Promises by political parties empty, without substance- IMANI

Most of the campaign promises by the leading political parties are "almost empty" and without substance, IMANI Ghana has said.

At a program to assess the promises of the political parties whose candidates have hit the campaign ground running with a truck load of promises, the think tank said three out every four promises so far made by the political parties are almost empty and cannot be assessed.

"It is clear that the vast majority of the promises that the party presents are not assessable. They are almost empty promises. A lot of issues arise from this," Stephan Reppen, a researcher at IMANI said, Thursday.

The promise assessment campaign by IMANI comes at a time the parties are yet to outdoor their manifestos and provide details of how they intend to execute the various campaign promises they have made.

But IMANI said their assessment is based on the promises made by some of the parties at the recent Institute of Economic Affairs evening Encounter, and the promises being made by the leading members of the political parties.

The various flagbearers have been crisscrossing the country and making promises to the electorate at every campaign opportunity.

The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party Nana Akufo-Addo has for instance promised to build one factory per district across the country.

Critics have described the policy as unattainable but the party has been vociferous in defence of the policy.

President John Mahama has also promised to finish the one university per region policy his government has started if given another four year term.

The flagbearer of the Progressive People's Party Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom has also been promising jobs for the teeming unemployed youth.

But IMANI Ghana said out of 49 promises made by the PPP, only three of them were measurable and attainable.

One of the PPP promises, IMANI found to be unrealistic was the free education policy from primary to the SHS level.

Joy News' Raymond Acquah who was at the press conference reported the think tank as saying it will take over 218 billion cedis to fund this promise.

Out of the CPP's 38 promises, only four were deemed to be measurable and attainable. One of the unattainable policies IMANI reckoned, is the mobilization of 2 million youth to plant 1.2 million almond trees to raise over $3 million.

Out of 20 promises made by the governing NDC, six were deemed to be realistic and attainable.

For the NPP, only one out of 29 policies was found to be realistic. On the free SHS, IMANI said it will cost 3.6 billion cedis to implement the policy which is half the budget allocation for education. The think tank, said the NPP promise to revive a collapse NHIS is vague.

As for the NDP, the party led by the former first lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, IMANI said the party spent quality time complaining about the various sectors without its leader stating the plan of action to resolve them

Out of 45 NDP promises assessed only four were deemed to be measurable and attainable.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah