NDC didn't leave behind enpty coffers

THE NDC, on handing over the administration of the country to the NPP government, left in the nation?s external reserves kitty an amount of over 300 million dollars and a whooping ?1.3 trillion credit balance on government account at the Bank of Ghana.

There was also undisbursed loan balance of 230 million dollars while ?900 billion for the opening of letters of credit for oil imports were deposited at the Ghana Commercial Bank.

This is contained in the State of Government Finances as at January 7, 2001 and disclosed yesterday by a member of the Central Region Working Committee of the NDC Mr Kofi Ahyea at a mini rally her, a suburb of Cape Coast, on Sunday.

Mr Ahyea said it was therefore unfortunate that the NPP, on assumption of office in 2001, quickly created the impression to the whole world that the NDC left NOTHING in the national kitty but a debt of ?41 trillion.

This situation was refuted by the then Governor of the Bank of Ghana which resulted in his instant dismissal.

On the ESB for MPs which the NDC paid to all MPs on the dissolution of Parliament on January 6, 2001, Mr Ahyea said every MP including NPP MPs benefited from the ex-gratia and questioned ?will the NPP also be bold to do same at the end of the current term of office of the MPs?

He revealed that the ?41 million that the government presented as the total amount spent on the renovation of the President?s private house was only to throw dust in the public?s eyes and that the real amount was in excess of a trillion cedis.

Mr Ahyea said the purported $5 million lent to the Asanteman Council is another of NPP?s ethnic political plan and explained that that money was meant for the National House of Chiefs for the Construction on a permanent secretariat for the house.

He said since the NPP lacks transparency in its activities ?it is for all Ghanaians, including Asantes to unite and vote NPP out of power so as to neutralise their evil machinations.

A leading member of the NDC in the Central Region, Mrs Emma Afful, stated that out of deparation, the NPP has started disbursing a lot of cash in the country, especially in the rural areas to win the people?s voted.

She said such money is for the nation and that ?if you get it, take it for after all its for the nation.?

She asked the members to be sober and vigilant on December 7, the polling day, so that we can expose their rigging attempts.

The party?s candidate for Cape Coast Constituency Lawyer Ebo Barton-Odro reminded that it will not be easy on December 7 to wrestle power from the holder so we must work extra hard to win the election in December.

He said peace is priceless and therefore no member should do any thing that would spark any breach of the peace so that ?we all enjoy peace on election day and the days after?.