Akwatia (E/R), Aug. 4, GNA- Factions of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Akwatia constituency, have decided to throw their weight behind Mr Basil Ahiable, aspiring independent parliamentary candidate in the 2008 Election.

The factions that declared their support at a news conference organized by the "Ahiable for Parliament Campaign Team at Akwatia, however, indicated that they would vote for their respective presidential candidates in the presidential elections.

Assigning reasons for their intention, the groups, whose statement was read by Mr Edward Apeadu, a former constituency secretary of the NPP, said they had voted on party lines from 1992 but had had nothing to boast of except "Silent MPs in Parliament who had failed in their promise to bring development and unity".

They said Akwatia could not continue to be in that situation hence the need for an independent parliamentary candidate in the person of Mr Ahiable who was "vibrant, vocal and could unite the people".

Mr Apeadu and the spokesman for the NDC group, Mr Edward Yiadom-Boakye, the party's former youth organizer, said there was no way they would resend their decision to support the independent candidate. The Communications Manager of the campaign team, Mr S. O. Appiah, said it was significant to note that for once, supporters of the two major parties in Ghana within the constituency had come together to rally behind an independent parliamentary candidate. He said the paraphernalia displayed at the event attested to the noble innovation which would go a long way to unite the already polarized people in the constituency.

Mr Appiah spelled out a four-pronged approach which Mr Ahiable would use in solving "the difficult situation in the constituency, which included enhancing the interest of the youth in education and setting up retention schemes for hard working teachers in the constituency. Others were personal contacts and government assistance to diversify the economic activities in the constituency, lobbying policy markers to add the constituency to their development agenda and uniting the people for development.

A large number of supporters of Mr Ahiable attended the function amidst singing, drumming and dancing.