Door-to-door Mutates To Markets & Lorry Parks

The innovative door-to-door retail/grassroots mobilisation campaign of NDC Presidential Candidate, John Evans Atta Mills, which is seriously stinging Lord Commey and Mac Manu, has moved notches higher as markets and lorry parks are now the places where the former vice president is meeting and touching the hearts and minds of the electorate.

The Kaneshie Market and the Neoplan Station, were the first places to taste the new modus operandi of John Evans Atta Mills, and there is no gainsaying the fact that the person-to-person approach to campaigning is what is going to endear the law professor to the electorate and clinch him the mandate to not only govern Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana, but more importantly, bring back hope to Ghanaians.

At the Kaneshie Market, where the reception was rapturous and deafening that it was difficult to hear somebody speak from 10 meters, the Presidential Candidate of the NDC first paid a courtesy call on the Kaneshie Police Commander and his personnel before entering the market where he first met with market authorities and the market queens.

It then came to the turn of the various groups of traders and from the ground floor of the market to the third floor, John Evans Atta Mills met and interacted with all shades of Ghanaians who did not hesitate to pour out their hearts about the current hardship that Kufuor has hung around the necks of the people of Ghana.

Incidentally, the visit of the NDC Presidential Candidate coincided with the strike action of the Ghana United Traders Association (GUTA) and the traders in the market complained bitterly about how those of them at the base of the economy are being knocked out of business by the Kufuor government. One of the Market Queens complained amidst tears about how their business have virtually collapsed and how in the wake of the energy crisis and their husbands having lost their jobs, they, as breadwinners, are under so much pressure as sales are no longer good.

“There is no money in the system, and it is reflecting on our sales” the market queen said.

John Evans Atta Mills asked the traders to assess their living standards today, compare it with the NDC period, and if they are worse off now than they were, they must vote for a meaningful change December next year.

John Evans Atta Mills pledged to give them a government that would, in line with the social democracy philosophy of the NDC, would provide the necessary social safety nets that would cushion the vulnerable in society. “I promise you, a humble, honest and open leadership that would accept its failings and apologise as and when the need arises and would not praise itself to the high heavens when it builds schools, hospitals, and provides social amenities because that is what it would have been given the mandate to do” Atta Mills said.

Of course, the traders complained about the filth that has engulfed the market and how in spite of paying monies to the government, nothing is being done about the filth.

At the Neoplan Station, the reception was not any different as drivers, who are one of the groups reeling under the insensitivity of the confused and inhuman Kufuor administration, were literally on their knees begging Atta Mills to come and “save” them from their sufferings.

The high price of petroleum products was high on the agenda as the drivers complained about how they are finding it extremely difficult to make ends meet.

The drivers also complained about the taxies that are being brought into the system as they are scared that those taxies would run them completely out of business.

“In 2000, I used my taxi to cart people to NPP rallies and believed it when Kufuor told us that he would reduce petrol from 6,400 to about 2000 but now I am worse of under the NPP and as for me these days all I do in my taxi is to campaign for Prof” said one Kwame Nyame who plies the Kumasi/Accra routed. The Slaha, Mokola, and Tema Station markets, as well as the main lorry park at Tudu, were not left out of the touch of Atta Mills as the Leader of the NDC spent time there sharing his “I Care For Your Message” which certainly sunk well with the people. At the Tema Station market which was gutted by fire about a fortnight ago, the despondent traders thanked Atta Mills for his show of concern.

“We appreciate your show of concern. You have really proven that you care for us and we have taken cognisance of it. Neither the President, his vice, nor any of the 19 people wanting to lead the NPP have been here and we have taken cognisance of that as well” said one of the market leaders who preferred that her name be left out of the story.

The retail campaign of Atta Mills is really working and in the coming days, more markets and lorry parks would be touched by the presence of the man who is most certain to be the next president of the Republic.