Wa, June 8, GNA - Mr. John Dramani Mahama, running mate to Professor John Evans Atta Mills, flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said on Saturday in Wa that Ghanaians should not fear changing any incompetent government.

He said if a government is unable to meet the development expectations, needs and aspirations of the majority of Ghanaians, the people should not hesitate to change that government for a better one. He said the cost of living in the country is high and the people were finding it difficult to make ends meet and urged Ghanaians to turn to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for salvation Mr. Mahama was interacting with media practitioners in Wa after a tour of some parts of the Upper West Region to introduce himself to the people and to canvas for votes for the NDC.

He said the NDC has the alternatives to address the problems and challenges in agriculture, health, education and security of the nation to create an enabling environment for a better Ghana. Mr. Mahama said an NDC government would restructure the subsidy system and protect it from being abused by other people. "We will put in a structure that will provide agriculture extension services, give farm inputs such as fertilizers, tractor services and improved seeds to farmers and not cash in hands", he said. The NDC would also review the Leap system and make it more beneficial to the people, pointing out that the current system was discriminatory because it only gives assistance to 93 poor households within a community while it could mean that people in that whole community were poor.

"The NDC will help people to produce crops and government will buy them off and not to give cash to people as it is being done by the NPP", Mr. Mahama pointed out.

Mr Mahama said an NDC administration would give good price to sheanuts to encourage producers to pick more of the crop that was always left out to rot in the bush while educational campaign would be put in place for Cocoa Board to educate the women on the processing of the crop.

On conflicts, Mr. Mahama said the NDC would incorporate early warming system into the national security to stem the spread of conflicts.

Government would also remain neutral on conflicts, saying, "It is only when the people get to know that government is neutral that they will be prepared to listen to the government." Mr. Haruna Iddrissu, National Youth Organiser of the NDC said an NDC government would make itself accountable to the media, operate a transparent government and improve on the national economy. 08 June 08