The main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said the government had to coerce teachers and schoolchildren to line up the streets and flood town to show support for President John Mahama during his recent tour of the Northern Region, which the party’s northern regional branch described as a disaster.

At a press conference in the regional capital Tamale on Tuesday July 19, the NPP’s regional communications Director, Mohammed Kudus, said: “Mahama’s trip here was a disaster by all accounts. Even his own party members who usually would ride motor bikes to usher him into Tamale were not motivated to do what has become a normal practice by the NDC youth.”

According to him, “government had to bully teachers to order school children to come out in a failed attempt to save the President from a deserving embarrassment.

The President ended up waving to empty streets, and not even the sirens from his over 40 V8 SUVs motorcade could move the people who are angry and disillusioned to pay attention to him. The school children were given no choice but to abandon their books to come and hail the naked Emperor in the scotching sun.”

Mr. Kudus also urged residents of the region to take whatever bribes the government gives them in return for their votes as the elections approach, but reject the NDC none the same. “They are bringing to you a little of what they have stolen from you. You may take it but remember if you vote to re-elect President Mahama and his MPs based on this insult, you will suffer even more for the next four years.”

“Even, NDC footsoldiers who were put on all sorts of income schemes are suffering because those schemes are no longer supplying them with the income promised.

It’s as if, for the NDC activists, the good old days died with President John Atta Mills. As for the vast majority of the people, John Mahama’s presidency has visited nothing but misery and more poverty,” he said.

In Mr. Kudus’ view, President Mahama’s tour in itself is fraught with corruption. “Go across the Northern Region and see all the campaign billboards carrying the official stamp www.ghana.gov.gh.Why should the State be paying for a ruling party’s campaign billboards?” he questioned.

“To President Mahama, what belongs to the people belong to the Government, that is why he will tax and tax and raise and raise your electricity and water tariffs until you drop dead.

To President Mahama, what belongs to Government belongs to the NDC party. To President Mahama, he is the King, he is the Emperor, he is not accountable to anybody. We should all work for him so that he can spend the money anyhow.”