JOHN MAHAMA GETS ROUSING WELCOME AT SOMANYA (PAGE 13)

Commercial activities in Somanya, the district capital of Yilo Krobo of the Eastern Region, came to a halt last Thursday, when thousands of people thronged the town to welcome Mr John Mahama, the vice presidential aspirant of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Mr Mahama, MP for Bole Bamboi, who was accompanied by some executive members of the party was in the area to formally present himself to the people and solicit their support for the NDC flag bearer, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, and the party to win the December 7 elections.
The ecstatic crowd, most of them in NDC paraphernalia, lined up the main streets of the town, almost blocking the road trying desperately to have a glimpse of Mr Mahama who acknowledged cheers from an open vehicle.
So huge was the gathering that it took Mr Mahama's entourage, comprising five vehicles, about one and half hours to cover the one-kilometer-Odumase Krobo-Junction-Somanya Road. Security men were on hand to contain the situation.
Mr Mahama who addressed the crowd at the main lorry park said the days of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Administration would definitely come to an end on December 7, 2008.
Mr Mahama who recounted the difficulties Ghanaians went through and the effective manner the NDC tackled the problems said the NPP brought back the clock of progress when it took over from NDC in 2000, and called for support for the NDC to win the elections to continue with its good policies which were abrogated when it lost power.
He, however, gave the assurance that any good policy of the NPP would be continued while the negative ones would be discontinued.
The NDC vice-presidential aspirant who introduced the party's parliamentary aspirant for the Yilo Krobo Constituency, Mr Raymond Tawiah, to the people, also paid courtesy calls on the Konor of Yilo Krobo, Kpetekple Narh Dawutey Ologo and the Konor of Manya Krobo, Nene Sackitey, both of whom wished him well.
He also addressed the people of Huhunya and Nkurakan, foodstuff-producing and marketing centres, where he gave the assurance that the NDC would revamp agriculture for the benefit of the people.
Mr Mahama is on a 10- day campaign tour of the Eastern Region of Ghana.
The tour started from Asuogyaman Constituency and would end on September 12, 2008.
The tour which would take him to 16 out of the 28 constituencies of the region would take him to Asuogyaman, Lower Manya, Yilo Krobo, Upper Manya, Okere, Akropong, New Juabeng North and South, Aburi/Nsawam, Upper West Akyim, Fanteakwa, Suhum, Lower West Akyim, Ayensuano, Afram Plains North and South.
It forms the first leg of his Eastern Regional tour.
The main objective of the tour is to explain to Ghanaians and the voting populace in general the key thematic areas of the NDC campaign pillars, thus investing in jobs, people and the economy.
He would also explain the reasons why at this stage of our nationhood, it is very important for the people to vote for a social –democratic party as opposed to a property owning democratic oriented party.