Campaign Promises: When Do They Become Too Much?

A promise is a declaration or assurance that one will do something or that a particular thing will happen.

Manifesto
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a manifesto as a written statement that describes the policies, goals and opinions of a person or group.

Differences between Promises and Manifestos*

There are not that much difference except to say whilst a manifesto is written, a promise may not be written. Also, a manifesto deals with outlines and are broader than a

simple promise.
The upcoming Ghanaian elections in December 2016 is gathering the excitement and tension seen in every election since 1992. Whilst the ruling NDC seems to be interested in attacking the personality of the opposition flagbearer; *Nana Akufo-Addo*, the NPP on the other hand has remained focus on telling the people what they can do for this country when voted into office! The NDC has in recent past been seriously occupying themselves with the following allegations;

1. Akufo Addo is a midget/dwarf
2. Akufo Addo is a drug dealer,
3. Akufo Addo is a dictator,
4. Akufo Addo is a hunchback
5. Akufo Addo will die in June
6. Akufo Addo has a cancer!
*The funny aspect of all these allegations is that whenever Nana Addo visits my region (Central Region) and we took him to the hinterlands, the rural folks sees him and say "Oh they told us he is a hunchback, or they said he is kapoipoi( midget), oh they said he is in a wheelchair*"

*One funny thing about all these silly attacks is that Akufo Addo was supposed to have died in June, and after his death, he will get a range of cancerous diseases in august that are not linked to his death*

The NPP Campaign seems focused and from the strategic speeches Nana Akufo Addo gives on his tour of the various regions, he seems to be speaking from a manifesto for 2016.

On his tour of the Central Region, he rolled out The one District, one factory promise the NDC started pouring sand into this laudable idea. It generated a lot of debate across the country. Whilst the pessimists sit in Accra and pooh pooh that pledge, the people in the hinterlands embraced this laudable idea and identified themselves with it. Within 24 hours of this wherever we took Nana Addo to on his tour of the Central Region, there were huge outpour of people in the streets to welcome Nana Addo. From Moree Junction to Moree it took us over 4 hours to make just a 3km journey into Moree. The crowd was huge and massive!

From the Chapel Square of Cape Coast to Ekon, more than 30,000 people walked on foot to follow the convoy into Ekon to listen to Nana Akufo Addo. Brong Ahafo and Ashanti tours saw a huge number of people lining up the streets to catch a glimpse of the NPP Flagbearer.

RUMOURED NDC INTERNAL POLLS

In their bid to water down the effect of the huge number of people listening to Nana Addo, the NDC resorted to varied tricks of personal attacks on his personality. All these didn't wash.

Finally, some communicators of NDC said that "John Mahama is already doing the one district one factory policy". Then came rumours of the NDC internal polls that showed John Mahama trailing Nana Akufo Addo by a 5.8 point! The poll showed the NDC will lose Central and Western Regions. Quickly, the NDC slated their National Campaign Launch in Cape Coast!

IMANI GHANA'S UNQUANTIFIABLE FLUKE

With the soaring public approval ratings of Akufo Addo and Dr. Bawumia, then came from no where IMANI Ghana's "quantification"of campaign promises by the NPP. Seriously, if IMANI had been around during the eve of independence, they would have said Nkrumah's declaration of independence cannot be quantified!

They would have said Nkrumah's "total liberation of African states" cannot be quantified!

They would have said the building of Akosombo Dam cannot be quantified!

They would have said Nkrumah's marriage to Fathia of Egypt cannot be quantified!

They would have said the 1966 coup d'etat that toppled Nkrumah's govt cannot be quantified!

They would have drawn inferences and similarities from Azabajian, Afghanistan, Tasmania, Mordovia and Antarctica to show how unquantifiable these would be!

ONE VILLAGE ONE DAM
On his tour of the 3 Northern Regions, Nana Addo pledge to build dams to help with irrigation in the Northern Regions. This one too saw the NDC on their attacking spree trying hard to pooh pooh this campaign promise. In their confused state, they gave conflicting attacks whilst a section of the NDC said it is impossible, others came to the usual conclusion, "Akufo Addo can't do it".

YES WE CAN
One Village, One Dam, Yes we can, one District One factory, yes we can, infrastructural development, yes we can!

I see the *One Village one Dam Project* like the provision of electricity to villages. It's almost the same cost per village. If we sincerely want to bridge the gap between the north and the south, then one village, one dam, is one of the flagship projects you embark upon. It has the potential to reduce rural urban migration. It has a small cure for the influx of kayaayies( porters) to the south. Our northern brothers and sisters will be willing to farm if there is even available water to farm for just 6 months out of the year than to move down south to carry people's loads and be insulted and disrespected. A dam in a village is a sure cure to rural urban migration.

One Village one dam is better than one chief one V8,

One village one Dam is better than one household one gas cylinder,

One village one Dam is better than one SADA phantom guinea fowls,

One village one dam is better than one voter, one cedi!

#Vote Akufo Addo,
#Vote NPP
#God Bless Ghana!
Kingsley Kofi Karikari-Bondzie

2nd Vice Chairman,
NPP Central Region
0244575116
[email protected]