Wasa Ankonsiah (W/R) April 17, GNA - Mr. Peter Mac Manu, Western Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), on Friday denied press reports that the Party intends to turn the country into a one party state.

He was speaking at an inter-active meeting of NPP Polling Station executives in the Amenfi East Constituency at Wasa Ankonsiah in the Wasa Amenfi District.

Mr. Manu said there is no truth in the press reports because the Party has a long- standing democratic tradition that stood the test in the country's political history.

He said the party is democratic and wants to stay as such without compromising its democratic traditions that have been its hallmarks. Mr. Manu said the leadership of the Party would not impose Parliamentary candidates on constituencies and the electorate and that all those interested in standing as Parliamentary candidates for the Party should go through the process of selection. He said no aspiring candidate, including those who are presently holding positions in the government would be favoured in any way in the selection or unilaterally imposed on the electorate.

Mr. Manu said it is the Party's agenda to conduct decent and peaceful electioneering campaign for this year's elections, adding that the Party would not use 'machomen' and violence as part of its campaign. He said the Party would focus on national issues like the Presidential Special Initiatives to press home the determination of the NPP to develop the country and improve the living conditions of the people.

Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo, Western Regional Minister, who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency said one of the achievements of the NPP is the promotion of freedom of speech and the press.

He said Ghanaians are now free to express their opinions and views on national issues without fear of being arrested and detained. Mr. Aidoo said the government would continue its programme of tarring all feeder roads in the region until it is successfully concluded.

He said when the NPP government came into power there was not a single tarred feeder road in the region but presently feeder roads are being tarred in phases.

Mr. Aidoo said a number of bridges have been earmarked for construction in the region with the assistance from the British and Dutch governments.

He said the government would increase the producer price of cocoa again this year and supply more cocoa farmers with high yielding cocoa seedlings to further raise cocoa production.

Mr. Aidoo said the statistics released by the Electoral Commission on the number of people who have registered as voters show that the old voters register was bloated, adding that the country now has a credible register for the forthcoming elections.