Ackon Optimistic of winning Obuasi seat for NDC

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for Obuasi, Mr. Alexander Kobina Ackon, at the weekend launched his campaign with huge optimism of annexing the seat from the New Patriotic Party (NPP).      The Obuasi seat was won by NDC during the 1992 general elections, but was captured by the NPP in 1996 and had since remained their stronghold.      Mr Ackon, a former Senior Staff of AngloGold Ashanti, told enthusiastic party supporters that "I am the right person to champion the course of the people of Obuasi".      Confident Ackon added that "My motivation is to serve the people of Obuasi and serve them better."      The NDC Parliamentary Candidate condemned the propaganda that a vote for Professor Atta Mills meant a vote for former President J.J. Rawlings. "Rawlings is not interested in any political position in the country. He had done his part and that such dirty propaganda should be unreservedly condemned".      Mr Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh, a Kumasi based NDC member said, everything pointed to a resounding victory for the NDC in December 7 general elections.      He said the massage of "Examine your life before you vote" used by the NPP in 2000, which helped them to win was the same message NDC was going to use to return to power, since the socio-economic hardships Ghanaians were facing at that time had worsened.      Mr Yamoah Ponkoh appealed to the NDC to extend an olive branch to anybody who would defect to their family, predicting that more NPP followers were yet to defect since more Ghanaians see NDC as their only hope.      The Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Party, Mr. Daniel Ohene Agyekum reiterated the price hike in goods and services which he said had created hardships to the ordinary Ghanaian in the Country.      The Regional Chairman took a swipe at NPP and said their government had not created any future for the youth.      "The youth of this country have no future under the NPP government." GNA