New Akrade honours Dramani Mahama

New Akrade (ER), Sept. 2, GNA - The chiefs and people of New Akrade in the Asuogyaman constituency on Tuesday presented a plague to honour Mr John Dramani Mahama, running mate to Professor John Atta Mills, flag bearer of the NDC.

The honour was in recognition of his contribution towards the development of the town and it coincided with his first stop of a 10-day tour of the Eastern Region. Nana Okoro Katta V, Chief of Akrade, in presenting the plague said the honour should not be seen as a chief doing politics. He said the plague should have been presented to Mr Mahama last year when the town celebrated the golden jubilee (1957-2007) of its establishment and honoured personalities who had contributed towards its development.

Nana Katta said when Mr Mahama was a minister he helped provide electricity for the town and linked it to Ghana-Japan friendship association, which enabled Japan to build a well-furnished six-classroom block, an office and a staff common room for the town, which was inaugurated in 1998. The chief said he had worked with Mr Mahama at the Japanese Embassy in Accra and had been friends with him for 20 years before he became a chief.

He noted that, Mr. Mahama deserved more than a plague and although the constitution banned chiefs from doing active politics, it did not mean that they should not acknowledge good works of politicians. Mr Mahama said politics should not be a fight in the country because of family ties to one another over the years. He said the NDC would win this year's elections and that is why he and Professor Atta Mills had impressed on the public to conduct the elections in peace.

Mr Mahama said: "It is only a losing football team that normally engages in rough tactics and complains often to the referee." He said the NDC would play fairly to the electoral rules since it was aware that Ghana needed peace more than before. He addressed rallies at New Senchi, Labolabo, Atimpoku and Akosombo.