Comment: 2016, ‘cool chop’ for NDC but...

If it is left to parameters to demonstrate how a ruling government would perform in an election expected to be keenly contested, then the governing National Democratic Congress would snugly secure another mandate from the people in the yet to come 2016 elections to continue managing the affairs of the country, provided the party utterly shun complacency and arrogance.

Despite the several worrying but legitimate cry from the populace of unbearable living conditions, essentially arising from recent fuel price increment and the sudden hike in utility tariffs, which has been occasioned by the eight-month-long election petition instigated by three leading members of the NPP, policies and programs the Mahama administration has lined-up to execute between now and the next election suggests that the opposition parties would have to gird their loins for a much longer stay there, or better still, look beyond the 2016 election.

However, the NDC will not be accomplishing this feat on a silver platter as it will have to work very hard to overcome formidable obstacles that are likely to militate against the realization of a third time consecutive victory going into the run-up to the next scheduled elections in 2016.

Certainly, financial benefits to accrue from an increase in oil revenue to government following the appreciable surge in oil production from the Jubilee oil Fields and the coming on-stream of new oil production lines from the about four new wells and the almost completed Gas infrastructure project, which comes with it, a petrochemical industry including fertilizer industry, plastic products etc., and more importantly, the final disbursement of the $3 billion China Development Bank loan to spur growth in several aspect of the economy, makes the presidential ambitions for persons aside the NDC’s candidate for the 2016 very oblique.

Completion of vital projects set out in the NDC’s 2012 manifesto, and fulfillment of President Mahama’s campaign promises which include final works on the Afram plains irrigation, Volta lake transformation, fish landing sites and improved electricity and water supply with its corresponding lower costs as a result of production of Gas will all add to the NDC’s successful story come 2016.

But even more significantly is the government’s commitment to gradually phase out subsidies on fuel and utilities, which will free more resources to the government to be used for massive developments, including the construction of 200 new Senior High Schools, building of 10 new Colleges of Education, completion of the final phase of the Bui Dam, and landmark projects such as the proposed interchange at the Nkrumah circle, which is currently under construction, completion of the gang of four roads now at advanced stages, the reconstruction of the new teaching hospitals at Ridge, Legon and Wa.

The rest includes road works in the Accra metropolis, especially the Teshie by-pass and beach roads, the Eastern corridor road, proposed works on telecom/internet coverage and expansion of the two ports at Tema and Takoradi and airports at Tamale, Sunyani, Kumasi and Takoradi. In all of this, apart from meeting the social needs of the people, these projects are not only expected to create jobs, but open new opportunities for the Ghanaian.

But, what is likely to cause the NDC to frown instead of a smile to victory in the face of all these achievements is whether the rank and file of the party can relive the spirit of togetherness seen during and after the death of the late President aimed at denying Nana Akufo-Addo the presidency in 2012 election, and most importantly if the President can hold in check some of his handlers whose conduct is said to waning his popularity.

The President’s ability to win back the hearts of the party’s parliamentary caucus and leadership at all levels, most of whom seem disillusioned and disappointed, and who are said to be having regrets for rallying behind him to ensure the victory of 2012.

Grassroots agitation, which the wife of the founder of the NDC relied on and used as a bait to give her presidential ambitions a test, must also be seriously addressed at this infant stage to avert another version of the despicable “FONKA/GAMES” saga that nearly sent the party into opposition, especially when Former President Rawlings have started expressing his misgivings about the government in public.

Even in the midst of simmering disquiet among the top echelons of the party, which appears to have created a disjoint between the party and the government, the prospects of the country under the watch of the current administration before and after 2016 looks very promising but, it must be avoided to do the magic for the NDC in the next election.