Takoradi, March 15,-GNA- Mrs Angelina Baiden-Amissah, Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports has charged the various branches of the Tertiary Education Students Confederacy (TESCON) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to disseminate information about the achievements of the government and the impact of its programmes and polices on the socio-economic lives of the people. She said by so doing they would be preparing a "fertile ground" for NPP parliamentary candidates to ensure that the party retains power in the upcoming general elections. The Deputy Minister said these at a joint inauguration event of the Takoradi Polytechnic and Effia-Nkwanta Nurses Training School ladies' chapters of TESCON in Takoradi on Saturday. It was on the theme: "The role of women in leadership". Mrs Baiden-Amissah emphasised the need for TESCON members to work hard to disabuse the minds of the electorate from "political lies, deceptions and intimidations being peddled by our opponents". Since party politics is all about numbers, she charged TESCON members to intensify their membership drive in the nooks and crannies and encourage the people to register and vote when the time comes. She reminded them that since they were the potential future leaders of the party and the country; they have the onerous duty to work hard to protect and preserve the country's democracy and all laudable achievements of the party. As students, Mrs Baiden-Amissah advised them to use their time profitably and study hard and eschew negative tendencies, including indiscriminate sex, saying, biologically women were more susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS and should also pay attention to their reproductive health. She announced that polytechnics were being upgraded in phases to offer university programmes and said two of these institutions in Accra and Ho have been authorised to run first Degree courses. Mrs Baiden-Amissah advised female students to venture into course areas like Mechanical and Electrical Engineering hitherto dominated by men in order to gain equal job opportunities with the male counterparts, adding that a lot more was being done to promote gender parity.

Mrs Baiden-Amissah said the recent honouring of 20 hardworking students selected from all the ten regions by President Agyekum Kufuor was enough demonstration that the President's bias for gender and children was on course and mentioned the name of a number of women now occupying various high positions in the country. She noted that in spite of the positive interventions, a myriad of challenges still confront women and children that were mostly behavioural and attitudinal challenges within the people's cultural set up. Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, wife of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, NPP flag bearer noted with satisfaction that with the encouragement being offered women, there was no doubt that the NPP had changed the face of leadership in the country. "We are beginning to restore the confidence of the Ghanaian people in political leadership", she said, and told members that they were "leading lights" in their communities. On the dangers of HIV/AIDS, Mrs Akufo-Addo advised women to act responsibly so that they can live to enjoy the fruits of their education. In a speech read on her behalf, Mrs Oboshie Sai-Cofie, Minister of Information and National Orientation said in the past TESCON had proved to be a good support base for the NPP and said unfortunately this had not been sufficiently recognised. She expressed her appreciation to the executives and members of TESCON members in the country and said their loyalty and commitment were commendable.

The Minister said it was important for TESCON members to stay informed and share information with their colleagues on the good works of the NPP administration. "You have so much to talk about and use as grounds to encourage more members to join your branch and the NPP," she said. She spoke about the government's determination to offer good quality education for all and said laudable programmes had resulted in increased enrolment in basic and tertiary institutions in the country. Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Fisheries and Member of Parliament for Takoradi asked the youth to jealously protect and preserve the country's democracy.

She urged the people particularly women to remain loyal to the course of the NPP and stand firm to defend the truth always and said the party's membership drive must be intensified. Mr. Joe Baddoe-Ansah, Minister of Trade Industry and Presidential Special Initiative said the NPP believes in leaving behind good legacies and examples for posterity. Mr Samuel Abdulai, Mr. Stephen Amoah and Mr. Mustapha Hameed, all party activists were among other speakers at the ceremony that was attended by wives of many leading members of the party. About 3000 Ghana Cedis was realised during an appeal for funds.