NDC WON'T ABOLISH NYEP — JOHN MAHAMA (PAGE 16)

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) running mate, Mr John Dramani Mahama, has disclosed that an NDC government will not abolish the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP).
According to him, an NDC government under Prof. John Evans Atta Mills would rather expand the programme and make it all-embracing.
Mr Mahama made the disclosure at well attended separate rallies at Sankore in Asunafo South; Goaso in Asunafo North; Acherensua in Asutifi South and Atronie in the Sunyani East Constituency as part of his 10-day working visit to the Brong Ahafo Region.
Mr Mahama was accompanied on his tour by Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, 2004 running mate of Prof. Mills; Madam Hannah Tetteh Kpoda, National Communications Director of the NDC; Mr Samuel Ofoso Ampofo, National Organiser; Madam Agnes Adoma, National Deputy Women’s Organiser, and some regional executive including the regional chairman, Mr John Owusu Agyemang. He also called on paramount and divisional chiefs in the constituencies.
The running mate and his entourage were met by enthusiastic supporters of the party amidst brass band music at the outskirts of the various towns they visited.
Among the paramount and divisional chiefs the NDC running mate called on were Okogyeadee Yaw Adusei III, Omanhene of Sankore Traditional Area; Agyewodin Gyamfi Ampem, Omanhene of Acherensua Traditional Area; Nana Osei Kofi Abiri and Odeneho Nsiah Ababio, of Kenyasi No. 1 and No. 2 respectively as well as the divisional chief of Ntotroso, Nana Twereko Ampen, to introduce himself to them and seek their blessings for the party in the December elections.
Mr Mahama also used the rallies to introduce to the people the parliamentary aspirants of the party, namely, Mr Eric Opoku for Asunafo South; Mr Mohammed Doku for Asunafo North; Alhaji Collins Dauda for Asutifi South; Eric Addai for Asutifi North and Mr Justice Samuel Adjei for Sunyani East. He urged them to vote massively for Prof. Mills and the party’s parliamentary aspirants in the December elections.
Mr Mahama assured the people that an NDC government would place the welfare of Ghanaians above that of the personal interest of those in government and would not discriminate against any section of the populace, since Ghana belongs to all Ghanaians.
He said the NDC would also not abolish the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), since it was the NDC that started it on a pilot basis and gave it a national character, adding that the NDC would not abolish the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE), but would make sure that everything including school uniforms, books and other fees were free for all pupils.
Mr Mahama added that an NDC government would further give priority to agriculture, and that under an NDC government a Golden Age of Agriculture would be declared to support all categories of farmers to cut down on food imports as well as give cocoa farmers 100 per cent bonus as against the 70 per cent being given to them now by the government.