General News of Tuesday, 26 December 2000

Source: From Ben Owusu Sekyere, Cape Coast

"I’ll pursue new development" -Mills

THE Vice-President and Flag-bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor J.E.A Mills, has assured Ghanaians that he would pursue a different development agenda from what has happened under the leadership of President J.J Rawlings.

“President Rawlings has completed his assignment of ensuring peace and stability and also laying the foundation for the economic take-off of the country”.

“I would focus attention on employment generation, agriculture and education to enable the people create wealth for themselves,” he stated.

The Vice-President gave the assurance during a phone-in programme on Radio Central at Cape Coast yesterday to round off his two-day campaign tour of the region.

He said he hopes to achieve this by pursuing an open-door policy that would ensure that any Ghanaian, no matter his or her political affiliation, who has something meaningful to offer the nation, would be given the chance to serve.

Prof. Mills said the Youth in Agriculture project he initiated a couple of years ago has proved very successful, and said his administration would expand the programme and make it more enticing to attract the youth into agriculture.

Answering questions from listeners, the Vice- President said the Educational Endowment Fund and the Health Insurance Scheme initiated by the NDC government are meant to give the people better education and good health.

He said he will, as part of his agenda, to establish information technology centres throughout the country to make the youth computer literate to facilitate the development of the country.

He assured the people that the rehabilitation of the Accra-Yamoransa road would be undertaken as planned, adding that the road would further open up the Central region and make it more attractive to investors.

He said the reactivation of the Komenda Sugar Factory and the proposed airport project would be tackled in earnest.

Prof. Mills urged the electorate to critically assess the promises of the NPP and find out for themselves if such promises were attainable.

He said the NDC has a track record and would, therefore, not make vain promises.

He urged the people to rally behind him in the run-off, adding that he would not fail the nation.

The Vice-President repeated his call for a public debate between him and Mr J.A Kufuor, the Flag-bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

This, he noted, would afford Ghanaians the opportunity to determine which of them is better suited to lead the country into the new century.

Prof. Mills said he is ready to lead the nation with a new team of intelligent and hardworking people who would work to ensure prosperity for the nation.