The presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, has reminded his contenders for the 2008 presidential election the need to observe decorum in their campaign and avoid blood-shedding activities. “The election in December should not only be peaceful but should also be free and fair… There is no need for a single drop of a Ghanaian blood to be shed because of the impending election,” he stressed. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo made the remarks when he launched the party’s manifesto for the 2008 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections at the Centre for National Culture, Kumasi on Tuesday. It centred on four thematic areas: The continuing consolidation of Ghana’s democracy; the modernisation of Ghana; the structural transformation of the Ghanaian economy, and the full engagement of the nation in the process of regional and continental integration The presidential candidate charged all peace loving Ghanaians to ensure unity and a decrease in the political tension in the country to enable electorate exercise their franchise peacefully and in a transparent manner. “Make sure the election is conducted in a manner that enhances the reputation and image of our nation,” he urged. He said after all said and done, Ghana would be the winner of the election, “neither party nor factions”, hence the need for all to remain calm. Nana Addo remarked: “We want to use this platform to say to our competitors for December that we continue to want a campaign of ideas, a competition of policy and of programme and exercise without violence or intimidation.” The NPP presidential candidate enumerated some of the difficulties Ghanaians endured under military rules and coup regimes and praised the NPP government for deepening multi-party democracy in the country. He said within the seven years of President Kufuor’s administration, Ghanaians have witnessed an important step towards consolidation of democratic and effective management of the national economy. Nana Addo said even though the NPP government inherited a collapse economy from the erstwhile National Democratic Congress government, it has been able to turn things around. “Today the 3.9 GDP that we inherited has been expanded to a GDP of over $16 billion. 3.94% of growth rate has been translated into persistent ratio growth over 6%. Inflation has come down to a more manageable proportion of 18%.” All these, he said were achieved in the face of the current global food crisis and high fuel prices. He said after the solid foundation laid by the Kufuor’s administration, it is now time for a consistent systematic effort to overhaul and transform the economy. Nana Akufo-Addo said the structural transformation of the economic would include significant expansion of education, health care and the public sector. He reiterated that the NPP is capable of organizing a free senior high school education for every child and assured “we can do it and we are going to do it”. He said in his tenure as the president, every region would have at least one public university and was hopeful illiteracy would be wiped out in the country. He promised to propel Ghana from the current third world status, cross middle income level, to join the nations of first class world. The presidential candidate said the party believes in freedom, justice and prosperity of Ghanaians; and it is ready to take the decision that would be in the interest of the country. He said the NPP’s achievements in government are real, concrete and substantial. Story by Isaac Essel