Akyem Oda Oct. 11 GNA- Former President John Jerry Rawlings, on Monday received a rousing welcome from hundreds of supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), literarily poured into the Akyem Oda and Akyem Swedru Constituencies during his visit to the area as part of his campaign tour of the Eastern Region.

Former President Rawlings addressed separate rallies at Akyem Akroso, Akyem Manso, Akyem Oda, Akyem Swedru Zongo, Akyem Aperade and Akyem Achiase where he was cheered by large crowds who earlier in the day defied the scorching sun to "invade" the streets amidst singing and dancing waiting for his arrival.

He advised the electorate not to repeat the mistakes of 2000 and 2004 and to vote out the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government out of power, come December 7.

"After imposing hardships on you for almost eight years now, they had the audacity to come to you to renew their mandate but be steadfast and reject them in the up-coming polls".

Mr. Rawlings told the enthusiastic crowd that a vote for the NDC is "a vote for you and not Rawlings and urged them to vote massively for the party to enable them to live meaningful lives once more.' He accused the NPP government of massive corruption and said because of their bad deeds they were afraid of losing power and therefore resorting to dubious means to cling on to power.

"They are afraid of the power of the people that demands accountability; December 7 should be seen as a day of freedom and justice".

He told the supporters that the NPP used lies and deceit to win power in 2000 and 2004 and were now using state machinery to lie again and urged the supporters to be able to counteract those lies. Mr Rawlings said the government had imposed so many hardships on Ghanaians that people were dying prematurely of non-communicable diseases such as hypertensions and stoke and urged that it should be shown the exit in the December polls.

Mr Bismarck Tawiah Boateng, Eastern Regional Organizer of the NDC, accused the government of cheating cocoa farmers and said an NDC government would ensue that they were paid good prices for their produce.

He appealed to the people not to vote on tribal lines but rather to look at the qualities of an individual before entrusting power into his or her hands.

Mr Kojo Attah-Krah, NDC Parliamentary candidate for Akyem Oda, enjoined the electorate to vote for a party that would bring about improvement into their living standards and not for those whose aim was just to amass wealth at the expense of the people. Dr Kwasi Akyem Apea-Kubi, NDC Parliamentary candidate for Akyem Swedru, appealed to party supporter to work hard and close their ranks towards victory in the December polls.