Fight against poverty and not among yourselves, says VEEP

Fielmua (UW), Nov 07, GNA - Alhaji Aliu Mahama, the Vice President, on Saturday started a five-day campaign tour of the Upper West Region with a call on the three northern regions to channel their energies and fight against poverty and deprivation rather than fighting among themselves.

This, he said, could be achieved through investing in the education of their children and by taking advantage of the Presidential Special Initiative on Agriculture to harness their potentials.

Alhaji Aliu said these at separate durbars at Lambussie in the Jirapa/Lambussie District and Fielmua and Gwollu in the Sissala West District.

The Vice President called on leaders of political parties to co-operate for successful and peaceful elections in December to pave way for more development projects in the area.

"Poverty is our greatest enemy which we should be fighting and not ourselves. Let us embrace unity and development by sending our children to school to develop our areas."

He appealed to the people to vote for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in both presidential and parliamentary elections to enable them to execute the agenda they have set.

Vice President Mahama said the NPP government would continue to work hard and motivate workers, make working in the rural areas attractive and told the people not to engage in anything that would derail the development process.

On agriculture, the Vice President reminded the people that the President would soon develop Sorghum and Cotton production by declaring them Presidential Special Initiatives (PSI) and called on the people to take advantage of them to step up their production.

At Lambussie, Kuro Iddrisu Bamie Yesseh III, the Paramount chief of the Lambussie Traditional Area, appealed for dams and electricity to be able to step up agriculture.

Kuro Nania Doctame, Paramount Chief of the Zini Traditional Area, commended the NPP government at Fielmua for constructing schools, health centres and other development projects.

He appealed to the government to upgrade the Gwollu Health Centre to a District Hospital and to rehabilitate their roads that are in a deplorable state.

The Vice President visited Lambussie, Fielmua, Gwollu and Daffiama and would, during his five-day tour, visit all the eight district capitals, address durbars and commission development projects. Professor Kasim Kasanga, Minister of Science and Evironment and Mr Amrose, Dery, Minister of Justice and Attorney accompanied him.