Wa, Feb. 3, GNA - Mr. Abu K. Kansangbata, Nadowli District Chief Executive (DCE), has observed that nobody in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is "bigger" than the foot soldiers whose sweat and hard work won power for the party in 2008.

He therefore called on government functionaries and NDC members of parliament not to undervalue the performance of the foot soldiers and rather motivate them to work harder to retain the party in power in 2012. Mr. Kansangbata made the observation when he hosted a cross section of the foot soldiers, constituency executives and the NDC Communication Group at a dinner at Wa on Monday.

He thanked them for working hard to bring the NDC back to power. The DCE said with hard work couple with good and prudent policies and programmes from the government, victory in the 2012 elections was a forgone conclusion.

He said President John Atta Mills administration inherited a messy economic situation, but had within one year in office rolled out prudent policies and programmes to stabilise the economy to address the challenges that were undermining the development of the people.

Mr. Kansangbata mentioned the Block Farming Concept and the Northern Rural Growth Programme as well as the Afforestation and the Free Exercise Books programmes of the NDC as some of the pro-poor interventions initiated. He urged the youth to take advantage of the interventions to better their lot.

He announced that the Upper West Region would benefit from a consignment of 260,799 exercise books for distribution to schools children this year. Mr. Kansangbata also announced that MTN and Stanbic Bank are sponsoring the census of Fulani herdsmen and their cattle in the district, aimed at finding out their negative and positive activities in the communities. He said some of the activities of the herdsmen had been a source of worry to the people, adding that some measures would be adopted after the census to safeguard the environment and social activities of the people. The DCE said government was aware of the important role the media played to help bring the NDC to power and would not shun its responsibility of ensuring that there was sustainable press freedom in the country. Mr. Kansangbata appealed to the media to continue to bring issues affecting the people to the forefront for redress. Mr. Yahaya Yakubu, NDC Regional Propaganda Secretary urged the party cadres to continue with their good work that brought the NDC to power. He said the NDC made some promises to Ghanaians in its manifesto and gave the assurance that government would fulfil them to meet the aspirations of the people.

Mr. Yakubu however reminded the people that whatever promises government had made was only possible within the four years mandate and called on them to exercise patience. 3 Feb. 10