Kasoa Hosts NPP

President Kufuor of Ghana introducing his sucessor Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the December 7, Election in Ghana




the crowd of New Patriotic Party supporters at Kasoa


By William Yaw Owusu & Salifu Abdul Rahaman

Monday, 14 July 2008
Kasoa, in the Central Region, was yesterday thrown into a state of frenzy when the New Patriotic Party held a mammoth national rally to formally introduce Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the party’s flag-bearer for Election 2008.

The ruling party also used the occasion to introduce some of its parliamentary candidates for the December 7 poll.

As early as 6 a.m. party supporters clad in NPP colours, most with T-shirts embossed with the picture of the flag-bearer and parliamentary candidates had started thronging the Kasoa Old Market, the venue for the rally, amid cheers, singing and dancing.

By 11 a.m. the entire Kasoa town had been drowned in NPP colours and the venue packed, awaiting the arrival of President J.A. Kufuor and Nana Akufo-Addo.

The road from Accra to Kasoa had also been decorated with NPP paraphernalia.

The rally ground was decorated with NPP colours and two giant billboards of the flag-bearer as well as two huge balloon elephants, the party’s symbol.

By 10 a.m. every inch of space at the rally ground had been occupied and supporters and sympathisers ignored the heat under the scorching sun, drumming and dancing to await the arrival of the flag-bearer and President Kufuor who both arrived at exactly 4:15 p.m.

The flag-bearer, wearing a beautiful smock designed in NPP colours, was the first to enter the rally ground closely followed by President Kufuor wearing white linen designed in NPP colours.

The security agencies who were there in their numbers had it tough controlling the crowd which had spilled over into the main Accra-Cape Coast highway.

The two leaders were cheered by the ecstatic crowd and they in turn waved back.

The crowd was so thick that when President Kufuor mounted the platform, obviously elated he remarked: "I have been in politics for over 40 years but have never seen a crowd like this one in my life."

President Kufuor who spoke in Twi, later anointed Nana Akufo-Addo as his successor by taking a party flag and symbolically handing it over to the flag-bearer to signify the transfer of leadership of the party.

When Nana Akufo-Addo took his turn, he asked for a minute’s silence to be observed to offer prayers and thanks to God for the peace that the country is currently enjoying.

Vice President Alhaji Alui Mahama, and a host of other dignitaries, including the party’s executives, Ministers of State and former Ministers, took turns to address the crowd on the policies of the NPP government and the need to retain the party in office.

They spoke in many languages, including English, Akan, Dagbani, Hausa and Ewe