Politics of Tuesday, 19 October 2004

Source: GNA

See elections as opportunity to renew NPP's mandate

Tepa (Ash), Oct. 19, GNA - Captain Nkrabea Effah-Dartey (rtd), Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, has appealed to Ghanaians to see December elections as an opportunity to either renew the mandate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government for the next four years or change it.

He therefore, urged the electorate to go to the polls peacefully without any insult or chaos.

The Deputy Minister, who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Berekum, made the appeal when he visited a number of churches and mosques at Tepa and attended a durbar held in his honour by the chiefs and people of Tepa Traditional Area, during his two-day working visit.

Capt. Effah-Dartey said Ghanaians by their nature were highly religious and as all religions sought to promote unity in diversity, he asked the people to adhere to their religious principles, which included morality, integrity, righteousness, truth and non-violence, adding, God never forsakes those who worship Him in truth and sincerity. He assured the people that the Tepa Secondary School has been short-listed to be developed as one of the model senior secondary schools in the country during the third phase of the programme. On behalf of the ministry, the Deputy Minister donated 100 bags of cement to support a rural bank and toilet, which are under construction under the auspices of Tepa Paramount Chief.

Nana Adusei Atwenewaah Ampem I, Omanhene of Tepa appealed to the Deputy Minister to assist the Ahafo-Ano North District with a police barracks and offices befitting the district capital and also solve the accommodation problems facing police personnel in the district.

He praised Mr Yaw Appeahene Adjei, who even though came all the way from the United States to contest the NPP primaries and lost, has teamed up with Mr Kwame Owusu Frimpong, the incumbent MP on his campaign trips and describes Mr Appeahene as a symbol of democracy.

The Omanhene advised the NPP constituency executives and their supporters to work together as a team and support their parliamentary candidate if they want to win the seat for President Kufuor in December. The Deputy Minister later inaugurated the NPP Youth Wing at Tepa.