Hajia Alima Mahama, the only woman in the list of persons to be considered for running mate to Akuffo-Addo, flag-bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has described her party as pro-poor. Hajia Alima who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Gambaga–Nalerigu constituency in the Northern Region and the Minister of Women and Children Affairs on Saturday asked Ghanaians to retain the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in power since it has proved to have the welfare of the poor at heart. She made the call at Gambaga in the East Mamprusi District in the Northern Region during the second annual general meeting of the District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme (DMHIS) as the Guest Speaker for the function. She pointed out that, the NPP Government had demonstrated a consistent concern to Ghanaians through pragmatic policies and programmes, including the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Capitation Grant, School Feeding Programme, Micro-Credit Schemes that have brought about the redistribution of wealth and poverty reduction. She noted that the NPP Government through good policies had created the opportunity and equity in terms of access to services, especially the NHIS and said majority of Ghanaians could now easily access healthcare. She stressed that Government would continue to support and strengthen the gains of the NHIS through the provision of logistics to help the schemes function more effectively and efficiently. Hajia Alima explained that the health status of Ghanaians was very dear to Government because that was the base of productivity and production. “We cannot, as a nation succeed in fighting poverty in all its forms and as well create wealth through increased productivity, if the quality of our people is very deplorable,” she indicated. She explained that, it was based on this that Government saw it prudent to scrap the “inhuman cash and carry system”, which created a limited access to health services, especially among the poor and the vulnerable. She noted that under the previous system there were instances where patients were detained in health facilities for their inability to pay for health services they accessed. She said that Government had also instituted “fee–free antenatal” care for pregnant women and children below the age of 5 years under the NHIS. Hajia Alima indicated through her MP common fund, she had registered 2,565 vulnerable people and would still continue to register more of the vulnerable. She therefore asked Ghanaians to renew their mandate by retaining the NPP to power to continue with their good programmes and policies towards addressing their needs. Source: GNA