Magdalene Sey
27 August 2008
Apan — The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor John Evans Atta Mills, has promised to make the Central Region, his home region, one of the richest in the country when given the nod to be president.
According to him, he would do so, by putting in place pragmatic measures to permanently reduce poverty from the region, which has been tagged one of the poorest in Ghana.
He again promised to stop the activities of pair trawlers, to facilitate the work of fisher folks in the area, to alleviate the abject poverty inflicted on them by the vessel operators.
Prof Mills made these promises on Monday, when he visited Apam, Mumford and Dego, all fishing communities in the Gomoa West Constituency of the Central Region, as part of his tour of the region.
He added that he would make the fishing trade, which is the major trade in the region, very attractive by establishing cold stores to enable fishermen store enough fish during bumper harvests. The law and economic professor, who attained his doctorate degree at the age of 27, also promised to solve all problems associated with the sale of premix fuel, and reduce the price, to enable fishermen do their business without difficulty.
He stated that the region abounded in resources, citing the sea, which he said can generate a lot of funds to develop the region, if properly managed.
He said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government did not care about the plight of fishermen, saying that was why President John Agyekum Kufuor had remained silent over the activities of pair trawlers.
According to Prof Mills, since there was no sea in the Ashanti Region, where President Kufuor hails from, he does not see the need to address the needs of fishermen.
"Because there is no sea in the whole of the Ashanti Region, President Kufuor does not see the need to pay attention to the plight of fishermen, whose activities are being destroyed by the activities of pair trawlers, and soaring prices of premix fuel," Prof Mills emphasised.
"He has even worsened the situation, by establishing the country's finest cold stores in his home region, where no fishing activity goes on, instead of the coastal communities," he added.
In view of that, Prof Mills, made it clear that he would establish cold stores in all fishing communities in the country, especially in the Central Region, where the trade is buoyant, and also ensure that deserving communities got fishing harbours.
At Apam junction, where he addressed market women, Prof Mills noted that even though the people had been voting for the NPP for a long time, the party had neglected them, and urged them to vote for the NDC this time round.
He made a passionate appeal to those who took money to vote for the NPP, to consider the interest of their communities and people first, before voting. He promised to upgrade the Apam Catholic Hospital, and equip it with enough specialists to enhance health delivery.
He also promised to improve salt production, and repair all major roads in the area. At Mumford, the people in the area were very angry with the NPP, accusing President Kufuor of not fulfilling his promise to put up a fishing harbour in the area, when he visited the place in 2004.
Even the chief, Nana Adwei X, who refused to pour libation to pray for the NDC in 2004, according to some NDC members, this time received the party warmly, and implored Prof Mills to inspect the site President Kufuor promised to construct a fishing harbour on, which Prof. Mills did. Prof Mills, therefore, promised to construct a fishing harbour for the people when elected president, and strengthen the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) to create more jobs for the youth.
The National Women's Organizer of the NDC, Ms Ama Benyiwa Doe, urged the people to use their votes as their power, to vote out the NPP for the NDC to address their needs.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, noted that since the Central Region had accepted the NDC, it was an indication that the party would make inroads in the December polls.
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