<<Print>>Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, yesterday made a triumphant entry into the Volta Region, the stronghold of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He was accompanied by his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia; National Organiser of the party, John Boadu; National Women’s Organiser, Otiko Afisa Djaba; Volta Regional Chairman, John Peter Amewu; Volta Regional Organiser, Makafui Kofi Woanya; Volta Regional Secretary, Joseph Hoemenyah; Deputy Director of Communications, Perry Okudzeto; former Minister of State, Elizabeth Ohene and Ambassador Amesimeku.
The rest included former 3rd National Vice Chairperson of the NPP, Mrs Agnes Okudzeto; former Volta Regional Chairman, Kenwuud Nuworsu; former Volta Regional Minister, Kofi Dzamesi; former Advisor to President John Agyekum Kufuor, Tommy Amematekpor; another former Volta Regional Minister, Kwasi Owusu Yeboah and former Volta Regional Organiser, Johnson Avulate, among others.
His message to the chiefs and people of the region was cut out and simple – bridging the gap between the NPP party and the Volta as a region and Voltarians as a people.
Their first point of call for the commencement of the ‘Rise Up and Build’ tour was the Anlo state where they met the Awomefia of Anlo, Togbe Sri III, where Nana Addo assured the chiefs and people of the region that the NPP is determined to bridge the gap in the region.
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, the NPP is “determined to make the Volta Region the centre of our country’s rebirth under an Akufo-Addo government,” when God-willing, the people give him the mandate to serve the nation from January 2017.
He said that was why he had chosen to begin his tour from the Volta Region.
He also seized the opportunity to respond to NDC propaganda that the NPP’s evidence about the existence of foreigners on Ghana’s voter register was a direct attack on the people of the region.
Nana Akufo-Addo explained that the NPP is of the firm belief that Ghana’s current register is bloated because the over 54% of ‘Ghanaians’ being on the electoral roll is inordinately high when compared to other registers of other countries on the African continent.
Concern
This, according to Nana Akufo-Addo, must not be the case and the reason why the NPP is concerned about the compilation of a new voter register.
“We are concerned about the current state of Ghana’s register because the decision about who must lead Ghana must be left to Ghanaians alone, not for foreigners. It is not our business to choose leaders for other countries, neither is it the business of foreigners to choose our leaders for us,” Akufo-Addo noted.
He continued, “Our opponents are presenting the case as if we have a particular agenda against the Volta Region. That is far from the truth. Our concern is that Ghanaians should be the ones responsible for choosing Ghanaian leaders. The information being put out by the NDC is propaganda, nothing but propaganda. There is no truth, whatsoever, in it.”
The difficult times that we have in Ghana now, according to Nana Akufo-Addo, are being felt by Ghanaians from all parts of the country, including the people of the Volta Region.
He assured Togbe Sri and the people of the region that when given the mandate in 2017, “We are determined to put Ghana back on the road to prosperity that will affect every part of Ghana without exception,” stressing that “The Volta Region will be at the very centre of that rebirth of our country.”
On his part, Togbe Sri thanked Nana Akufo-Addo for his visit and stated that “The presence of my sub-chiefs here is a clear indication that the arms of the Anlo State are wide open to you. At anytime of your choice, you are welcome to campaign here.”