The 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, brought business, commercial and vehicular activity to a complete standstill in the Odododiodioo constituency, on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, when he resumed his tour of the Greater Accra Region.

With visits to Old Fadama, Agbogbloshie, Okaishie, Kantamanto and Bukom, Nana Akufo-Addo was met by thousands and thousands of market women, business owners and their patrons who lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the NPP flag bearer.

Amidst chants of “Nana oo Nana”, “y?resesamu”, “afi yi y? wa fi”, market women abandoned their wares, business owners came out of their shops, whilst commercial drivers parked their vehicles, all eager to listen to Nana Akufo-Addo’s message of hope ahead of the conduct of this year’s election.

In the company of the NPP’s parliamentary candidate for the constituency, Nii Lante Bannerman, as well as regional and national party stalwarts, Nana Akufo-Addo, addressing market women at Agbogbloshie, noted that Ghana and Ghanaians have become too miserable, under the leadership of President Mahama.

According to him, it was inexplicable that Ghana, a nation blessed with an abundance of human and natural resources, is drenched in poverty, leading many to lose hope in the ability of the country to offer them a decent standard of living.

In spite of this, he urged the thousands gathered to have hope in the fact a government is on its way coming, God-willing from 2017, which will bring development, progress and prosperity to every corner of the country without discrimination.

“As is stipulated by law, the time has come, this year, for us to vote and decide who leads us. Let us use the power of our thumbs to change Ghana and bring in a government that can change our circumstances, and bring relief, progress and prosperity to all,” he added

At Kantamanto, the capital’s retail hub for used clothing, Nana Akufo-Addo noted that “there are too many taxes in our country”, adding that “it is the reason why businesses are collapsing in our country. We are coming into office to reduce these killer taxes, and scrap the ones we deem unnecessary. This will help bring relief to business owners, who can then, in turn, create jobs for our unemployed youth.”

He assured business owners and traders of the NPP’s commitment, as stipulated in the party’s 2016 manifesto, of the reduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) for micro and small enterprises from the current 17.5% to the 3% Flat Rate VAT, introduced by the NPP.

In addition to this, the NPP flag bearer assured traders of the reduction of port clearing charges, reiterating his commitment towards ensuring that the private sector regains its pride of place in Ghana’s economic setup, God-willing, from 2017, when he wins this year’s elections.

En route to Bukom Square, Nana Akufo-Addo made a whistle stop at Okaishie, where he was, again, mobbed by thousands of business owners, traders and residents.