NORTHERN YOUTH ADVOCACY PLATFORM (NYAP)

Northern Ghana will be better off under a NANA AKUFO ADDO presidency. We have lost absolute trust and confidence in John Mahama and the NDC

Good Afternoon ladies and gentlemen of the press, The Northern Youth Advocacy Platform (NYAP), a non-partisan but pro development youth advocacy group with strong membership from the three Northern regions of Ghana, by this open statement to the press wishes to declare its unflinching support for the NPP and its flagbearer NANA ADDO DANQUAH AKUFO ADDO. This open declaration is based on the findings of a detailed research conducted on the trends of development in Northern Ghana vis a vis political party regimes since the beginning of the fourth republic in 1992. Our findings clearly show that the past NPP government has been more developmental friendly to the three northern regions than any other governing party since 1992.We therefore calling on all people of Northern descent to defy all odds and vote massively for Nana Akufo Addo as president in this year’s general elections which is only a few days away from us. Evidently, although the NPP government has only served 8 years in government since 1992, their track record with regards to both social and economic development in the three Northern regions remains very enviable and non comparable. Unlike other governments such as the NDC, who have for 12 years only paid lip services to key developmental issues boardering the three northern regions, the NPP under the Kufour regime picked up the mantle tackling the developmental challenges of Northern Ghana by instituting a number of key social and economic policies to the benefit of the majority in Northern Ghana. The implementation of the Ghana school feeding program in most districts in northern Ghana, the NHIS, capitation grant, free bus ride, free maternal health care and the LEAP are just but a few of the numerous interventions that were instituted to help make life better for the average poor man in Ghana. We particulary appreciate the impact of the fertilizer subsidies under the past NPP regime for rural farmers in the North in reducing food insecurity. The high enrolment of young men and women from the north onto the NYEP also remain a key and laudable stride under the former regime.

It must also be mentioned that, the development and implementation of the Ghana poverty reduction strategy I & II which all focused on reducing the poverty and inequality burden particular in worse affected areas such as the three northern region has brought positive results to bridging the poverty gap differences between the north and the south.

Ladies and gentlemen of the press, to the converse and quite sad, both NDC 1 and NDC 2 has done very little to improve our lots despite our heavy support for them in the past. We seem much more worse as of now than it was about 4 years back. The big promises made to us by the NDC still stand unfulfilled and with just 3 days to the general elections and we wonder if they will ever be fulfilled. We have too far been fooled and taken for granted for long. We wont be used as instruments to win elections and dumped afterwards. We cannot trust any word from the NDC again.

Ladies and gentlemen, it must be noted that although the NDC, in its 2008 manifesto promised to make an annual contribution of GH¢100 million to SADA for a 20-year period and also to lead a donor conference on Northern Ghana with the aim of raising an additional $200 million from Ghana‘s Development Partners and the Private Sector in order to ensure that SADA gets a firm and solid foundation, as at the close of 2011, this promised stood unfulfilled. The NDC government had failed to honour its promise of providing GH¢200 million as seed capital and the GH¢100 million annually and also never organised the donor conference as promised in its manifesto. Evidently, the government only provided GH¢25 million in 2010 and another GH¢25 Million in 2011 as its seed capital instead of the GH¢200 million seed capital. Clearly, the NDC has over the last 20 years left nothing unique and remarkable to boast about with regards to development in Northern Ghana. No wonder their flagbearer- H.E John Mahama on his recent tour to 3 northern regions decided to raise and inflame divisive sentiments. We refuse to be led into a such divisive and unethical paths via politics, the northerner is traditionally one who values competence. If the NDC clearly cannot tell us what they have in stock, then we will reject them and John Mahama even though he is one of us, on the grounds that Ghana as a whole needs a more qualified hand to see us through these very tough times.

We wont be selfish and want to enjoy the free SHS alone. We are very happy with the NPP promise of extending it nation wide and therefore give our full support to that commitment. Our brothers and sisters in the south, many of whom struggle to pay fees must also enjoy the FREE SHS education. The youth of the north have decided. We will vote for quality and not mediocrity. We will vote for competence and not based on geographical and tribal lines. GHANA remains as one, whether a northerner or southerner makes no difference. All we want is good leadership and development. NYAP thus believes that NANA AKUFO ADDO is better placed to deliver this than this main contender John Dramani Mahama who we have lost total confidence in.

We therefore think that Northern Ghana will be far better off under the NPP in 2013 than the NDC. We call on all and sundry to vote massively for the NPP AND ITS CANDIDATE and join us youth from the north to reject and vote out MEDIOCRITY . WE cannot trust JOHN MAHAMA AND THE NDC ANY LONGER!!!! Thank you ladies and gentlemen. You may now proceed to ask questions on the issues raised above.

Issued and signed in Tamale on the 05th of December, 2012

Abdul Fatawu Changli Adongo Maxwell ………………………. ………………………. Leader and Spokesperson Leading Member 020 3360961 026 7022386