necessary strength, compassion, humility and wisdom to lead the NPP not only to victory in 2012, but also to be a good and effective President in whose time significant growth and prosperity of the Ghanaian nation will occur.

Nana Akufo-Addo pleaded with NPP members and sympathisers to unite and stay together, dream together, think together, pray together, work together to succeed together, so that they can all celebrate together and give God the glory.