Nana Akufo-Addo, presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), says the party is capable of rescuing Ghanaians from the shackles of John Mahama’s bad administration.
Restoration
Nana Addo stated that the NPP will restore the gains chalked by ex-President Kufuor’s NPP government which the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration has mismanaged.
Addressing a mammoth post-manifesto launch rally at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra
yesterday, the NPP leader noted that God had again paved the way for a change through another election after the ones he narrowly lost in 2008 and 2012.
He said the NDC government has collapsed among other social interventions, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and has also impoverished Ghanaians. He appealed to the electorate to help him to push out the Mahama government.
No Disappointment
The NPP presidential candidate said he would not disappoint Ghanaians if elected president.
“Give NPP a chance; if you do, I will not disappoint Ghanaians…We will do whatever we have to, to bring prosperity and development to our country…,” Nana Addo assured.
He described as laughable president Mahama’s taunt that he (Nana Addo) is going round begging people to be president.
“He says I am going round begging people, yes I will continue to beg and will not stop begging. …He says the presidency is not about trial and error, but if you are tried and you are not good would you not be changed…what [good] has he brought to us?” Nana Addo retorted.
He was hopeful the elections will be free and fair, stressing that the NPP would not be the source of any upheavals in the elections.
Former President Kufuor said the wealth of the nation is in the hands of the private sector, adding that the NPP is going to provide the needed solutions to the country’s problems.
Wastage
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, vice presidential candidate of the NPP who was ushered onto the podium with dancehall artiste Shatta Wale’s ‘Kakai’ music, contended that the Mahama administration has wasted the resources of the country.
He wondered why President Mahama, with all the oil revenue, had performed so abysmally.
Samira Bawumia, wife of Dr Bawumia, who said she returned to Accra from her hometown on Saturday, posited that the people do not have access to portable water, although the town is awash with President Mahama’s billboards.
For this reason, she said the country is in dire need of a competent and incorruptible leader who will move Ghana forward.
She added, “This election is about the youth, the women of Ghana; we have to rise. It is time to rise for change. I am inspired by his (Nana Addo’s) integrity, honesty, incorruptibility and tenacity.”
Do or Die
Freddie W. Blay, acting National Chairman of the NPP, reminded the party faithful that the election is about “determination” and a “do or die” affair.
He urged the members to make sure that Nana Addo is elected president in the December elections.
Sammy Awuku, National Youth Organizer of party, said the elections are about the destiny of the youth.
He cautioned the party not to relax thinking it had already won the elections but rather work hard to secure victory.
Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten, Kennedy Agyapong, John Boadu (acting General Secretary of the NPP) and other party bigwigs who took turns to address the ‘Kalyppo-charged’ crowd, expressed the need to vote out the incompetent Mahama administration.
Earlier, Highlife musician Lucky Mensah, said he had defected from the NDC to the NPP because the former does not think about its followers.
He said he would join the 2016 campaign of the NPP, adding that the electorate must not be deceived by what he described as the “lies” of the NDC.
Other musicians who graced the occasion were hiplife musician Kwabena Kwabena, Evangelist Diana Asamoah and hiplife artist A-Plus.
By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson