Mills - Mahama, NFP Mills - Mahama, NFP

Have collective national economic vision - Mahama

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0800

 Have collective national economic vision - Mahama

Mr John Dramani Mahama, the running mate of the NDC presidential candidate, has said there was a need for a national consultation to fashion out an achievable economic policy that would serve as a collective vision for the country towards its desire to reach middle income status.

He said there was the need for whoever won elections to create a platform that would harness the expertise and experiences of all Ghanaians irrespective of their political, religious and ethnic affiliation to fashion out a vision for the nation.

In an interaction with the media in Kumasi on Thursday as part of his tour of the metropolis, Mr Mahama said the situation where losers in elections were prevented from participating in the running of the affairs of the country should be a thing of the past.

"The vision of the country should not be the vision of only one party.

There is the need for whoever won elections to create opportunities for all Ghanaians to participate in the national development process", he said.

He said lack of access to capital, entrepreneurial skills and continuity had been the bane of the private sector in the country. Mr Mahama said the focus of the NDC government would be how to grow the small and medium scale industries by creating opportunities for easy access to credit facilities, entrepreneurial training and marketing opportunities.

"Urgent attention will be given to the agricultural sector to ensure sustainable food security."

On the bloated electoral register in some constituencies in the Ashanti Region, Mr Mahama said there was the need for transparency in dealing with the issue.

He said the committee set up by the Electoral Commission (EC) to investigate the problem should come out clean and tell Ghanaians how it had dealt with it.

Mr Mahama said Ghanaians had trust in the EC and that trust should be sustained and built upon to ensure free, fair and acceptable election results in 2008.

He said the Ghanaian electoral system had unique processes which prevented unnecessary controversies on election results and there was the need for the EC to ensure that the problem which occurred in some constituencies in the 2004 elections were not repeated in this year's election.

Speaking on the party's relationship with the media Mr Mahama said certain wrong perception had been created that the NDC was anti-media.

However, he said the NDC was a friend of the media and would do everything to collaborate effectively with the media to ensure that the party achieved successes and that he would create the environment for the media to access information about the party.

Mr Mahama pledged to ensure a peaceful and clean campaign and appealed to other political leaders to mount their campaigns on issues that would help promote peace and unity.

I wont regard my election as Hollywood coronation - Mills

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Prof. Evans Atta Mills, the Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) says when he is elected to become Ghanas president in this years elections, he would not consider it as a Hollywood coronation.

I was not born with a golden spoon in my mouth, and therefore, when I am elected this year, I will not consider it a Hollywood coronation, but as a God-given opportunity to serve the people of Ghana, he said.

Prof. Atta Mills was speaking at the 2008 Campaign Launch of the NDC and the outdooring of the partys running mate, John Mahama at the National Theatre, Accra, Wednesday May 7, 2008.

Prof. Mills accused the government of President Kufuor of failing Ghanaians. He accused the Kufuor administration of using political power as hammer and seeing others as nails, and whenever they had the opportunity they hit them on the head, he said. He questioned why President Kufuor has not fulfilled all the promises he made to the people of Ghana. He recounted the Presidents speech to workers on May Day this year. The President on May Day, implored Ghanaian workers to be patient with the government as it works on improving salaries.

He asked why it took President Kufuor seven years to realize how long it was going to take to work on improving salaries for workers after he made the promise to Ghanaians in 2000.

He asked why President Kufuor has failed to create the jobs he promised Ghanaians, but instead was using the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), as a cover up, and why he reneged on his promise to keep the size of government small. He questioned the wisdom of in investing in presidential palaces, jets and expensive anniversary celebrations by the NPP, promising that the NDC would rather spend to improve the lives of the people.

Prof. Atta Mills asked, What happened to zero tolerance for corruption? He promised Ghanaians that the NDCs vision is a vision of change from what we have now. He said it is time for the comfort of leadership to be subordinated to the interest of the majority. And the filled room of NDC members gave rapturous response and cheers as he spoke.

Prof. Mills said the NDC will invest in people, job creation, expand infrastructure and run a caring and transparent government.

