Sunyani, Dec. 16, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor has appealed to Ghanaians to vote massively for Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate, in the presidential run-off on December 28, to enable the party to continue to build on the country's development fortunes.

He said the NPP Government, under his leadership had achieved so much for the country and Nana Akufo-Addo was capable to lead Ghana to a middle-income status.

President Kufuor was speaking at an encounter with journalists in Sunyani, as part of a tour of the Brong Ahafo Region, to express his appreciation to the people for supporting him during his almost eight years in office.

He said "Nana Akufo-Addo has served as Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Minister of Foreign Affairs in my government and I know his capability to build on the solid foundation that my government has been able to lay for the country's progress. President Kufuor said the election would be a referendum on the eight years rule of his government and voting massively for the NPP would be in appreciation of what NPP had done for the country. He thanked Ghanaians for ensuring peaceful elections on December 7, even though isolated incidents in some areas snuff out the tension that built up before the elections that there would be mayhem and confusion. President Kufuor expressed regret that some people were issuing threats and warnings as well as circulating false information about him and the NPP and urged Ghanaians to dismiss such actions and not to allow these to intimidate them.

He cited that a chief who is a prominent farmer in northern Ghana had had his large farm burnt down whilst the life of a religious leader in Accra had been threatened.

President Kufuor said "The country is out of such intrigues and Ghanaians should not allow such violence to rear its ugly head again". He said that during the eight years of NPP government in office no one was arbitrarily arrested or detained in the country. President Kufuor described as false a document being circulated by some unidentified persons in the country that he had amassed 998 billion Ghana cedis at the Prudential Bank.

He said "It can never be true. Even Ghana's whole cocoa and gold earnings in the year cannot amass this colossal sum and the bank itself will confess that it does not have the capacity to have this sum. It is the work of some people who want power by all means", he said. President Kufuor urged Ghanaians to be vigilant against such intrigues "because we are too enlightened to be hoodwinked by such lies and threats".

He said Ghana had been touted by the global community as an epitome of peace and progress in the world and especially in Africa and urged Ghanaians to remain steadfast and vote wisely in the presidential run-off "so we can enjoy the peace and harmony.

President Kufuor said that the NPP Government had placed the country's economy on a sound footing and had achieved strides in education, health and other sectors of the economy, adding the government had since independence received the greatest foreign support and assistance.

He mentioned the construction of roads, Bui Dam and the oil find and urged Ghanaians to reflect on such good works of the government and vote for the NPP presidential candidate in the run off.