Accra, Aug 25, GNA - Professor John Evans Atta Mills, National Democratic Congress flag bearer in the 2004 Elections, on Thursday called on the electorate in the Odododiodoo constituency to assess their situation and vote in the by-election scheduled for August 30 this year. Addressing a rally at Ayalolo in Accra, he noted that Ghanaians were suffering but the government of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) did not want the people to complain.

He said that currently, few were enjoying while majority were suffering economic and social hardships, adding that, there was mass unemployment while the government practised what he called " politics of deception and lies".

Prof Atta Mills said the five-year rule of the NPP had afforded the people with an opportunity to compare the performance of the NDC when it was in government and to return the latter back to power in the 2008 elections.

He called on the electorate to vote massively for the NDC candidate for the by-election, Mr Jonathan Tackie Komme, to serve as a signal to the government that it had failed the people.

The NDCC chairman for the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr Collins Duada, who is the MP for Atebubu, stated that the NPP had failed to honour its campaign promises.

He noted that the Mr Tackie Komme was the Assembly Member for the Kinka Electoral Area in the constituency and had accomplished a lot since he elected to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and urged the people to vote for him to continue his good works.

The Western Regional Chairman of the party, Nana Alex Asamoah, described the constituency as very important in the political history of the country.

He said since the NPP's philosophy was that of a property owning democracy, they should vote for the NDC, which was pursuing social democracy to continue its "people centred policies".

Mr Nii Lante Vanderpuige, a leading member of the party in the area, said under the NPP, business in the country was grinding to a halt and people in the area, which formed part of the business centre of Accra, were feeling the pinch.

He promised that the NDC would revive business to benefit of the people and urged the electorate to vote for the NDC candidate. Nii Nortey Duah, NDC candidate for the Ladzekuko constituency in the 2004 constituency called the party supporters to be vigilant on the voting day to avoid rigging.

Mr Richard Ankrah, an executive member of the Odododiodoo constituency, criticised a statement attributed to the Metropolitan Chief Executive for Accra, that the late MP for the area, Mr Samuel Ayikwei Mankattah was one of the people who called for the decongestion of the business centre to rid it of hawkers.

He pointed out that it was a decision of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) for which the City Mayor took credit and said because of the by-election the NPP had allowed traders back on the streets only to sack them again after the poll.

Mr Tackie Komme urged the people to vote for him to continue the development he was pursuing for the area as an Assembly Member and said he would resist any decision, which would be taken that, would not be in the interest of the people of the area.

Present at the rally were many top NDC members including Mr E T Mensah, MP for Ningo Prampram, Mr Ofosu Ampofo, former MP and National Organiser of the party, Mr Asiedu Nketiah, a former Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Nii Okaidja Adamafio, a former MP for the area and Minister of the Interior and the Constituency Chairman, Mr Daniel Nii Okai.