Speaking at the launching of the National Democratic Congress Manifesto for the 2024 general elections, the Former President and the Presidential Candidate of the NDC for the upcoming December 7 general elections, John Dramani Mahama said the ruling New Patriotic Party [NPP] government Has Plunder the State through Institutionalized Corruption which has undermined the political and socio-economic development of Ghana. He therefore charged Ghanaians to vote massively for the NDC in the upcoming December general elections in order to reset Ghana to its former glory. According to him, a vote to retain the NPP government in power is very risky and will be catastrophic since it could mean a vote for Nana Akuffo Addo 3rd term which will enable his corrupt government to escape accountability.
He said that political power is a social contract with the people to meet the needs and aspirations of citizens at the point of need and not to oppress and subject citizens to unbearable hardship; social repression and abject poverty whiles the political elite amass wealth for themselves. He said the NPP government under Nana Akuffo Addo and Dr. Bawumia is the biggest political scam Ghana has ever witnessed for which reason, through the December 7 ballot, Ghanaians should rescue themselves from mal-administration and state capture mantra of the NPP government which has caused nightmares to many Ghanaians and suffering lot of the masses especially the youth.
Addressing Party Stalwarts, sympathizers, teaming supporters, party faithful, CSOs and Diplomatic Community at the event held on Saturday, 24th December, 2024 at the University of Education, Winneba in the Central Region, he pin point that, the NPP government has ruled Ghana with impunity disregarding the civil rights and liberties of the Ghanaian people to address numerous challenges confronting them. According to him the Nana Akuffo Addo and Dr. Bawumia led government has failed to fight institutionalized corruption in the government and so, when given the opportunity as the next President of Ghana, he will demonstrate a political will to fight corruption within state institutions and hold appointees of the NPP government who are involved in plundering the state accountable. By so doing, he will ensure a checks and balance mechanism to also ensure that appointees of his government are also held accountable for any corrupt practices. He said, his zeal to fight institutionalized corruption is non-negotiable and calls on Ghanaians to support him fight the canker when he becomes the next President of Ghana.
In fighting institutionalized corruption and holding the NPP government appointees accountable, John Mahama said the NDC government will launch the “Operation Recover All Loot”—ORAL by instituting inquiries and forensic audits into corrupt practices and scandals within the NPP government which are of public interest such as Covid 19 expenditure, PDS, SML, the collapse of indigenous Ghanaian banks and financial institutions at the cost of GHC 25 billion when these Banks needed only 9 billion to survive, the Ambulance spare parts scandal involving the daughter of the President, THE National Cathedral Scandal involving $58 million gone waste, Agyapa scandal involving $15 million, Sky train, $2m, illegal printing of money by the Bank of Ghana without parliamentary approval, the Pwualugu dam scandal where $12m has gone waste, 13th All African Games scandal, Galamsey, missing 500 excavators retrieved from Galamsey sites, tricycles, BOST oil scandal and Sputnik-V scandals and many other scandals under the NPP government which JM promises that all the perpetrators involved in these scandals will be brought to book to face justice that will serve as a deterrent for public office holders going forward. He said all these scandals have inflicted hardship on the Ghanaian people since these looted booties could help solve numerous economic problems Ghanaians are facing. He also said his fight against corruption will ensure that politically exposed persons would not be allowed to purchase state assets
Further, John Mahama stated that the NPP government has borrowed more than any government in Ghana and yet nothing to show. They inherited a public debt stock of GHC 120 Billion in 2016 and it is GHC 742 billion in 2024 ‘To whom much is given, much is desired from Him” he said. The former President also said the indebtedness of Ghana coupled with highest inflation rate, dollar to cedi depreciation, high fuel prices, excessive borrowings of the Bank of Ghana in the region of about 70 billion, debt stock of COCOBOD of about $350 million, indebtedness to Independent Power Producers in the region of billions of dollars, the reckless debt exchange program culminated to the current economic crisis and most of all institutionalized corruption within the government have stifled socio-development of Ghana which has affected debt to GDP ratio over 104% inflicting more hardship on citizens.
To ensure effective fiscal consolidation and curtail profligate expenditure of the Executive, John Mahama promises within 120 days of his tenure, to constitute the leanest and most efficient government under the 4th Republic with only 60 Ministers and establish a robust code of conduct for all public officials to adhere to. He will also within 100 days of his tenure, scrap killer taxes such as E-Levy, Covid 19, Betting tax, emission levy, import duty on vehicles and equipment imported into Ghana for industrial and agricultural use and review the Customs Act to scrap the Law on banning the importation of salvaged vehicles to rescue the local automotive industries at magazines such as Suame, Kokompe, Abossey Okai and other in order to lessen the tax burden that has inflicted hardship on Ghanaians by the NPP government.
On the Economy, the former President and Presidential candidate of the NDC John Mahama promises to reset Ghana for economic prosperity and transformation through the 24hr Economic Policy and that, his government will commence the drafting of a legal framework required to ensure the smooth implementation of the 24 Hour Economic Policy. According to him, as results of economic mismanagement of the NPP government, his government will hold a National Economic Dialogue to discuss the true state of the economy and prepare a homegrown fiscal consolidation programme to guide the national budget. Under the 24 hour economic policy, there would be the establishment of the Accelerated Export Development Council [AEDC] which he will Chair himself to boost and promote export of manufactured goods from Ghana. He will also allocate seed money for the establishment of Women’s Bank to support Women in business, launch the Adwumawura Programme and National Apprenticeship Programme for self employment and “one million Coders Project” which will see many jobless Ghanaian youth train in coding software development to boost digital trading activities in Ghana, across Africa and the world market to enhance digital jobs initiatives. He estimated that about $3bn investment would come from the private sector in that direction. He also said that his government will initiate export Ghana Policy to facilitate exports within the African Continental Free Trade Agreement [AFCFTA].
