The Eastern Regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has congratulated Mr Victor Smith, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary candidate for Abuakwa North, on his new appointment as the Regional Minister.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Koforidua on Friday, Alhaji Omar Bodinga, regional first vice chairman of the NPP, said the Party was prepared to collaborate with Mr Smith to discharge his duties.

He said the Party was aware that President John Evans Atta Mills decided to bring Mr Smith to the Eastern Region as minister because of his bid to win the constituency seat in this year’s general election.

Alhaji Bodinga said the NPP was not afraid of Mr Smith presence in the Region and that the party had prepared well to match the NDC boot for boot.

He assured that under no circumstances would Mr Smith snatch the parliamentary seat from the NPP.

Alhaji Bodinga said the Eastern Region since 1996 had remained a stronghold of the NPP, currently occupying 21 seats out of the total 28 and that come December this year, the Party was well prepared to win not less than 24 parliamentary seats.

He reminded Mr Smith that the Eastern Region had remained one of the peaceful regions in the country since 1992 under different regional ministers and that he should try to ensure that peace prevails before during and after the election.

Alhaji Bodinga appealed to NPP supporters to turn up in their numbers to register when the biometric registration exercise begins on March 24.

He appealed to all political parties to collaborate with the Electoral Commission (EC) to make the registration exercise successful