NDC manifesto ready –Asiedu Nketia declares at 24th anniversary

General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) Johnson Asiedu Nketia has revealed that the party’s manifesto is ready as November 2016 elections beckons.

Asiedu Nketia explained that the manifesto is awaiting the assent of President John Mahama before it can be launched. He was speaking at an event in Accra, to celebrate the party's 24th anniversary.

The NDC was formed on June 10, 1992 and founded by Jerry John Rawlings, an ex-soldier who later became the President.

President John Mahama is the third president from the party after President John Atta Mills who died in office in July 2012.

“We think that over these 24 years, we have a lot to celebrate: we have been the longest-serving party in power, we have won more elections than any other political party in Ghana" he reportedly told a gathering at the party's headquarters in Accra, Friday.

No political party has outdoored its policies and programmes although the general election is barely 20 weeks away. At the last general election, one party had launched its manifesto by June.

The Convention Peoples' Party (CPP) outdoored its set of programmes and policies in June 2014, dubbed the “CPP’s S-cube Programme to Get Ghana Working Again”. The launch was held at Agbogboloshie market in Accra.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) followed up later with its manifesto launch in late August , four months to the election.

The governing NDC launched its manifesto two months later in October 4 in the Volta region, party’s stronghold .

But the 2016 general elections is yet to witness a political discussion based on clearly spelt out plans and programs. The NPP has said it has delayed outdooring its manifesto fearing that the NDC will steal their ideas.

NPP Campaign manager, Peter Mac Manu explained to NPP student groups in Takoradi, the Western regional capital, that the party is in no rush to publish its manifesto.

"This year’s election is not about the NPP message but the eight-year rule of the NDC. The ruling party should tell Ghanaians what they have done to improve the people’s living conditions for the past eight years,” he said

The party in the past, has accused President Mahama and the NDC of stealing their idea of providing free Senior High School Education.

The President announced in parliament in September 2015, the government has absorbed the tuition of day students for the first term of the 2015/2016 academic year.

Story by Ghana|myjoyonline.com|EA