Nana Akufo-Addo with Nii Lante Bannerman at Kantamanto
The presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, brought almost all commercial activities to a complete standstill in the Odododiodioo Constituency on Tuesday, November 8, when he resumed his campaign tour of the Greater Accra Region.
On his visits to Old Fadama, Agbogbloshie, Okaishie, Kantamanto and Bukom, Nana Akufo-Addo was met by thousands of market women, business owners and their patrons who lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the NPP flag bearer.
Amidst chants of “Nana oo Nana,” “Y?resesamu,” “Afe yi y? w’afe,” they were all eager to listen to Nana Akufo-Addo’s message of hope ahead of this year’s elections.
In the company of the NPP parliamentary candidate for the constituency, Nii Lante Bannerman, as well as regional and national party stalwarts, Nana Addo, while addressing market women at Agbogbloshie, noted that Ghana and Ghanaians have become too miserable under the leadership of President Mahama.
According to him, it is inexplicable that Ghana – a nation blessed with abundance of human and natural resources – is drenched in poverty, leading many to lose hope in the ability of the country to offer them a decent standard of living.
In spite of this, he urged the thousands gathered to have hope in the fact that a government is on its way, “God-willing,” from 2017, which will bring development, progress and prosperity to every corner of the country without discrimination.
“As is stipulated by law, the time has come, this year, for us to vote and decide who leads us. Let us use the power of our thumbs to change Ghana and bring in a government that can change our circumstances, and bring relief, progress and prosperity to all,” he implored.
At Kantamanto – Accra’s retail hub for used clothing – Nana Akufo-Addo observed that “there are too many taxes in our country,” adding that “it is the reason why businesses are collapsing in our country. We are coming into office to reduce these killer taxes, and scrap the ones we deem unnecessary. This will help bring relief to business owners, who can in turn, create jobs for our unemployed youth.”
He assured business owners and traders of the NPP’s commitment, as stipulated in the party’s 2016 manifesto, of reducing Value Added Tax (VAT) for micro and small enterprises from the current 17.5% to the 3% flat rate introduced by the erstwhile NPP government.
In addition to this, the NPP standard bearer assured traders that a government under him would reduce port clearing charges, reiterating his commitment towards ensuring that the private sector regains its pride of place in Ghana’s economic setup when he wins this year’s election.
En route to Bukom Square, Nana Addo made a whistle stop at Okaishie, where he was again mobbed by thousands of business owners, traders and residents.
Fishing Harbour
Nana Akufo-Addo, who was born at Swalaba, near Bukom Square, reiterated the NPP’s policy of building landing sites and storage facilities along major coastal communities in the country. One of such communities to benefit from the proposed project, he indicated, would be Jamestown.
In collaboration with the private sector, the NPP leader said that his government would construct a new harbour also at Jamestown – a fishing community that was once famous for being a major harbour city.
Nana appealed to NPP members and residents of Odododiodioo to rally behind the party’s parliamentary candidate, Nii Lante Bannerman and vote massively for him on December 7.
The team also made brief stops at Mamprobi in the Ablekuma South Constituency and Shiabu in Ablekuma West, eliciting the support of residents for the NPP and its parliamentary candidates, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, and Ursula Owusu Ekuful, respectively.