NPP to make Tema Ghana’s industrial base

The New Patriotic Party (NPP), would embark on a national industrial revolution, starting from Tema, if retained in power in Election 2008.      Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, NPP flag bearer, said Tema would be made the industrial base of the country, which would be critical to the party's vision of industrializing the country to create more jobs for the people.      The NPP flag bearer, who was addressing a rally at the canoe beach at Tema Manhean, said the importance of Tema to the national economy inspired him to start his campaign tour of the Greater Accra Region from the Tema metropolis.      Nana Akufo-Addo promised to address the challenges facing fishermen if voted into power.      He said as a demonstration of the party's commitment to the development of the fishing industry, the Ministry of Fisheries had purchased outboard motors for distribution to fishermen across the coastal areas.      Nana Akufo-Addo said he would build on the works of President John Agyekum Kufuor, adding that, the next NPP Government would extend the free education policy to cover the Senior High School.      He urged Ghanaians to promote peace by rejecting the campaign of tribal politics, in order not to divide the country.      Nana Akufo-Addo said "tribal politics is going to take us backward but NPP politics is politics of unity, not backwardness."      He advised the electorate to check their names on the voters' register that was being exhibited to help the Electoral Commission to conduct a free and fair election.      Nana Akufo-Addo appealed to all Ghanaians to help make Election 2008 peaceful and eye-opener to other African countries.      At Sakumono, Tema Community Two and Adjei Kojo in the Tema West Constituency, the flag bearer urged the electorate including floating voters to massively vote for him and the parliamentary candidate for the area, Madam Irene Torshie Addo to retain the seat, which he said belonged to the party.      Nana Akufo-Addo, who was accompanied by leading members of the party, visited the Tema General Hospital where he interacted with patients at the Out Patient Department (OPD) and the maternity ward.      He also donated toys to children on admission at the Children's ward of the hospital.      At the State School for the Deaf at Adjei Kojo, the NPP Flag bearer presented five bags of rice, assorted text books, boxes of bottled water and toiletries to the school.      Mr. Alan Kyeremanteng, a leading NPP member urged party faithfuls to embark on house-to-house campaign to attract more members for the party.      He said the members should not only be interested in attending rallies but rather educate others on the achievements and vision of the NPP to enable the party to retain power.      Mr. Kyeremanteng said the party was committing to winning all the votes in the constituencies in the Tema metropolis.      Other speakers including Sheikh I.C. Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister, and Mr Boniface Abubakar Saddique, Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing recounted some policies of the NPP such as the Capitation Grant, free medical care for pregnant women and school feeding programme.      They urged the electorate to vote for the party and the parliamentary candidates of the Tema East, West and Kpone/Katamanso Constituencies. GNA