Worcester, MA. - July 23, 2012 - Ghanaians in two of the New England States, Worcester, Massachusetts and Hartford, Connecticut were excited to spend their Sunday with the young, intelligent and affable Vice Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

As soon as he landed in Worcester, MA, from an equally successful fund raising dinner in Dallas Forth Worth, Texas, the indefatigable Dr. Bawumia accompanied by the NPP-USA chairman, Nana Agyei Yeboah and the chapter executives visited the packed congregation of the Church of Pentecost to worship with his fellow Ghanaians. Although his visit was brief, his message to the congregation was well received. Dr. Bawumia assured the congregation of NPP's commitment to a peaceful election. He exhorted the congregation to continue praying for the nation. To buttress his point, Dr. Bawumia drew inspiration from Psalm 127; "unless the lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain."

The audience who gathered at Clark University in Worcester, MA for a town hall meeting to see Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia left beaming with smiles on their faces. Dr. Bawumia's speech has restored excitement and hope in Ghanaians who are beginning to view their nation with bleak despondency, as a result of Mills/Mahama’s rudderless administration that is gradually saddling Ghanaians with mountains of loans and judgment debts. In fact, Dr. Bawumia epitomizes the "change" Ghanaian's have longed for; most in the audience concluded.

Dr. Bawumia touched on several subjects including formalization of the economy, import duties, technological development, industrialization and the role of Ghanaians abroad. Formalizing the economy, Dr. Bawumia used the analogy of building a house. He said, just as a house must have a strong foundation, an economy must be built on three structures. In other words, we must formalize Ghana's economy to create the needed sustainability effect. First, we must create a national Identification system. A good economy should be able to account for its citizens, he stressed. We must also institute a proper address system and lastly, move the economy from a cash based system to an electronic based system. To do this, Ghana needs not reinvent the wheel; we can simply adopt technologies that exist already. We just have to tweak them a bit to fit our pattern and way of living.

He expressed dissatisfaction at the high import duties at the nation's port. Speaking to the subject, Dr. Bawumia elaborated on NPP's plan to abolish import duties on manufacturing equipment. "It would make more economic sense to encourage the import of equipment which would allow for the production of goods and services and create employment of Ghanaians. Government can then tax the profits of firms at that juncture rather than discouraging the setting up the business as a result of high custom duties. Our aim is a customs regime targeted at encouraging local and foreign firms to set up in Ghana to produce for exports. We want Ghana to be the manufacturing hub of West Africa."

On technology, Dr. Bawumia expressed the need to expand and advance the nation's technological capacity. "We need a paradigm shift because we cannot compete in the 21st Century with 18th Century technology”, he emphasized.

Furthermore, Dr Bawumia discussed the role of Ghanaians abroad, and touched particularly on skills acquired by Ghanaians abroad. Dr. Bawumia assured Ghanaians living abroad that Nana Addo/Bawumia administration, if the good people of Ghana so decides, will partner with Ghanaians living abroad to transform the economy as many progressive countries have done. Ghana is fortunate to have talented human resources abroad. If we can bring Ghanaians abroad to play on the national team, I don't see how we can't bring those with valuable skills back home to improve our economy. He said to a thunderous applause from the audience.

In Hartford Connecticut, Dr. Bawumia addressed an enthusiastic audience in a house party in Windsor, CT.

Many people at the fund raising party observed that Dr. Bawumia exudes confidence and he has renewed their dying hope in Mills/Mahama’s Ghana.

The NPP General Secretary, Lawyer Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, National Youth Organizer, Anthony Karbo and NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Dome Kwabenya, Lawyer Adwoa Safo were part of Dr. Bawumia’s delegation to Massachusetts and Connecticut.

By: Kofi Tonto, NPP USA Deputy PRO