The National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Salam Mustapha has pleaded with the people of the Volta Region not to allow themselves to be used as voting machines, producing votes for the opposition National Democratic Congress in the 2024 general election.

In an interview on Volta-based Stone City FM, which was also carried on Keta-based Sandcity Radio, the youth leader, who is on a national tour to all the 16 regions of the country stated, “You are not voting machines."

"It should be a hand-go-hand-come affair. The Volta Region has been loyal to the NDC since 1992. But what has been the reward for the region for this loyalty? The NPP has brought more development to this region despite our short stay in office compared to the NDC. We have offered young people hope and will continue to make the development of young people our priority,” he said.

Explaining further, the youth leader said “we are constructing eight district hospitals under Agenda 111 in the region, which includes Agortime Ziope District, Agortoe in the Anloga District, Ave-Dakpa in the Akatsi North District, Adeheta in the Akatsi South District, Adaklu Waya in the Adaklu District, Kpeve New Town in the South Dayi District, Dzolokputa in the Ho West District and Ve-Golokwati Afadzato in the Afadzato South District.  

The Volta Regional Youth Resource Centre, the asphalting of roads, digitalisation, 1D1F, creating job opportunities, the hosting of the 66th Independence Day in the Volta region among others. Under President Kuffour, we also had Health Insurance, Free Maternal Care, etc”.

He continued further, “let us begin to have a conversation as to which of these two political parties have benefited more in terms of votes and which party has contributed more in terms of development. The youth of this region must do an analysis of the two parties and see which is good for the region in terms of development and progress”.

On the current state of the economy, Salam Mustapha indicated that the government has admitted the difficult moment the country finds itself in, and is working hard to restore the economy of the country, adding that it is only the NPP government that can ensure the economy is placed on a sound footing again.

“Yes, we, including His Excellency, the President, have all admitted that we are in a crisis largely due to exogenous factors of Covid-19 and the war in Russia and Ukraine. Ghana was the fastest-growing economy in the world somewhere in 2019, according to Reuters and Bloomberg.

"We were ahead of China and the USA. And it is only the NPP that can take us out of our current situation. Even our management of COVID-19 has been one of the best in the world. Under John Mahama and the NDC, when we were struck with mere cholera, we lost over 213 people in Ghana. If they couldn't manage mere cholera, how could they have managed COVID?

"Even in our current state, we are still not doing badly, our lights are still on, and we still get fuel at the pump to buy. In the UK, Spain, Italy, and Nigeria, there is a shortage of fuel. There is dumsor there too.”

He further urged the people of the Volta Region not to become victims of the opposition party’s propaganda only aimed at deceiving the people of Ghana into voting for them, and plunging the nation into further difficulties, and derailing the progress being made in the Volta Region.

“Let’s not fall for the NDC's propaganda, lies and treachery. They left office with virtually nothing left behind. All our statutory payments, GETFUND, NHIA, Common Fund, Road Fund, etc. were all in arrears.  Even in the midst of all these difficulties, we still pay public sector workers monthly without delay, we still meet all our statutory payments obligations, our lights are still on, there is enough fuel at the pump, etc.

“We have carried water, and we have carried wine; and we can tell which one is heavier. Per the track record, it's evident that the NPP has done more to the development and progress of the Volta Region than the NDC. It is now time for the good people of the Volta Region, especially the youth, to reward the NPP by voting for us in 2024 to break the 8 and do more for the Region,” he said.

Salam Mustapha appealed to the region to vote for the governing NPP to help maintain it in power to continue the good works it is doing for the region and Ghana as a whole.

“The NPP truly deserves a 3rd term based on our track record and performance. We have demonstrated enough commitment to solving the problems of the country more than the NDC. We have superior ideas and policy initiatives than NDC. I am not disappointed that Ghanaians are complaining because of the current economic difficulties. It is because they hold us in high esteem.”

The National Youth Organiser has been on a national tour to touch base with the youth and party’s youth organisers and their deputies across the country.

He is also using the opportunity to assess the strength of the party and energise the base. He is being accompanied across the country by his two deputies, Isaac Jay Hyde and Sandra Sarkodee-Addo, as well as the National Youth Administrator, Prince A. A. Sadat and Joe Waladi, Director of Operations and other supporting staff.