Akuffo-Addo promises to revamp distressed industries in Central Region

Mankessim (C/R), Aug. 24, GNA - Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate, on Saturday pledged to revamp all collapsed industries in the Central Region to generate more employment and help revive the socio-economic status of the region.

The industries, including the Saltpond Ceramics, Komenda Sugar Factory, Dunkwa Goldfields and the Pomadze Poultry, have been a source of worry to the people in the region because over the years, politicians made pledges to revive them but failed to do so after securing power.

Nana Akuffo-Addo, who made the promise when he addressed a large crowd at a rally at Mankessim in the Mfantsiman West constituency, as part of his one-week tour to the region, also repeated assurances to set up agro-based industries to stem post harvest loses.

In his entourage was the vice presidential candidate, Alhaji Mahamadu Bawumia, Ms Gloria Akuffo, former Minister of Aviation, Mr Allan Kyeremanten, Mr Boakye Agyarko, former Presidential aspirants, Mr Nkrabea Effah Darteh, MP for Berekum and some regional executives of the Party.

He also declared that the discovery of oil in the country constituted a major breakthrough that could help turn the fortunes of the nation around for the better, particularly in today's globalised economy.

He stressed that when given the mandate he would use proceeds from the oil to develop all the socio-economic facets of Ghana. Nana Akuffo-Addo said the leadership as well as the citizenry should be focused, hard working and dedicated to facilitate the nation's progress.

The campaign tour also took the team to the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa (AOB) and Ajumako-Anyan-Essiam constituencies where they visited communities like Anyan-Denkyira and Ajumako during which he addressed a rally at Ajumako Methodist School Park.

Though the entourage got to the AOB constituency very late the undaunted crowd, including the young, old and nursing mothers, waited amidst cheers and singing along the road side for the flag bearer and his team.

He later addressed supporters at a rally and assured them of a better Ghana when given the mandate.

Some of the communities they later toured were Nwomaso, Baako, Beedum, Brakwa and Odoben where the enthusiastic crowd went wild and cheered, singing along Philipa Baafi's "Go go high", the 2008 campaign song of the NPP as the flag bearer got to those areas.

The parliamentary candidates for Mfantseman West, Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Ajumako-Anyan-Essiam, Mr Arthur Baiden and Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Mr P.C. Appiah-Ofori, were introduced by the flag bearer.