Politics of Thursday, 25 November 2004

Source: GNA

NDC activists urged to protect ballot boxes

Adeiso (E/R), Nov. 25, GNA - Former President Jerry John Rawlings, has urged polling agents of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to keep an eye on the ballot boxes at their polling stations and ensure that nobody tampered with them.

He also urged them to be vigilant and ensure that results of the votes cast was duly recorded on the declaration forms and presented at the coalition centre of their constituencies.

Former President Rawlings was addressing rallies on the first day of his three-day campaign tour of the Eastern Region at Nsawam, Adeiso, Asamankese, Akwatia, Atiakama Nkwanta, Takorase and Akim Oda. He advised the Party supporters not to sit in their houses on the day of the election and assume that the Party would win the election. They should rather mobilize family members, friends and relations to go and cast their vote for the NDC.

He advised them not to allow themselves to be provoked by their opponents to degenerate into conflicts, adding; "let this year's campaign be accident free."

The Eastern Regional Chairman of NDC, Mr Fred Ohene-Kena said if the electorate voted for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), they would be voting for the institutionalisation of corruption in the country.

He said the Parliamentary Candidate of the NPP for Abuakwa North spent millions of cedis on his primaries and continued to display affluence in terms of posters and expensive billboards, which the total cost would far exceed the total remuneration that would be paid to him if elected.

He said; "such a person in government would be an easy prey for corruption", and called on the people to vote for the NDC to end corruption in the country.

The MP for Upper West Akim, Mr Samuel Sallas-Mensah said the Government of Professor John Evans Atta-Mills would not increase petrol prices above the existing price.

He said an NDC government would review some of the taxes, which were likely to hike petrol price.