The presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) has ended his tour in the Northern Region, urging the electorate in Walewale to reject the New Patriotic Party (NPP) overtures because it is a party of vengeance.
“All I’m telling the people of the three regions of the north and the people of Ghana is to reject the ‘Arise for Change’ of the NPP. It will only bring vengeance and chaos to this nation. They do not wish the people of Ghana well, they do not wish the people of the three northern regions well, nor Walewale,” he said at a mini rally in the Walewale Constituency.
Sudden interest
He said the NPP running mate had only developed a sudden interest in the constituency because he wanted to be the Vice-President of Ghana.
“All of a sudden, because he wants to be the Vice-President, he comes to dig a borehole, makes a donation to a hospital to make the people think he cares for them. Where was he all these years?”
“He is one of the Accra Northerners who only come to give their empty talk to deceive the people of Walewale, deceive the people of Mamprusi and the people of the Northern Region and deceive the people of Ghana on behalf of the party whose Arise for Change, means nothing. It will be the same hell from the NDC,” he said to applause.
Over the last few years, Dr Bawumia had built a reputation for delivering lectures on the economy and taking on the government for bringing the economy to its knees while many businesses bit dust because of high taxes and the energy crisis.
He has received both praise and criticism in equal measure for his analysis and projections on the economy.
Empty facts?
But on the day, the CPP Presidential candidate decided to take Dr Bawumia on; he threw cold water on the credibility of the economist, saying: “I was shocked because I thought this was the place the former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, came from, because he is always talking about plenty facts and figures and long talk in Accra.”
While Mr Greenstreet’s criticism of leaders and policies of the NPP has generated outrage from supporters of the largest opposition party, with the NPP’s Presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, insisting that the attack on him was unnecessary since he was not in power, the CPP candidate insisted in the past that he was not in the race to help anyone win the 2016 election.
Reject NDC and NPP
To make his case for the rejection of his main contenders in the Presidential race, the NDC and the NPP, he accused the two parties of failing to develop the area, saying: “For eight years, the NPP did nothing here and for eight years, the NDC has also come and done nothing here.”
He did not spare the ruling party —the NDC — and stated that its eight years in power from 2009 had been hell but cronies of the party had thrived, and warned that if given the nod, the NPP was “coming to give us the same under the guise of Arise for Change.”
Mr Greenstreet, who has in the last four weeks taken his campaign through the Greater Accra, Eastern, Western, Brong Ahafo and Northern regions, however, said the CPP was the antidote to hardship facing Ghanaians.
Touting the credentials of the CPP which governed the country from 1957 to 1966 before it was tossed out in a coup, he said: “There is only one party, which has sown and therefore deserves to reap your vote. A party which has truly served the people of the three northern regions and our beloved country.”
Mr Greenstreet also drew attention to the numerous clashes between supporters of the NDC and the NPP, saying a vote for the CPP would put an end to violent activities in the country’s political space.
Last Tuesday, the CPP campaign train was in Bunkpurugu and Yunyoo constituencies where it met chiefs, people and other interest groups.
Bunkpurugu
During a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of Bunkpurugu, Naa Alhaji Abuba Nasingmong, the chief lamented about the poverty in the area and its neglect, pointing to the bad roads and the state of its senior high school.
“If God gives you the power, don’t forget us in Bunkpurugu. All we want is for you to fix the three major problems for us. We want our roads, we want a hospital and the school fixed. We want tractors because our job is farming. We also want fertiliser prices to come down. Don’t forget us.”
In a subtle endorsement of the CPP candidate, he said the people would talk to each other and mobilise support for Mr Greenstreet.
Mr Greenstreet, for his part, acknowledged the challenges facing the community and pledged to work on them when he received the nod from Ghanaians.
Meanwhile, the CPP campaign trail heads to the Upper East Region on Thursday.
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