Mills calls on Otumfuor at Manhyia.
Wednesday, March 5th
Addresses mammoth crowd at Prempeh Assembly Hall
John Atta Mills, as part of his nationwide tour, paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene, Otumfuor Osei Tutu II, at the Manhyia Palace.
Otumfuor, welcoming the NDC Leader, said that it is not part of his itinerary to receive visitors on Wednesdays, but because of what he shares with Professor Mills, he and his elders decided to break custom and welcome Mills.
The Asantehene thanked Professor Mills for doing the proper thing and calling on him, and said that his wise counsel will always be available for any Ghanaian who seeks it. Speaking on matters of politics, Otumfuor asked of Professor Mills and the NDC to engage in a clean campaign based on issues.
“You have been in government before, you are now in opposition, it is important that as you seek the mandate of Ghanaians to become the next president, you are humble enough to accept the shortcomings of the government in which you served, and pledge to do things differently should you be given another shot at leadership” the Asantehene said.
Tell the people what you will be able to do within your limited mandated and if they are convinced, they will entrust their destiny into your hands” Otumfuor added.
Otumfuor Osei Tutu did not hide the fact that Ghana was currently experiencing massive unemployment and so those who are seeking to lead the country after President Kufuor should have it at the back of their minds that they have a daunting task ahead in terms of job creation.
On his part, the NDC Leader assured the Asantehene that he will certainly use his combined experience in government as well as lessons learned from eight years outside the arena of governance, to provide the kind of leadership that will strive to care for as many Ghanaians as possible.
Addressing a mammoth crowd at the packed-to-the-rafters Prempeh Assembly Hall, Professor Mills promised to use his expertise as a taxman to ensure that his government does not introduce an oppressive tax regime that will make it difficult for businesses to thrive, thereby killing job opportunities.
“I make a promise to you that the jute factory in the Ashanti Region will be resuscitated to provide jobs. My government will make agriculture one of its key pivots and so the Ashanti Region will gets is share of irrigated and mechanized farmlands as well as agro-based industries” Prof Mills assured the gathering.
“It was the NDC that introduced the Free & Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) so we will re engineer the school feeding programme to benefit all public schools and also provide free school uniforms.
Before the Prempeh Assembly Hall gathering, the NDC Leader joined a Muslim gathering at the Central Mosque at Akwatia Line, in the Asawase Constituency. He thanked the Muslim and Zongo Communities in Ghana for their unflinching support for the NDC.
