Wa, March 23, GNA - Mr Mahmud Khalid, Upper West Regional Minister on Sunday, said Government was aware of the social contract with the electorate during Election 2008 and would deliver on all its promises at the appropriate time.

He therefore, appealed to Ghanaians to exercise patience and allow Government to put its machinery in place before tackling the basic issues to meet their needs and aspirations.

Mr Khalid was addressing NDC executives, supporters and leadership of other political parties at a get-together organised in honour of Mr Kale Caesar, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister at Wa. He pointed out that winning the election was not a problem to the NDC, but the problem now was how to fulfil the promises made to the electorate.

"The task now is for all of us to work assiduously to get our people out of poverty that had plagued them for a long time now. Our quest of improving conditions for a better Ghana is our challenge and we must not fail the people," Mr Khalid said. He suggested the formation of a development "Think Tank" group in the region and called on all stakeholders with expertise and ideas to avail themselves to the group to develop a strategic development plan to fast track the region's development.

Mr Caesar expressed appreciation to President John Evans Atta Mills for his nomination and appointment to support Mr Khalid to administer affairs of the region and pledged to live up to expectation. He said Government was poised to unite all Ghanaians for development. Mr Caesar appealed to activists and supporters of other political parties in the country to put their expertise and suggestions at the disposal of Government for the success of the "Better Ghana" agenda. He stressed the need to implement the Savannah Accelerated Development Fund to help narrow the development gap between the north and the south, adding "It holds the trump card for poverty reduction and rapid development of communities in the north". 23 March 09