Cold Reception Awaits Mills in Tamale

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Wednesday April 27, 2011.
Even before he sets foot in Tamale for a Northern Regional tour ostensibly to shore up support for his second term bid, President John Evans Atta Mills is likely to receive cold and frosty reception from his own party members in the metropolis as he has been asked to stay away.

As the congress to select National Democratic Congress (NDC) flag bearer for 2012 general elections draws near, President Mills is facing a stiff opposition from Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, former First Lady and wife of NDC founder Jerry John Rawlings and as a result, he has been criss crossing the country to campaign under the guise of commissioning projects.

A statement issued in Accra and signed by Koku Anyidoho, head of communications at the Presidency said President Mills was beginning his four day working tour of the region today, after the earlier postponement of the visit following threats by NDC youth to embarrass the number one citizen for failing to arrest Ya Na killers.

The release said the President will visit Tamale, Yendi, Lamashegu, Zabzugu, Saboba, Damongo, Fufulso, Savelugu and Nalerigu to inspect ongoing projects.

But an NDC youth group calling itself Nasara Youth in the Changli electoral area in Tamale has said the President was not welcome in Tamale.

In a statement they issued yesterday, the group said “we the youth groups of the NDC within the Changli electoral area are registering our concern over the visit of the president – His Excellency Prof. John Evans Atta Mills to Tamale.”

“We are appealing to him to rescind his decision of coming to Tamale; Tamale is not safe for his visit. We arrived at this decision after a careful study and consideration of what may result during his visit to Tamale. It appears as if the president has forgotten that, the people of Tamale voted for NDC in 2004 and 2008 general elections based on the death of the Ya-Na. it seems also that, the president has forgotten his campaign promises and messages about the Ya-Na case”.

They declared that, the president and his government had failed the Andani family adding “the youth of Tamale is not welcoming the president into the city-Tamale until the killers of Ya-Na are found. We would sit back and remain indoors if possible and oppose any attempt to make sure his visit is successful.”

They said “we also want to bring to the notice of the president and his government and the NDC party as a whole that, we have declared our strongest support for Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings for her bid for the 2012 general election on the ticket of the NDC. We give our support for Mrs. Rawlings based on the fact that the president has failed us. We are of the convictions that, she can find the killers of Ya-Na.”

They said Tamale voted for NDC because NPP lost popularity in Tamale because of the death of the Ya-Na adding “we can also categorically state that, NDC lost their wigs since the President was introduced into the party and Dr. Obed Asamoah, Bede Ziedeng, Goosie Tandoh just to mention a few lost faith in the party because of President Mills.”

“We are also bringing to the notice of Hon. Haruna Iddrisu – MP for Tamale South and Minister of Communications to stop insulting Rawlings. He should bear in mind that, he has lost his reputation and popularity in Tamale. He should understand that Rawlings and NDC made him the person he is today.”

When the court set free the 15 men who were on trial over the murder of the Ya Na, some NDC youth went on rampage setting fire on NDC offices and other property in the metropolis to show their displeasure and accused the government and the President in particular for deceiving them and creating the impression that the government could find the killers of the king.

In the process, angry NDC youth warned President Mills who was to tour the Northern region on that same week not to set foot on Tamale but later revoked the edict and apologized to the government for the embarrassment caused.

However, the Nasara Youth Group alleged that those who offered the apology had been ‘compromised’ with money but could not state how much money was involved.