Accra, Aug 27, GNA - The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Yao Obed Asamoah, on Saturday stated that the Laissez Faire policies of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has opened up the country's market to "all sorts of good" from other countries produced at a lower cost and thereby killing local products and industries.
Speaking at a rally of the NDC at Bukom Square in Accra, he said this had led to massive unemployment, retrenchment and poverty among the people.
He called on the electorate in the Odododiodoo constituency to vote for the NDC candidate in the by-election scheduled for Tuesday, 30 August this year to serve as signal to the government that its policies were having an adverse effect on the people.
Dr Asamoah told the teeming crowd at the rally that they would not only be doing a great disservice to themselves but to the nation if they did not vote for the NDC, adding that, even though the government had a cream of educated people in the country its micro-economic policies were not reflecting in the pockets of the people.
The Founder of the party, former President Jerry John Rawlings, commended the people of the area for producing one of the most illustrious sons of Ghana and West Africa in the person of Mr Justice D F Annan, a former Speaker of Parliament and an eminent jurist and urged the people to return the NDC to represent them in Parliament in the by-election.
He stressed his determination to die in defence of the country's constitution and asked the electorate to vote for the truth and freedom by ensuring that the NDC retained the seat in the poll. Flt Lt Rawlings stated that political violence that occurred in the area last Thursday in which some people including many NDC supporters were wounded was an ample proof of how desperate the government wanted to win the seat, adding that, it confirmed that the NPP rigged in the 2004 general election.
The NDC Parliamentary candidate, Mr Jonathan Nii Tackie Komme, thanked the people for their support and said come next Tuesday, victory would be theirs.
The candidate who is the Assembly Member for the Kinka Electoral Area in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly denied accusation that he and the late MP for the constituency, Mr Samuel Ayikwei Mankattah, were responsible for the recent sacking of hawkers from the streets of the Accra Central business area.
He stated that it was on record that the Mayor of Accra, Mr Stanley Adjiri Blankson, had taken credit for the decongestion exercise and urged detractors of the NDC to stop from trying to score cheap political points through lies and deceit.
Mr Nii Okaidja Adamafio, a former Minister of the Interior and MP for the area, deplored the recent political violence in the area and said that even though the NDC was not going to start one it would not tolerate its reoccurrence.
He called on the Electoral Commission to ensure a free and fair election to ensure that a peaceful atmosphere was maintained in the area and the country as a whole.
Mr Haruna Iddrisu, MP for Tamale South who is the National Youth Organiser, introduced NDC members who sustained injuries in the political violence and said the party believed in peace and tolerance. He called on the security agencies to ensure protection for all citizens of the country irrespective of their political persuasion for a peaceful poll.
Present at the rally were many leading members of the NDC including Mt E T Mensah, MP for Ningo Prampram, Mr Ofosu Ampofu, National Organiser, Nii Amasa, MP Dadekotopon, Mr Afotey Agbo, MP Kpone Kkatamanso, Mr Daniel Nii Okai, Constituency Chairman and many national officials of the party.