Cape Coast(C/R), Oct.26, GNA - The Minister in-charge of Primary, Secondary and Girl-child Education, Ms Christine Churcher on Saturday reiterated the government's determination to provide quality education to towards national development.

She said: " it would be suicidal" for education to become the preserve of only rich people and gave the assurance that government would take steps to eradicate poverty.

Ms Christine Churcher said the authorities have therefore initiated programmes aimed at financially empowering all Ghanaians to enable them cater for the needs of their children.

Ms Churcher who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cape Coast, was speaking a forum organised by the University of Cape Coast branch of the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at Cape Coast, under the theme "quality youth leadership for progressive development".

She urged the students to intensify their campaigns beyond the campus to enable the party to win the next General Elections.

The Central Regional Minister, Mr Isaac Edumadze, told the students, that they were the "bedrock and foundation stone" of the party and urged them to ensure that the NPP was re-elected into power.

The Regional Minister, who is also the MP for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam, said a secretariat for TESCON had been established at the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) office, and asked the students to avail themselves of the facility to move the party forward.

He debunked reports in sections of the media that he had been removed from office, and said he was on leave, stressing " that all NPP government officials do not fear to go on leave".

Mr Ken Ohene Agyepong, MP for Assin-North, referred to allegations of corruption the NDC had levelled against the government and said the party had no moral justification to do so, since the NDC regime was characterised by the "worst corruption ever witnessed by Ghanaians".

He said the blessing and endorsement the NDC gave to corruption made it possible for some of its members to acquire some divested state-owned companies, like the State Transport Company (STC) and the Nsawam Cannery, among others through dubious means at a huge loss to the state.

Mr Agyepong said the deep-rooted corrupt practices of the NDC was further manifested during the construction of Sankara Circle in Accra. He said the NDC claimed the project cost 15 million dollars but the NPP government was constructing the Tetteh Quarshie Circle, a far bigger one project, at a cost 10 million dollars.

Mr Agyepong reminded the students that they were future leaders and therefore asked them to be bold, ambitious and to be prepared to take risks.