Bolgatanga, Oct. 10, GNA - Mr Bernard Mona, General Secretary for the People's National Convention Party (PNC) on Thursday observed that among the Presidential Aspirants of the four major Political parties that have presented their manifestoes, Dr Edward Nasigre Mahama of the PNC stood tall among the rest. He therefore expressed optimism that the 2008 election is for Dr Mahama and urged the electorate to vote the PNC to power. He stated this during a two-day strategic workshop on the theme, "Mobilizing PNC women for effective leadership", organized for the party's women organizers in the Upper East Region. It was aimed at equipping participants on the type of message to communicate and how to communicate it to the electorate to enable the party win the 2008 elections.

The General Secretary explained that Professor Atta Mills, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo and Dr Pa Kwesi Nduom of the NDC, NPP and CPP respectively had served in the previous governments and had failed to bring relief to solve peculiar problems facing Ghanaians.

Mr Mona entreated Ghanaians to buy the better message of the PNC and vote it to power, to enable it good policies enrich the lives of Ghanaians.

He noted that the Millennium Challenge Account administered by the NPP Government, that was meant to alleviate the poverty level of the poorest regions in the country, failed to capture the Upper East and Upper West Regions, which were among the poorest in the country. He indicated that housing, as the NPP Government promised for the people in the upper East Region was not their priority, and that what was needed was for the people to be empowered through agriculture. He said the people of the north needed affordable education and it was only through that, that the poverty situation in the area would be reduced.

He said the other Presidential Aspirants did not know the needs of the people and it was only the PNC that had been able to identify the needs of the people and would help address them when it came to power. Mr Mona indicated that the flag bearer of the party had interacted intensively with people at the grassroots level and knew their needs. He said the PNC would focus on providing affordable education to all and empowering the people in the north through agriculture. Participants at the workshop would be taken through, effective communication, what alternative policies PNC would offer and the role of women in 2008 election.

Mr Mona explained that the Party was more sensitive to gender issues and that was why it was organizing the workshop for women organizers and noted that women formed the bulk of the population and could make a greater impact for the party to win the election. The General Secretary of the party commended the Institute of Multi-Party Democracy (Netherlands) and Institute of Economic Affairs for sponsoring the programme.

Hajia Boya, National Women's Organiser, in a speech read on her behalf by Mrs Stella Saaka Regional Women's Organizer, urged the participants to take the workshop seriously, and put into practice the knowledge acquired to enable the party win the 2008 election. Mr Henry Fatchu, the Regional Secretary of the Party said as women organizers of the party, they had a duty to play a crucial role and urged them to redouble their campaign activities for the party to win.