Akufo-Addo storms Ekumfi Otuam as he begins C/R tour
The Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, yesterday made what has been described as a triumphant entry into the Central Region with a warm welcome by the people of the Ekumfi Traditional Council and, especially, Ekumfi Otuam, the hometown of former President John Evans Atta Mills.
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Apart from the members of the traditional council giving their blessing to the change agenda of the NPP and making known the development needs of the area, a major welcome gift was the announcement of the defection of 3,000 alleged members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to the NPP.
Making the announcement, a former NDC chairman of the Ekumfi Constituency, Mr Ekow Buckman, said the good people of the area had been let down by the administration of President John Dramani Mahama.
Reason for defection
He said in spite of the numerous efforts by those of them on the ground, especially the fisherfolk, they had been neglected and left to their fate.
The only logical option available to them, he said, was for them to change their location to another political group that would ensure the welfare of the people of the area.
An octogenarian said to be at the helm of public opinion formation in the area, Mr J.K. Kobina Arthur, said when a father died, his legacy was bequeathed to a heir who was obliged to take care of the properties of the departed, including the children.
Sadly, he said, with the demise of Prof. Mills in 2012, President John Mahama took over as the heir to the late President Mills but, unfortunately, President Mahama had left the children of the late President Mills to wallow in abject poverty.
Following the death of President Mills, he said, the lot of the people had become one of neglect and scorn.
Restoration of hope and dignity
He expressed optimism that a government led by Nana Akufo-Addo would help restore the dignity of the people of the area and make the pain they had felt in the past one of hope and prosperity.
At the Ekumfi Traditional Council where the presidential candidate of the NPP interacted with the chiefs and people of the area, the acting President of the Traditional Council, Nana Idan, said despite a lot being said about a landing beach for the district, nothing had been done.
He said apart from a clinic that the district could boast, there was no major hospital in the area and prayed that a government under the leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo would accomplish that dream of the people of the area.
Needs of the area
The entire district, he said, had the Ahmadiya Senior High School (SHS) as the only senior high school for the people of the area until the putting up of the Prof. Mills SHS recently, saying much more was needed for the academic development of the area.
The educational orientation of the people of the area, he said, had been more of the attainment of higher academic laurels through the persuit of education but were unable to land jobs.
In that regard, Nana Idan pleaded with Nana Akufo-Addo for the establishment of technical schools that would enable the youth of the area to gain skills that would make them capable of setting up their own jobs.
He also asked that the area be considered for the school-feeding programme since children who got hungry while in school chose to leave the classroom to join the fishermen in search of food.
Need for change
Nana Akufo-Addo, in his short address, said he was not unaware of the challenges that the good people of Ghana were going through.
He said the good people of Ghana had good reasons for making John Dramani Mahama the President of the country but he had shown that he was incapable of bringing joy to the faces of Ghanaians, but had rather brought misery and pain.
The best that Ghanaians could do in the circumstance, he said, was to peacefully vote out the NDC and vote in the NPP to usher in a new era of hope and prosperity.
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