Fumbisi(UE) June 5 GNA Mr. Dramani Mahama , Running Mate to the Flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress(NDC), Professor Evans Atta Mills on Thursday said the NDC would win the election 2008 and asked the people of Upper East Region not to do anything that would threaten the peace in the area.

He said; "Our Political Opponents are not our enemies. We are all brothers and sisters and those who are not on your side persuade them to join you for the good cause".

Mr. Mahama was speaking at Fumbisi in the Builsa District in the Upper East Region, Yagba, Kuri, Kubori in "oversea" areas in the West Mamprusi where he met the chiefs and people at separate meetings as part of his tour of the northern parts of the country to continue to introduce himself as a running mate to Professor Mills. He expressed surprise about the stoppage of development projects initiated by the NDC in the area after it had left office. He said some of the electric poles erected in the area have not been connected to the national grid.

Mr. Mahama said the NDC was trying to open up the area through network of roads by building a bridge over rivers linking the area known as "Oversees" area to Walewale to Daboya and from the Northern Region to Upper East whilst another one was to be built at the White Volta for the area.

"On my visit, I am surprised to find that these projects had not been tackled by the NPP Government for the past eight years", he indicated. He said it was in this area that oncho and guinea worm diseases were eradicated through frequent spraying.

" I heard these diseases are back in the area and pathetically, the "oversea" area is one of the most fertile land that could be found in Ghana and if properly utilized through irrigation and proper husbandry, it could feed the whole country with rice, beans and millet". Mr. Mahama said if the NDC came to power it would re-introduce Farmers Service Company(FASCOM) to give extension services to farmers, give them subsides, fertilizers and revamp the cotton industry and others to give employment to the youth to retain them instead of drifting to the southern sectors in search of menial jobs.

The NDC, he noted, would establish a Sheanut Development Body like the Ghana Cocoa Board to undertake buying and selling of sheanut and sheabutter to give women who were engaged in that trade a regular and better income.

He warned the people not to sell their voter Identity Cards to anyone in the exchange of any form of loan.

Those who were with Mr. John Mahama were Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, Mr. Hudu Yahaya and Mr. Iddrisu Haruna, General Secretary, Vice Chairman and the National Youth Organizer respectively of the NDC. Mr. Mahama would hold a rally with party supporters and a cross section of people in Sandema in the Upper East Region and visit the Paramount Chiefs of Paga, Navrongo, Yagba and Nayagnia, all in the Upper East Region to run up his visit to the area. 06 June 08