I�ll Jail Kufuor Men - President Mills

After several fruitless attempts through the country�s judicial system to jail suspected corrupt officials under the erstwhile Kufuor Administration with its attendant bashing, President John Evans Atta Mills seems undeterred, beating his chest before the Volta Regional delegates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and saying that those who are eventually found culpable will be made to face the full rigors of the law. President Mills, who came under severe criticism for failing to fulfill the campaign promise of jailing New Patriotic Party (NPP) appointees, gave the assurance in Ho when he met delegates and other leading members of the party at the Residency of the Volta Regional Minister, Joseph Amenowode. Sources at the meeting told Daily Guide that the President was wearing a long face and in an angry mood, all in an attempt to convince the delegates that he was serious. According to the sources, the conference hall where the meeting was held was full to capacity, with many big guns of the party, particularly Voltarians, present. President Mills, who was motivated by a campaign promise to root out corruption and also imprison suspected corrupt officials of the NPP, urged the delegates not to be discouraged or dismayed by the fact that most of the alleged corrupt officials had not been dealt with. He did not say if there were some investigations going on to implicate the so-called corrupt officials, but was quite optimistic that when the law catches up with such officials, they would be dealt with. Ironically, some of the delegates who were at the meeting told DAILY GUIDE afterwards that they were not interested in who would be arrested but how promises made to the Volta Region would be fulfilled. They noted that even though the current economic status of the country was unfavourable, to them, there was the need to endorse President Mills to retain power in 2012. Another group of delegates also expressed dissatisfaction with some leading members of the party in the region whom they claimed disrespected and disregarded them after the 2008 elections, but when it was time for the congress they (officials) had come to lobby for votes. One of them said, �If not for the President, we will be voting for Konadu who seems to understand our plight as party members.� He added however that �we will still test the waters and wait for July 8, to determine if we will stay with Atta or Konadu.� Meanwhile, the Volta Regional Secretary of the NPP, Kofi Boateng has noted that the President has nothing to tell the delegates because he has done nothing in the Volta Region. He said if the President had done something worthwhile in the region, he would not be talking about jailing suspected criminals in the erstwhile government- claims which the NDC had failed to substantiate in the past two and half years. He added that jailing the people was not the problem but proving malfeasances and allowing the rule of law to prevail. Mr. Boateng said, �Winning the hearts of delegates is not about whom to jail but about how well the President has performed.� He explained that if the President had fulfilled his many promises to the region, some of which he listed as a stadium, university, Eastern corridor road among others, there would not be the need to meet delegates to secure his flagbearership. He said if President Mills had at least started one of these projects, for instance the university, which he had cut the sod for, there would be no need to lobby delegates in the region. Mr. Boateng added that Prof Mills�s coming to the region and for that matter touring the entire country, was an attempt to manage his frustration and fear of losing power due to his abysmal performance as President.