General News of Saturday, 31 January 2004

Source: GNA

Government urged to fulfil election promises

Accra, Jan.30, GNA - Nana Addo-Aikins, a legal practitioner, on Friday called on President John Agyekum Kufuor and his New Patriotic Party (NPP) government to fulfil its electioneering campaign promises to the people of Asafo-Akyem area.

He requested the NPP to honour its promise to rehabilitate feeder roads in the Asafo- Akyem area to facilitate economic activities there. Nana Addo-Aikins, who was a former Public Tribunal chairman, expressed regret that politicians always made promises to repair roads in the area but it always tuned out to be a political gimmick for winning votes in the area.

These were contained in a statement distributed to President Kufuor through the Chief of Staff, the Eastern Regional Minister and the Media. Nana Addo-Aikins said roads mentioned in promises by politicians included Akyem Asafo-Kukurantumi, Old Tafo-Maase-Anyinasin, Akyem Asafo-Adjapoma, Akooko-Kyebi and Kyebi-Apapam all in the Asafo-Akyem area.

He said: "After three years into the NPP rule, there still seems to be no signs of any concrete move by government to fulfil the numerous promises which NPP agents made and are still making in respect of carrying out the promises to fully rehabilitate and tar these road networks...."

The statement said the rehabilitation of the roads in the area would enable the people to transport their foodstuffs, cocoa, and other agricultural produce to the marketing centres.

Nana Addo-Aikins noted that NPP obtained a massive presidential vote from the Asafo-Akyem but whether it would win in this year's elections in the area would depend on the extent to which the party would be able to fulfil its electioneering campaign promises.

He appealed to President Kufuor to prevail on SONITRA CO. LTD, a road construction firm, currently working on roads at Anyinasin, Atwemamena, Aafo, Akooko, Nkronso and Apedwa to assist in developing the area since the people contributed gravel pits, stone quarries, water and other road construction materials to the company.

Nana Addo-Aikins, however, praised President Kufuor for "breaking the usual empty promises of previous governments by fulfilling his promise to turn the Bunso-Apedwa road in the Eastern region into asphalt road network."