He said the NDC will not allow Ghana to be made a wholly owned subsidiary for drug barons. Prof. Mills promised that when the NDC comes into power after this years elections, which he says is the NDCs year, his government, he promises, will save Ghanaians from crime and armed robbery.

He said Ghana never lacked plans, but the men to implement these plans to make Ghana a better place. The NDC has the men to implement these plans to make Ghana a better place, he said. And the arsenals he said the party will use to achieve these are truth, honesty, transparency and selflessness.

Prof. Mills also promised that when he is elected as president, he will be president for all Ghanaians.

Speaking to the media, he said, Your greatest moments are not when you have stood with the state, but when you have stood firm for your principles. In his address, the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, said Ghana is in the mood to vote for the NDC, but called on President Kufuor to provide enough funding for the Electoral Commission to organize free and fair elections. He also said the NDC was more united now than ever, and this drew cheers from NDC faithful in the Hall.

I am pleased with John Mahama Mills

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0800

When Prof. Mills invited John Mahama to the podium to give his address, he referred to him as my running-mate in whom I am well pleased.

In his address, the running-mate of Prof. Atta-Mills, John Dramani Mahama, paid tribute to the Founder of the NDC, and all party members.

He also paid tribute to Prof. Atta-Mills for his enormous contributions in building Ghana.

He recounted that Prof. Mills contributed towards the successes that the country has achieved in telecommunications, press freedom which has culminated in the large number of FM radio stations, TV stations and newspapers that exist in the country now. He also commended Edward Salia as well, for his contributions in growing the countrys telecommunications sector when he served as Minister of Communications.

Profile of NDC Prez Running Mate John Mahama

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Mr. John Dramani Mahama, a communication consultant, is the running mate of Professor John Atta Mills, flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), for the forthcoming 2008 elections, Party officials confirmed on Wednesday. Mr. Mahama, who is the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) for Bole-Bamboi, was born on November 29, 1958 at Damongo into a family of a rich political tradition dating back to the First Republic. His father, Mr Emmanuel Adama Mahama was the first MP for Gonja West and the first Regional Commissioner of the Northern Region during the First Republic. Mr. John Mahama is currently Minority Parliamentary Spokesman for Foreign Affairs and member of the Pan African Parliament, representing Ghana for a five-year term ending 2008.

An eloquent champion of the underprivileged, Mr. Mahama is very much concerned about the plight of the people, especially rural communities, whom he always regarded as producers of the bulk of Ghana's raw materials and food requirements, but vulnerable.

"As a practical demonstration and as a man of the people who backs his words with deeds, John, even before contesting for the parliamentary seat of Bole, assisted in exploring avenues for the provision of hostel facilities to students of Bole Secondary School.

"He is one person who detests personality cult and always welcomes constructive criticisms," said Mr Ibrahim Mahama, his brother, who described the MP as "a man who has sworn never to impose his ideas on the people in his constituency but would always seek counsel from them." Mr. Mahama had his secondary education up to 'A' Level at Ghana Secondary School, Tamale, and proceeded to the University of Ghana where he obtained a degree in History in 1981.

In 1986, he graduated from the School of Communication Studies. He pursued a two-year special post-graduate programme at the Institute of Social Sciences in Moscow, specializing in Social Psychology.

From 1991 to 1996, he worked as the Information, Culture and Research Officer at the Embassy of Japan in Accra. He moved to Plans International, Ghana Country Office as International Relations, Sponsorship Communications and Grants Manager the same year. Mr. Mahama has had additional professional training both at home and abroad. In 1993, he participated in a course for Overseas Public Relations Staff, organized by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He also participated in a management development course organized by PLAN International (RESA) in Nairobi, Kenya.

He was first elected to the Parliament of Ghana in 1996 to represent the Bole/Bamboi Constituency for a four-year term. He was appointed Deputy Minister of Communications in April 1997 and rose to become the substantive Minister of Communications in November 1998, a position he held until January 2001 when the NDC Administration handed over power to the Kufuor-led government of the New Patriotic Party.

