Akyem Tumfa, Aug. 29, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC), has refuted series of allegations leveled against it by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) ahead of the Atiwa by-election on Tuesday.
Addressing a news conference at Tumfa on Saturday, the Eastern Regional Secretary of the NDC, Mr Anthony Gyampoh, said the NPP General Secretary's allegation that the NDC was distributing items such as used clothes, rice, cooking oil and other things to influence electorate were not true.
Mr Gyampoh described the allegation as a lie and a fabrication aimed at destroying the NDC in the eyes of the Ghanaian public and urged the NPP to desist from such cheap politics.
"We wish to state clearly that the NDC as a party will continue to play a vanguard role as democrats and believers in democracy" he said.
Mr Gyampoh said the NDC had not made any attempt to influence the forth-coming by-election because the people of Atiwa would make an objective comparison of Atiwa before and after the eight years of NPP rule.
"We have confidence in our achievements over the past 18 months of President Mills' Presidency and Mr Atta Twum's stewardship as the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area," he said.
He said since Mr Twum, who is the NDC candidate for the election, took office as DCE, he had undertaken a number of development projects aimed at opening the district.
Mr Gyampoh mentioned the construction of a five classroom block at Akrofufu, Asamama, Tumfa, Wekpeti, and Anyinam, and rehabilitation of other nine schools at Pameng.
"A number of roads have also seen improvement. These include Asamama to Wekpeti, Weketi to Abresu to Atifi and Atifi to Ekorso".
Mr Gyampoh said before assumption of office, the assembly had proposed to take care of the fees for 17 students, who were brilliant but in need.
"Today, the fees of 41 needy but brilliant students from secondary to tertiary institutions have been fully catered for including the 17 abandoned students."
"This shows the level of commitment Mr Twum attaches to the development of the human resource base of the people of Atiwa," he said.
The Regional Secretary said the NPP was only trying to shift attention from development issues to baseless accusations they had been making in the 20th century.
He questioned if the NPP was proud of its achievement in the area over the years, why were they not using it as campaign message.
"The only message they have is that Atiwa is their stronghold and must continue to be. The NPP is desperate like a drowning man who would hold unto anything to survive".
Mr Gyampoh indicated that the discerning voters of Atiwa need continuous development and not abuse of mandate adding that the by-election is a vote for rapid development of 93Atiwa versus fanatics".
He alerted the security agencies of unregistered vehicles carrying heavily built men patrolling the constituency ahead of the election.
Mr Gyampoh appealed to the security agencies to interrogate and investigate the activities of those men to have a peaceful election that will bring development to the area.
"We as pacesetters of democracy in this country will continue to respect all tenets of democracy and the fundamental human rights of our citizens and urge the NPP to do same".
