General News of Wednesday, 11 November 2020

Source: classfmonline.com

Let's work hard to keep NDC out of power – Akufo-Addo charges Assembly Members

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo has charged the leadership and members of the Greater Accra Association of Assembly Members (GAAAM), to join forces with his administration ahead of the 7th December Presidential and Parliamentary elections to ensure that the New Patriotic Party (NPP), keeps the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) out of power.

The President gave the charge when he addressed the association at the Jubilee House when they paid a courtesy call on him on Tuesday, 10 November 2020.

"We all have to join forces and fight to ensure that we do not allow the NDC to come back to office. That should never happen in the upcoming elections. It will require that we join forces to prevent them from coming back to office" President Akufo-Addo said.

"The atmosphere in the country is good for us. Ghanaians are largely happy with the work of my administration thus far and what is important now is to go from house to house and to drive home our enviable record from now till the 7th December elections. We can't afford any complacency, because elections are not won until the last vote has been counted and we have to make sure that everybody who has registered, will come out and vote in this year's election" President Akufo-Addo added.

Payment of Assembly Members

On the subject of the payment of Assembly Members which has become a controversial issue since former President John DDramani Mahama and the 2020 Presidential candidate of the NDC, promised to pay all Assembly Members a monthly salary, Spokesperson for the association, Stephen Kwasi Acquah, in his address, noted that any decision to pay them a monthly salary is welcome news.

However, he indicated that Mr. Mahama, who is today promising to pay Assembly Members salaries, did same in his party's 2012 manifesto but failed to implement the promise when he won power.

To this end, Mr. Acquah observed that their association considers the 2020 manifesto promise of the NDC and its presidential candidate to pay Assembly Members monthly salaries as a promise without any substance.

"We are only confident in one thing and that is, for you, Mr. President to make time to even meet us today, demonstrates that you are the President who will make our lives better from 2021 in your second term," he said.