Stop the "Pull Him Down" Syndrome - Woyongo

Navro-Pungu (UE), March 30, GNA - Mr Mark Wayongo, Upper East Regional Minister, has called on Ghanaians, especially those in the opposition parties, to stop what he termed the "pull him down" syndrome and help push the nation's developmental agenda forward.

He made the call during a victory rally organized by members of the National

Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Navro-Pungu Constituency of the

Kassena-Nankana District at the weekend. He noted that politics was about development and nothing else, and emphasized

that nothing should be done to mar the beauty of politics and democracy. He said now that the election was over what was needed was for all and sundry

including the opposition parties to partner with government and contribute towards

nation building. He observed that the extent to which the Navrongo constituency was polarized was not the best and asked all those involve in the polarization agenda to stop the practice since that would mar development in the area.

Mr Wayongo announced that the Government had good programmes and policies

in place, especially with the development of the agricultural sector, and indicated that farming inputs would be subsidized and marketing also provided. He cited the intention of the Government to turn the Fumbisi valley into a major rice producing area, with the provision of seedlings and tractor services. Government, he indicated, would provide them with markets by purchasing the rice after harvesting, and deduct the cost of inputs before paying the balance to the

farmers. He reiterated Government's intention to bridge the north-south development gap by

establishing the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), and appealed

to the people to form cooperative groups to enable them to benefit from the

programmes. He announced that the Canadian International Agency (CIDA) had promised to

support the three Northern Regions with 15 million dollars for the promotion of food

security. Mr Wayongo however appealed to traditional rulers in the area not to hesitate to

release land for farming and other productive ventures. He said with the good policies and programmes of government and assistance from

other developmental partners, the livelihood of the people in the area would be

boasted and poverty alleviated. He said negotiations had been concluded with the Regional Health Directorate to

re-activate the Navrongo Mortuary at a cost of 8000 Ghana Cedis, as part of measures

to reduce the burden on the Bolgatanga Hospital Mortuary, which is the only one in

the Region. The Minister, who lost the Navrongo Constituency Parliamentary seat to Mr Joseph

Kofi Adda of the New Patriotic Party in the 2008 polls, stressed that one of his major

objectives was to ensure that the NDC captured all the 13 Parliamentary seats in the

Region come 2012. He said all the intended good policies and programmes of the ruling government

would impact positively on the lives of the people in the area and this would convince

them to vote for the party. He emphasized, however, that without peace all the noble plans and programmes to

be embarked on by Government to alleviate poverty would become illusive and

appealed to the people to eschew conflicts and violence.