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The United Progressive Party (UPP) has railed at the Mahama Administration over its poor handling of the economy and said the general polls was an opportunity to vote it down.

Mr. Akwasi Addai, its founder and leader, said it would be a complete disaster to renew the mandate of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

He told a press conference in Kumasi that Ghanaians had been worse off under the eight-year watch of the NDC, citing widespread suffering, growing unemployment, collapse of businesses, high taxes and interest rates and slump in agricultural growth.

He labeled the ruling party as “a liability to the nation” and said looking at the size of financial resources that had come to it – loans received and revenue collected, Ghana should “not be at where it is now”.

He said the way it had messed up things made the party undeserving of the voters’ trust.

The event was to officially declare his support for the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo.

Present were the national officers of the UPP and the Ashanti Regional Executive of the NPP.

The leader of the Independent People’s Party (IPP), Mr. Kofi Akpaloo, was also on hand to show solidarity.

Mr. Addai, popularly known as “Odike”, said his party had decided to join forces with the NPP because it had the best alternative development agenda – carefully thought-out policies and programmes to restore hope to the people and make things better for everybody.

He said he had strong conviction that Ghana under Nana Akufo-Addo was going to see real transformation.

“The UPP is convinced that the NPP flagbearer, given his strong leadership qualities and incorruptible nature is the right man the nation needs to end the economic suffering.”

He said his party had no doubt the Nana Akufo-Addo would go the extra mile to fight graft - the loot of state resources.

Mr. Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, the NPP Regional Chairman, welcomed the IPP and UPP’s decision to join hands with the party, and predicted a landslide victory for his party in the polls.