The Deputy Minority Leader of Parliament and Chairman of the Sector on Interior and Defence Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Dominic Nitiwul, has announced plans to increase the per diem of security service officials on peacekeeping missions from $31 a day currently to $35 a day when Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo becomes president.
He has also said that an NPP government under the leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo would build three hospitals for the security services in the three regions of the north.
The regions are the Upper East, Upper West and Northern and the hospitals to be built are military, police and prison hospitals.
Speaking at the mammoth regional rally of the NPP in Tamale last Tuesday, Mr Nitiwul assured staff of the security services of plans of the NPP to make life more bearable for them considering the fact that their current situation could be bettered.
He underscored the need for them to be proactive in the protection of the electoral process and not to be intimidated or coerced into doing anything that would undermine the integrity of the December polls.
One other message that spurred the people on to a higher level of jubilation was the announcement of a Zongo Development Fund by Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
Dr Bawumia said when given the nod, the NPP under the leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo would establish that fund aimed at the welfare and progress of residents of Zongo communities in the country.
Largely, he said the people of the Zongo communities were neglected with regard to national schemes adding that those areas had great economic potentials that could be fully harnessed in pursuit of national development.
Additionally he said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, under what he termed the “incompetent administration of President John Mahama”, had turned a blind eye to the Zongo communities, but the NPP was prepared to enhance their capacities for an integrated national development.
The presidential candidate of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo, who crowned the addresses by speakers, promised a change in the face of the country within 18 months of his administration.
Nana Akufo-Addo said the NPP had the men and the capacity to make that happen, saying if the people put their trust in him and his administration, he would not let them down.
He also observed that the NPP had been increasing its percentage of votes with every election in the Northern Region and expressed the hope that this time around, the people would give him not less than 50 per cent of valid votes cast to seal the victory of the NPP.
That, he said, would lead to the creation of the enabling environment for a “caring and compassionate society and a future of hope for all Ghanaians.”
One observation made by this reporter was the rousing welcome that was given Nana Akufo-Addo and his entourage to Tamale.
Arriving from Bolga, scores of motorbike riders from Tamale, in what seemed like an ambush, were waiting for the arrival of his convoy at Savelugu.
The convoy had to break the speed at which it was travelling and make way for the teeming numbers of bike riders to lead the convoy and ensure the creation of space for entry into the Tamale township.
Another remarkable feature was the cessation of trading activities in the business district of Tamale when the team made its entry.
Traders left their shops and wares and lined up on the streets to catch a glimpse of Nana Akufo-Addo who had emerged from atop his vehicle amidst cheers from the people who made the sign for change and shouted “shee-koo-shee”, an expression in Dagbani literally translated as “he will get down” in reference to the fact that the NDC and President Mahama would surely step down.
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