Nana Amaning Ampong, Council of Elders Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress in the Fanteakwa North constituency in the Eastern Region, has defected to the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Nana Ampong, who doubles as the Abenase Polling Station chairman of NDC in the constituency, defected with about 2,000 members and supporters of the NDC in the constituency to the NPP.
The suspended 70-year-old NDC chairman, who joined the party under the leadership of ex-President JJ Rawlings, made this known while addressing a gathering at the main Begoro Park when the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo stormed the constituency with his campaign tour.
Nana Ampong alleged that the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area, Fuseini Abass-Sbaabe and the party officials were corrupt and cited the lack of jobs for the youth, poor road networks, portable drinking water and economic hardship as reasons for their defection to the NPP.
He said the total neglect of the youth unemployment was worrisome and expressed disgust over the insensitivity of the NDC government to the plight of the constituents in the area.
He added that he would campaign for more votes for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to win the November polls.
Nana Message
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who ended his five-day campaign tour of the region on Sunday, paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Fanteakwa and Begoro Traditional area, Daseebre Awuah Kotoko I, where he announced his bid to contest in the upcoming polls and sought spiritual guidance and blessing from the paramount chief before he addressed the electorate.
Nana Addo’s message of hope and change which he and his entourage delivered to the people centered on education, infrastructure, economy, security and the ‘one district, one factory’ policy.
Nana assured the people of the region that the NPP has the men and women who can transform this country and pleaded with the people to vote for him in the general elections.
He began his five-day tour of his home region from the Nsawam-Adoagyiri constituency on Wednesday 29th June.
Nana visited constituencies such as Fanteakwa North, Atiwa East and West, Ofoase-Ayirebi, Suhum, Nkwakwa, Abirem, Upper and Lower West Akyem, Akwatia, Kade, Akuapem South and North, Upper Manya Krobo and Asuogyaman. He ended the tour on Sunday, 3rd July, 2016 at the Abuakwa South Constituency.
Nana Addo introduced the party’s parliamentary candidates to the electorate and appealed to them to vote for the candidates and him to win the November polls to improve the fortunes of the country.
Many residents thronged the principal streets in every constituency to catch glimpse of the NPP presidential candidate.
Endorsement
There was massive endorsement of Nana Addo’s candidature by some traditional leaders in the region. Majority of the traditional leaders pleaded with Ghanaians to give Nana Addo the opportunity to serve the country.
Alan Message
A former Trade Minister under the erstwhile Kufuor administration, John Alan Kyeremanten, who joined on the tour, appealed to Ghanaians to vote for a party that will improve their lives.
Mr. Kyeremanten, who was part of Nana Addo’s entourage, asked the constituents to assess their situation.
He therefore urged the people to vote for a political party that will not only develop the country but also implement policies that will better the lives of the people.
“Most Ghanaians who travel outside the shores of Ghana go there to do factory work, therefore Akufo Addo’s ‘one district, one factory policy’ is a good one that should be embraced by all.
“Since colonial days, all governments have embarked on projects that develop the country.
“Projects such as roads, schools, hospitals and the rest develop the country and every government does same, however, Ghanaians should vote for a political party that will not only pride itself with such projects but come out with policies that will directly benefit the individuals as well.”
Nana Akufo-Addo was accompanied by Hackman Owusu Agyemang, Yaw Osafo Maafo, and a former National Deputy Women’s Organiser Kate Gyamfua, as well as MPs and the regional executives of the party, who interacted with traditional leaders, market men and women, artisans, professionals, members, supporters and sympathizers of NPP, the clergy.
FROM Daniel Bampoe, Begoro