The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo yesterday, got what can be described as an unprecedented and overwhelming welcome ever in the history of the Volta Region as far as Ghana�s Forth Republic politics is concerned.
The Volta Region and its capital, Ho has, since the beginning of multi-party democracy in Ghana, been the stronghold of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
However, yesterday�s display of love for the opposition NPP and its flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo would go down in history as unprecedented.
The large crowd, boldly clad in NPP T-shirts and paraphernalia, threw the schedule of the tour of Nana Addo out of gear as they stampeded him right from Anyirawase, where he made a whistle stop through to Dzodze, where he addressed a mammoth rally.
Scores of young men and women were seen scrambling for T-shirts of Nana Akufo-Addo, Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
According to the GNA, the youth, as early as 6:00 a.m. besieged the Campaign Office of the NPP in Ho making loud noise in anticipation of the arrival of Nana Addo.
While they waited impatiently, about 100 youth took over the Assemblies of God-Stadium Road and moved from one end of the road to the other jostling party officials for NPP souvenirs.
Another group was seen at the Ho Jubilee Park, mostly motor riders and taxi drivers scrambling for T-shirts and flags.
Most of them chanted �we are dying and need Nana Addo!�
In both instances, those who were unsuccessful in securing a T-shirt and other party paraphernalia expressed their dissatisfaction while those who were successful decorated their motor bikes and private and commercial vehicles with them.
The town came alive around 0800 hours as motor riders rode through the town announcing the arrival of Nana Akufo-Addo. A similar incident happened at the zonal office of the party at Awudome-Tsito where residents, mostly women, besieged the party office for t-shirts and other paraphernalia.
Business and social activities in the regional capital virtually came to a standstill when Nana Addo and his entourage were moving from the residence of Togbe Afede to the Ho Polytechnic. It took close to two hours for them to cover the 10-minute distance, as hundreds of resident besieged them.
People carried placards with the inscriptions: �Free quality education now�, �Nana, the man of vision�, �NDC, Volta is awake, never again�, �Volta Region No more NDC World Bank� and many others.
Workers were also seen dashing to the streets to wave and urge Nana Addo on. Studies in some schools halted, as pupils and their teachers also burst out of their classrooms waving and chanting in support of Nana Addo.
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