Bolgatanga, Jan. 5, GNA - Northern Patriots Research and Advocacy (NORPRA), an Upper East based civil organization working in the area of social justice and equity, has congratulated President-elect Professor John Evans Atta Mills for his resounding victory in the 2008 presidential run-off election.

This was contained in a press release signed by the President of NORPRA, Mr Bismark Adongo Ayorogo, and issued on Monday in Bolgatanga. The release urged Professor Mills to ensure that his administration did not discriminate in terms of national resource allocation. It noted that the Upper East, Upper West and Northern Regions voted massively for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) with the optimism that the party would live up to its promises of bridging the gap between the North and the South.

The release called on the NDC government to fulfil its promise of bringing more development to the three northern regions to catch up with the other endowed regions.

It noted that the NDC government constructed majority of road networks opening the north and southern sectors thereby making movements of goods and services accessible.

It urged the President-elect to be careful in his choice of economic policies especially those from the Breton Woods Institutions in order not to make the economy to suffer unduly.

"We wish to commend Professor Mills for his public statement that he will not pursue policies of discrimination and marginalization against anybody or group of persons in the management of the economy and governance of the country". The release expressed the hope that Professor Mills would demonstrate strong commitment to his much cherished words of "bridging the north-south development gap".