Wa (Upper West Region) 10 Oct. 1998 Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced at Wa a number of issues to be discussed at the party's national delegates' congress at Sekondi from December 10 to 12.

These include how to promote unity and internal cohesion needed to make the party relevant and capable of solving emerging problems at all times.

Others are a possible review of the party's manifesto adopted at the Sunyani Congress in 1996, party discipline and the need for the involvement of the rank and file of the NDC in running the affairs of the party.

The general secretary dropped this hint when he addressed the biennial delegates' congress of the Upper West branch of the party at which the 15 member regional executive under the chairmanship of Mr Malik Issahaq, a contractor, were retained unopposed for another two-year term.

Alhaji Yahaya said during the Sekondi congress, delegates would come out with strategies towards the 2000 general elections.

He expressed optimism that the NDC would increase its 133 seats in parliament in the 2000 elections, and said the party is hopeful to win all or at least, some of the three disputed parliamentary seats, pending in court.

These are the Ayawaso West-Wuogon, Ajumako and Sunyani East constituencies.

He said the Wa congress is the first of the regional congresses to be held.

Mr Issifu Ali a co-chairman of the NDC, people to embrace the Value Added Tax (VAT) which he described as "a wonderful tax that will speed up the development of the country".

Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, the Regional Minister, said the peaceful manner in which the constituency and regional congresses have been held shows that "the NDC is solid as before in the Upper West Region"

Mr Edward Salia, Minister of Roads and Transport, assured the people that the 250-kilometre Bole/Bamboi road linking the region with southern Ghana, would be tarred before the year 2000, adding that the government is seriously looking for foreign funding for the project. GRi