Kumasi, Oct. 27, GNA - Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, a presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has said Suame Magazine in Kumasi should consider itself as an industrial estate in transition. He said if given the nod to become the flag bearer of the party and wins the 2008 election, his government would establish a technical institute in the area to prepare the local artisans to undergo the transformation that would turn the magazine into a modern industrial estate in the medium term.

Dr Addo-Kufuor, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Manhyia, was speaking at the inauguration and fund raising rally of the Suame Magazine branch of the NPP in Kumasi on Friday.

He said the nation's economy had improved with investor confidence very high and for the medium term, many positive developments could be seen on the horizon such as the construction of the Bui dam, the West African gas project, Millennium Challenge Account and massive oil finds. Dr Addo-Kufuor said for Ghana to take advantage of all these positive developments, a solid industrial base with well trained work force would be needed and the magazine would be part of this major industrial take off.

"Apart from basic infrastructure, modern tools and equipment as well as equipped workshops, the artisans need to be given the type of training that will enable them the appreciate the theoretical aspects of the work and also competently handle modern equipment to make them efficient and productive", he said.

Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, an NPP presidential aspirant, said what was needed within the NPP was unity and understanding of issues to continue with what President John Agyekum Kufuor had done and expressed the hope that come January 2009 he would hand over the baton to another NPP leader.

He described members and supporters of the party at Magazine as gallant men who had rallied behind the MP for the constituency to win power for the party.Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, MP for the constituency and Deputy Majority Leader, recounted the sufferings and ordeals members and supporters of the party at Suame Tafo went through before the party came to power and called on them to consider it as the work of God. He assured the artisans and the members of the party that the government was committed to providing their needs and would soon see the provision of fire tender, streetlights and the commencement of the construction of a clinic in the area.

Mr Osei Assibey Antwi, Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister and first vice chairman of NPP, said the government had come to solve the most pertinent problems that Ghanaians faced and mentioned them as education, health delivery, food security and unemployment. Mr Peter Mac Manu, National Chairman of the NPP who inaugurated the 30 member executives from New Road, Zone 13 and Tarkwa-Maakro that formed the branch, said the NPP would win the 2008 election. Mr Badu Adu Boahen, Suame constituency chairman of the party, appealed to members and the executives to eschew divisive tendencies and come together with a common purpose to bring all floating persons to the party for an overwhelming victory in 2008. 27 Oct 07