As parties scramble for votes in the Central Region, a political scientist has hinted, the party with the best message will win the region. Kingsley Adjei, a lecturer at the Cape Coast University said the only appealing message for the region should be centered on reducing the endemic poverty that has engulfed the region. "The Central Region is one of the poorest regions in the country, so any message that will win the electorates, should be one that will uplift them from the doldrums of poverty." He however cautioned against the use of money by political parties in their campaigns. The Central Region was key in determining the outcome of the 2004 election, with some observers attributing the NDC’s defeat to their poor performance in the region. Already the parties have stepped up campaigning in the region with Prof. Atta Mills presidential candidate of the NDC beginning a three day tour of the region. NPP’s Nana Akufo Addo is also scheduled to move his campaign to the region on Thursday. Explaining why the Central Region has become a campaign hot spot in the upcoming December elections, Prof Adjei said in a JOY news interview with Matilda Asante that the region could determine the outcome of this years election. According to him the NDC has suffered a diminishing popularity in its electoral fortunes, from a total of 14 parliamentary seats in 1992 to only two in 2004, a reason why it had to step up campaign in the region, he added. With the threat of Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom in the region, Adjei said the NPP cannot afford to sleep, even though he conceded the party had enjoyed growing popularity. He however cautioned that the region does not belong to a single party, even when the ethnic card is played, and advised the various parties to be circumspect in their campaign message for the region. Meanwhile the various representatives of the political parties have denied perceptions that they are concentrating on the region. Moustafa Hamid a spokes person to Nana Akufo Addo says they will conduct a full scale campaign across the country, rather than concentrate on one particular region. Koku Anyidohu head of Communication for the Atta Mills campaign team said the NDC had conducted similar retail campaigns in the other regions and was now the turn of the Central Region. He however admitted that with the performance of the party in the 2004 election, a lot more work would have to be done in the region. Author: Nathan Gadugah