As Minister, Mr Mahama served as Chairman of the National Communications Authority. In this capacity, he played a key role in stabilizing Ghana's telecommunications sector after it was deregulated in 1997. He served as a member of the National Economic Management team and also a member of the Implementation Committee of the 2000 National Population Census, and a founding member of the Ghana AIDS Commission.

He also served as deputy chairman of the Publicity Committee for the re-introduction of Value Added Tax. Mr. Mahama was re-elected in 2000 as MP for Bole/Bamboi for another four-year period. He again won the seat in 2004 for a third term. From 2001 to 2004, he served as Minority Parliamentary spokesman for Communications. In 2002, he was appointed Director of Communications of the NDC.

In 2002, Mr. Mahama was among International Observers who watched Zimbabwe's parliamentary elections. He is a Member of the UNDP Advisory Committee on Conflict Resolution in Ghana.

Mr. Mahama attended numerous conferences and won many Fellowships, including a study at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA. He is also a Gates Fellow. He is married to Lordina and they have four children.

All I Ask For Is An Even Playing Field - Atta Mills

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0800

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Leader and Presidential Candidate, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, has told the United States that all he and the party were interested in, was an "even playing field" as this year's general election drew near.

Professor Atta Mills said this when Mr. Thomas Dougherty, Director of West African Affairs, of the U.S. Department of State, called on him at his Kuku Hill Office in Osu. The NDC Leader reiterated the point that all the NDC wanted was for the NPP government to make sure that it respected the rules of Ghana's electoral process and would do nothing that would give cause for heightened tension after the elections. He gave the assurance that he and his party knew the democratic terrain of Ghana and would do everything within their remit to ensure that the election was non-violent.

"As Leader of the NDC, I will do everything to maintain peace before and after the elections," Professor Mills said. "However, it would be difficult to prevail on aggrieved persons this time around if what happened in 2004, by way of the NPP declaring itself winner, repeats itself," Professor Mills added.

The NDC Leader did not hide the fact that some happenings as regards this year's election were giving genuine cause for concern, and asked the United States and the international community to continuously keep an eye on Ghana.

Professor Mills mentioned the issue of the unacceptable over 100% growth in voter population between 2004 and 2006 in 13 constituencies in the Ashanti Region.

The NDC Leader welcomed international observers to be part of this year's electoral process, not that he lacked faith in the local observers but that there was the need for all to be on board to make sure Ghana did not go down the slippery path of post election occurrences elsewhere.

"It is matter of fact that America upholds the tenets of true democracy and it is my hope that you will do whatever it takes to ensure that Ghana's nascent democracy finds solid feet to walk on," the NDC Leader told Mr. Dougherty.

"I have had occasion to ask the Carter Centre and other international bodies to keep their focus on Ghana throughout this year because it is important to closely monitor the whole process and not only what happens on election day," he added.

On becoming president, Professor Mills said he would be president for Ghana and not president for the NDC and would make sure that opportunities abound for all, and not for only a selected few. He pledged that his government, with the benefit of lessons from elsewhere, would make sure that Ghana's discovery of oil remained a blessing and not a curse.

On behalf of the United States government, Mr. Dougherty pledged that Washington would support only one group- which is the people of Ghana, and not any political party. "We will pay attention to what happens in Ghana, but we will stay neutral. Washington will not take sides," said Mr. Dougherty. Mr. Dougherty also expressed his appreciation to Professor Mills for his commitment to a non-violent election and said his government would do everything it could to impress upon all those who mattered in the electoral process, to make sure that there was an even playing field for all parties. Among those present were Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, a leading member of the NDC, while Mr. Dougherty was accompanied by Mr. Brian W. Shukan, First Secretary and Chief of Political Section, U.S Embassy, Accra. 22 May 08

Mills - Mahama, NFP Mills - Mahama, NFP

Have collective national economic vision - Mahama

I wont regard my election as Hollywood coronation - Mills

I am pleased with John Mahama  Mills

Profile of NDC Prez Running Mate John Mahama

All I Ask For Is An Even Playing Field - Atta Mills

I wont regard my election as Hollywood coronation - Mills

I am pleased with John Mahama Mills