Jirapa, Nov. 17, GNA - Traditional rulers in the Upper West Region have expressed support for Vice President Aliu Mahama in his bid to be elected the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). They appealed to delegates, especially those from the Upper West, Upper East and Northern regions who would be taking part in December 22 Delegates Conference to elect a presidential candidate for the NPP, to vote for the Vice President.
Naa Ansoleh Ganaa II, Paramount Chief of the Jirapa Traditional Area, said the success or failure of the Vice President at the congress would depend on the actions and inactions of delegates from the three northern regions.
Naa Ansoleh Ganaa was speaking at a durbar organised in honour of Hajia Ramatu Mahama, wife of the Vice President, who was on a three-day tour of the region to interact with chiefs and NPP executives to solicit for votes for her husband.
The tour took her to Dorimon, Kaleo, Jirapa, Nandom, Lambussie, Tumu, Gwollu, Wallembelle and Kundungu Traditional Areas. He reminded the delegates that Dr. Hilla Limann, who was the first northerner to be elected President, had his administration disrupted after ruling for only 27 months.
Therefore, the presence of Vice President Aliu Mahama in the NPP presidential race was a chance for them and they should not allow it to slip by.
Naa Ansoleh Ganaa said the chiefs and people of the Jirapa Traditional Area were solidly behind Vice President Aliu Mahama and urged all delegates to make that day "Aliu Mahama's day".
Naa Ansoleh Ganaa commended the NPP government for the development projects in his traditional area and pro-poor interventions it had put in place.
He also applauded the government for its intervention in providing food aid to flood victims in the region and called for more assistance to mitigate the suffering of the people.
Hajia Ramatu Mahama appealed to the people of Jirapa Traditional Area to remain united and to pool resources to support Naa Ansoleh Ganaa to develop the district.
She urged the people to take the education of their children seriously, saying without education there could not be any meaningful development in the district.
At a separate durbar at Nandom, the Nandom Naa Puoure Puobe Chiir 1V, urged the delegates to elect Vice President Aliu Mahama to continue with the good development plan of the NPP.
He appealed to the government to create a separate constituency for the Nandom area.
Chiefs from Tumu, Gwollu, Wallembelle and Kundungu also raised similar concerns at separate durbars.
At Kundungu, Kuoru Bakuli Bakubie appealed for the extension of electricity and communication facilities to the Wa East District. Hajia Ramatu Mahama thanked Upper West Chiefs for showing appreciation to the government for providing development projects for the region.