Akufo-Addo promises economic relief, good roads

Ghanaians in every part of the country will not only have economic relief under an Akufo-Addo government, but also enjoy good roads, the 2016 flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party has promised during his recent visit to Agona and Gomoa in the Central region.

A story-statement on Mr Akufo-Addo’s campaign website said the three-time flagbearer pulled huge crowds during his visit.

It said business and commercial activity came to a “complete standstill” in the Agona West, Gomoa Central and Gomoa West constituencies of the region, on Thursday, June 16, during the first day of the opposition leader’s 5-day tour.

With news filtering into Swedru, in Agona West, of his arrival, Nana Akufo-Addo was met by “thousands of residents who lined the principal streets of Swedru to catch a glimpse of the NPP flagbearer and listen to his message of hope ahead of the conduct of this year’s election”, amidst chants of “yeresesamu”, “afi yi y? w’afi”, a statement on his website said.

In the company of the NPP’s parliamentary candidate for the constituency, Cynthia Morrison, the NPP flagbearer first paid a courtesy call on Nana Aseidu Kobina Botwe II, Chief of Agona Swedru, before moving to the Swedru Central Market to interact with market women, traders, business owners and commercial drivers.

“With complaint after complaint bordering on the unfavourable economic conditions prevailing in the country, which has resulted in collapsed businesses, rising cost of living, high prices of food commodities, amongst others, the clarion call by the Swedru market women was for a change in government so they could have relief”, the story-statement said.

The NPP flagbearer, for his part, acknowledged the “difficult” conditions facing Ghanaian businesses under the Mahama government, and assured citizens that an Akufo-Addo government, God-willing from January 2017, will make Ghana work again.

“There is hardship everywhere and the Ghanaian is suffering. But we can change this. I am asking for your vote, so we can change Ghana and bring jobs for our unemployed youth. For you, market women, a change in government will also mean an opportunity for the monetary system in Ghana to be fixed so you can also get back on your feet again. Ghana, a land filled with an abundance of human and natural resources, was not destined to be a poor country. We can do something about our circumstances, and that can only come about when I have your vote and your support,” he said.

According to Nana Akufo-Addo, “the Mahama government has shown that it is incompetent and cannot be trusted to do the job. Be it businesses or agriculture, every aspect of the economy is in tatters. I am coming to fix all of this. I am going to assemble an array of talented men and women who will fix the economy, so we can bring relief, wealth and prosperity to every part of Ghana.” He urged the electorate to vote for the NPP’s candidate for the constituency, Cynthia Morrison, with the assurance that “we are bring jobs into Agona West, and to the country.”

Visit to Gomoa Central

Nana Akufo-Addo’s next port of call was the Gomoa Central constituency, where he visited Abosso and Gomoa Lome. There also, “hundreds of ecstatic residents abandoned their business activities in a bid to catch a glimpse of the NPP flagbearer and welcome him into the constituency”.

Addressing a durbar of Chiefs at Gomoa Lome, in the presence of a “large crowd” of residents, he explained that bad governance is the reason why every Ghanaian, in every part of the country is experiencing untold levels of hardship, and therefore it is imperative that Ghanaians get a change.

“I want residents of Gomoa Lome to help push me and the NPP into Jubilee House. We are not coming into office because we want to steal your money or laud ourselves over Ghanaians. We are coming into office to serve, work hard and bring prosperity to all. That is why we, in the NPP, are in politics,” he added.

According to Mr Akufo-Addo, there will be no politics of discrimination along the lines of political, ethnic or religious affiliations, under his government.

“There won’t be a situation, as is the case now, where because you’re an NPP member, your cocoa farm will not be sprayed, or you will not get cocoa seedlings. That is not the kind of work we are coming to do. We are coming to work for everybody,” he indicated, to a rousing applause from the gathering.

Just as he had done in Agona West, Nana Akufo-Addo urged the electorate to vote for the party’s parliamentary candidate for Gomoa Central, Naana Eyiah Quansah, describing her as an able advocate for the people of the constituency.

Experiencing at firsthand the “deplorable” nature of the road network in the constituency, Mr Akufo-Addo assured constituents that his administration will fix the roads in the constituency.