Akwasi Nkansah-Amaniampong gets nod of Oda NDC

Akim Oda (E/R), Sept 2, GNA - A 47-year-old businessman, Mr Akwasi Nkansah-Amamiampong has been elected as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for the Akim Oda Constituency to contest Election 2004.

His election was by popular acclamation by the 189 delegates at the Party's Constituency Delegates' Conference held at Akim Oda following the stepping down of Mr Kwadwo Attah-Krah, the other contestant. The Party also launched its identity card and the first 10 copies were auctioned for two million cedis.

Mr Nkansah-Amaniampong thanked the delegates and called for unity and support to enable the Party to capture the seat from the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The National Organizer of the Party, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo accused the NPP administration of bringing hardships on Ghanaians and called on the electorate to "send the Elephant back to the forest come the December elections".

He mentioned increases in petroleum prices, insurance premiums, electricity, telephone and water bills as well as school fees, as some of the areas where the NPP Government had brought hardship onto Ghanaians and said the "power to vote the government out is in your hands".

The Eastern Regional Organizer of NDC, Mr Tawiah Boateng said the NPP was ruling by negative propaganda, lies and deceit and urged NDC activists to be abreast with current issues to be able to counteract misinformation especially in the rural communities.

He said under the World Bank-imposed Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative being implemented by the Government, unemployment was soaring and that some timber firms were collapsing.

Mr Boateng said when the NDC handed over power in 2001 the NPP accused it of leaving a debt of 41 trillion cedis but within three-and-half years the NPP had increase the debt to 80 trillion cedis. He said the Finance Minister Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo disbursed 335 billion cedis HIPC fund without passing it through Parliament.