Veep lauds Busia as leader devoid of vengeance

Wenchi(B/A), Sept. 1, GNA - Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, on Sunday, lauded Ghana's late Prime Minister, Professor Kofi Abrefa Busia, for steering his administration from the pettiness of revenge that he suffered in his political career.

"Dr Busia fought to entrench development in freedom. It is that model that has helped us to chalk out the modest gains, which have repositioned Ghana." Vice President Mahama was speaking at an open -door commemorative church service at Wenchi in Brong Ahafo, which was organised by the Busia Foundation International to mark the 30th anniversary of the death of Prof Busia. It was attended by a cross section of people including ministers of state and chiefs.

The late Premier was born on July 11, 1913 at Wenchi and died in Oxford in the United Kingdom on August 28, 1978. Vice President Mahama noted that the most enduring aspect of Prof Busia's character was his selfless leadership and exemplary service to his community, nation and the world at large. "However, also very evident in this life of service is sacrifice and pain. His close and loved ones had to suffer in silence and great pain even as the fruit of his struggles benefited many other people," he said.

He quoted Naa Morkor Busia, former first lady, who recounted in a documentary on Prof Busia that, her family was denied accommodation in Accra by landlords for fear of reprisals from state security.

Vice President Mahama observed that those aspiring for public office ought to demonstrate humility, which is the hallmark of exemplary service. Prof Busia was forced into exile in 1959 by the Kwame Nkrumah administration and returned in 1966, when the government was overthrown by a military coup.

He formed the Progress Party and became Prime Minister in 1969 when his party won a general election. However in 1972, the National Redemption Council led by then Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong overthrew his government.

Prof George Gyan-Baffour, Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning and Member of Parliament for Wenchi, said the exemplary life of Prof Busia should enable politicians to embrace humility, honesty, care and respect for each other.

"We need to learn from him that freedom and liberty of our people are better ensured by a political system that is based on democratic ideals and the rule of law and that arbitraries and dictatorship are unaccepted under any circumstance. "Dialogue, listening to each other's views, tolerating dissent and agreeing to disagree are the fundamental foundation blocks for peaceful co-existence, which is essential for a prosperous nation building."

Prof Gyan-Baffour stressed: "We need to learn from him (Prof Busia) that even though democracy is so far the best system of government that mankind has evolved, it is still not at all an ideal system and that not all can enjoy its full benefits." Vice President Mahama paid a courtesy call on the family of Prof Busia, where he interacted with Nana Kusi Appeah, the only surviving brother of the former Prime Minister and laid a wreath on the tomb of the late Prime Minister. Nana Ama Busia, sister of Prof Busia, Founder of the Busia Foundation and Member of the Council of State, commended Alhaji Mahama for his commitment to the activities of the Foundation since its inception 10 years ago. 1 Sept. 08

NPOL 18 Politics Bawumia Tour NPP partnership is to narrow development gap between north and south -Bawumia

Wa, Sept. 1, GNA - Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, running mate to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Thursday said that the vision of the flagberear of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to narrow the development gap between the south and the north, made him agree to the partnership. This vision seeks to modernise agriculture, improve education, health and water systems, to make the north the food basket of the country, to reduce poverty and youth migration. Dr Bawumia therefore urged northerners to vote massively for the NPP in the December elections to realise the vision. Dr Bawumia was speaking during a courtesy call on the Chief Imam of Wa, Imam Issahaku Yakubu as part of his two-day tour of the Upper West Region to introduce himself to the chiefs and the people to seek for their blessings and support. He said "the vision to narrow the development gap between the south and the north had been a vision the pioneers of northern politics fought for, and this is the vision I am trying to accomplish". Dr Bawumia said the flagbearer of the NPP had pledged one billion dollars for the Northern Development Fund to cater for the development needs of the north, pointing out that, it was something nobody had done. He said Nana Akufo-Addo has again promised to make senior high school education free and urged the people not to doubt because NPP is a party that believes in deliverance. He said it was the aim of the party to provide employable skills for the youth to create jobs for themselves through quality education. The NPP running mate assured Ghanaians that he would not be a Vice President for a group of people but for all the needs, interests, and aspirations of the people would be what he would work for. More DA 1 Sept. 08