He touched on Agriculture and promises the “Agriculture for Jobs Policy” that his government will ensure that Agriculture becomes a lucrative venture by establishing Agro Industries in all the 16 regions; Cashew Processing plant in the Brong and Ahafo Regions, likewise cassava, cocoa and tomatoes processing factories at jurisdictions that matters based on comparative advantage. He will also give incentives to cocoa farmers to boost cocoa production to save the ailing cocoa industry. On tax rebates, John Mahama said his government will give incentives and tax rebates to companies and industries that signs onto the 24hrs Economic Policy and are willing to create 3 shift systems to create more job opportunities for Ghanaians in the unemployed bracket. This will boost employment within the private and public service security sectors who will provide 24 hrs securities for the state and industries under the 24hr economy program. Further, JM promises to boost the Small Scale and Enterprise sector and assured that when elected as President, newly established SMEs will be given a tax holiday for the first 2yrs of business to grow their businesses. All these are economic policies and interventions geared towards leveraging for the rising youth unemployment and alleviate poverty within the Ghanaian society.
Through a strategic investment plan, his government will ensure accelerated development in the manufacturing, construction, mining, transport, sanitation and pharmaceutical sectors. That, he will ensure Ghana becomes a Pharmaceutical Hub in Africa by giving companies in the sector incentives to be able to produce drugs and consumables locally to reduce imports drastically. He promises to ban illegal mining activities in Forest reserves, roll out “Tree for life and Blue Water Initiatives” to restore our forest and water bodies which has been submerged and destroyed by illegal mining activities to an ecological recovery hub. John Mahama also promises to develop the educational sector and that, his government will convey a National Consultative Conference on Education to build consensus on modalities to transform the educational sector. He also promises to improve on the Free SHS programme with a plan to scrap the shift system and also uncap the Ghana Educational Trust Fund to ensure the timely release of funds and adequate subvention to the Ghana Education Service to run the programme more effectively and efficiently. He reiterated his commitment to lessen the financial burden on parents and promises to implement a “No Fee Policy for all 1st year students in Public Tertiary Institutions such as universities, colleges of Education, Nursing Training colleges etc. Further, all persons living with disabilities would have free tertiary education and also he will increase subventions to all public tertiary institutions whiles ensuring that their subventions are released to them on time to run their institutions efficiently and effectively. He also promises to cancel the Teacher Licensure Exams when elected as President.
According to John Mahama, the Health Sector will witness a great transformation by implementing a free primary healthcare delivery system at CHIPS centres across the districts for patients with Ghana Card. He will also ensure regular recruitment of medical personnel into the Ghana Health Service to address back lock, build 500 beds Specialist Children Hospital, Upgrade Ho Hospital to a Teaching and specialist Hospital, build a Trauma Hospital in the Oti Region, build Dialysis centres in Regions that do not have Dialysis centres likewise ensuring the building of the Bawku and Yendi Hospitals. In all of these initiatives to transform the health sector to run effectively and efficiently, JM promises to uncap the NHIS Levy to ensure that the NHIS is well resourced to carry out its mandate of prudent health delivery system across the country as well as the establishment of the Medical Care Trust [Mahama cares].Some other intervention programs highlighted by JM is the commencement of free sanitary pads to female students in the primary and secondary schools and also legalize Okada business.
On security, JM said his government will commence an investigative process to purge the state security agencies of all militias and vigilantes who were “nicodemusly” recruited into the service to sanitize and restore the integrity of State Security agencies. He promises to imitate probe into unresolved criminal cases such as the 2020 elections killings of innocent citizens which the NPP government has failed to investigate to bring the perpetrators to book to face justice. He will also investigate further and implement all recommendations of the Ayawaso Wuogon By Election Commission on the Ayawaso West Wuogon election violence. He will investigate the killings of Ahmed Suale and Silas Wolochamey as well as investigate the man-made disaster caused by the VRA spillage from the Akosombo and Kpone Dams that displaced and destroyed the livelihoods of 1000s of citizens in the Volta, Eastern and Greater Accra Regions.
To conclude, John Mahama reiterated that the NDC manifesto is very promising deliverable to address the political and socio-economic challenges confronting the Ghanaian people. The 2024 Manifesto represents the desires, hope and aspirations of the Ghanaian people and resonate with the youth who are absolutely dejected as results of joblessness. He said the December 7 2024 elections is a “rescue mission” from bad governance and economic mismanagement of the NPP government under Nana Akuffo Addo and Dr. Bawumia and call on Ghanaians especially the youth to vote for the NDC to reset Ghana to its former glory which the political elite of the NPP government has plunder. A vote for JM and NDC is a vote for economic prosperity and transformation and a vote for Dr. Bawumia and NPP is a vote for Nana Addo 3rd term to continue with the state capture mantra and escape probity and accountability JM said and therefore the need for Ghanaians to change the narrative in order to demand for accountability from the NPP government when elected as President
Report By
Dr. Michael Richmond Smart-Abbey
[Political and Public Policy Analyst, Governance and Security Expert, Writer and Author]
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