Veep declares 2013 job creation year

From David Allan Paintsil, Cape Coast

The Vice President, Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur has declared 2013 as “a job creation year,” where the economy is expected to absorb the large number of unemployed into employable avenues.

Speaking to a large crowd at London Bridge in Cape Coast on Saturday, after his triumphant entry into the former colonial capital, Vice President Amissah-Arthur said the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) used the first four years for infrastructure development, such as roads, schools, water, electricity as well as sealing the leakages in the economy, which had enhanced the necessary conditions for job creation to take off next year.

According to him, the late President Atta Mills laid a solid foundation for the country, pledging that he and his boss, President John Dramani Mahama would continue the good works of the former leader when given the mandate in the December7 general elections.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur, whose visit brought memory of the late President Mills to bear among the residents of Central Region and Cape Coast in particular, said he would not turn his back on them and appealed for massive votes for President John Dramani Mahama for a one-touch victory.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur further urged NDC supporters to eschew complacency and work hard to seal victory for the party. He again appealed to those who lost the primaries and are threatening to contest as independent candidates to rescind their decision because such move was capable of derailing the victory of the party.

The Second Lady, Mrs. Matilda Amissah-Arthur contended that God has a special place in his heart for the Central Region, because after the region lost her great son, God has given them another one and was optimistic she and her husband would return to the Central Region to give thanks to God for convincing victory in December 7 elections.

A Member of Council of State, Madam Cecilia Johnson, who spoke undiluted Fante told the crowd that late President Mills had good vision for Cape Coast and that John Mahama and Amissah-Arthur would implement that vision.

The Education Minister, Lee Ocran, on his part told the crowd the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) free Senior High School mantra was a deception to win the election, and urged them to ignore it because there were inadequate infrastructure to accommodate all prospective students.

He added that the largest opposition was churning out different costing figures because they are not sure of what they are telling Ghanaians.

He pointed out the NPP, while in power, built 235 basic schools, with NDC building 1,700 basic schools within their short tperiod, claiming the figure would increase before the close of the year, as more of such buildings were expected to be completed to make it unprecedented.

Before then, Vice President Amissah-Arthur and his entourage, which included Ambassador Lee Ocran and his wife, Sati Ocran, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Deputy Local Government Minister, Thomas Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, Deputy Central Regional Minister and a host of party gurus visited Emintsimadze Palace to introduce himself to Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, Omanhen of Oguaa Traditional Area and his chiefs.

At the Obama Hall, the Vice President told the chiefs that he was there to introduce himself to them as the running mate of President Jon Dramani Mahama and also to solicit their support and blessing for the impending political battle in December.

Osabarima and his chiefs praised him for remembering his roots, and advised him to seek God’s guidance and refrain from politics of insults as he hit the campaign trail. Libation was poured for him.

Earlier, Vice President Amissah-Arthur received a rousing welcome at Mankessim and Anomabo, where he introduced himself to them and appealed to the people to retain the NDC in power, to continue with the work of the late President Mills.

At Mankessim, MP for Mfantseman West, Aquinas Tawiah Quansah threw a challenge to former Information Minister, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, to tell residents in the area where the NPP lodged the US$4million he said was part of the US$750 million Eurobond meant to build the Mankessim Market, so that he (Aquinas) could go for it to start the construction of the market.

He said since 2009, the NDC has built 21 six-unit classrooms and also praised the landing beach committees for effective utilization of proceeds generated from the sale of premix fuel to improve their standard of living.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur received a rapturous departure as his convoy drove at a snail pace out of the London Bridge, with people lining along the streets to cheer him on.

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