IPP: It's time for real change

Ghana needs "real change" in leadership, opposition party IPP has said.

A New Year message of the Independent People's Party said: "We expect 2016 to be a very challenging economic year, due to over burden debts, dumsor dumsor [erratic power supply], declining Cedi, lower consumer spending, reduced business expansion, and external pressures. Every day, 200 small business owners are now at risk of losing their businesses, and one hundred thousand people could be out of job. The government got us into this mess and hasn’t got the right ideas to get us out of it, and a prolonged confidence crisis will continue to drag the economy and Cedi down."

"In this fourth republic, NDC/NPP have taken us in a direction most Ghanaians don’t want to go.

"I want 2016 to be the year in which we offer the people of this country the hope of real change, by setting out a clear and inspiring vision of what Ghana will look like with an IPP government.

"It's time for new leadership in this country. Ghana is a grand, unfinished project and it's up to all of us to build the country we want. But it's not just about having a different government; it's about electing a better government. One that works with Ghanaians to shape our best instincts into an even better country," the party said.

IPP said a strong economy starts with a strong middle class. "Our plan offers real help to Ghana’s middle class and all those working hard to join it. When our middle class has more money in their pockets to save, invest, and grow the economy, we all benefit."

So, in place of NDC's "hopeless surrender" to 'dumsor – dumsor', the IPP said it will "offer the hope of continued power supply, which is vital for everyone, based on enhanced energy investment programme, which actually eliminate load shedding forever."

"In place of NDC's hopeless maladministration of the NHIA, we will offer the hope of a health service where we get rid of the massive corruption and make sure that taxpayers' money delivers the high quality service they've paid for and have a right to expect. We will build state of the art ultra-modern hospitals to turn the country into Health Tourism Center

"In place of NDC's hopeless acceptance of mediocrity in education, which has seen Ghana flip-flop down the world league tables just when we need our children to be doing better than those in other countries, we will offer the hope of a decent education for every child, with immediate action to raise standards and make Ghana becomes Education Tourism Center.

"In place of NDC's hopeless failure on social breakdown which has left Ghana with more children growing up in broken homes and living on streets, higher unemployment, we will offer the hope of real change – to strengthen families, introduces child and unemployment benefit payments, and make Ghana poverty history," the party promised.

Below is the rest of the statement:

On the economy, on the environment and fighting corruption, there are tremendous challenges ahead.

This will be the year in which we show that there is hope for the future, that there is a clear and credible alternative to this hopeless and incompetent NDC government and confused NPP.

And let us be clear about the reason why.

It is not just that we offer the hope of a strong team of competent ministers to replace these weak and exhausted NDC/NPP politicians.

It is not just that we offer the hope of a fresh start on policy after so many years of NDC/NPP headline chasing short-term tricks with no real substance behind them.

It is that we offer a clear vision of the Ghana we want to see, and a clear idea of how we will govern differently.

And we will inaugurate a new era in government - where we devolve power to people and communities because we understand that a government that tries to control everything ends up not being able to run anything.

I sense that Ghana feels it's time for a change.

And now's the time to change that direction. It's time to pull together to build better lives for each other - and a better Ghana. My vision for Ghana is clear: I'm committed to growing the middle class and giving every Ghanaian a real and fair chance to succeed. To give people more opportunity and power over their lives, to make families stronger and society more responsible, and to make Ghana safer and greener.

This year will be a General Election year and we will behave and work relentlessly toward it.

And in doing so prove that you can trust an IPP government to take this country forward.

We must show from the very beginning of and throughout this year that we can set the agenda with our new thinking and clear understanding of what people want for themselves and their families.

I know we can do this, but I'm going to need your help. I need your energy and your passion, your idealism and your ideas. And of course, I need your hope and hard work. This is an important moment for Ghana.

We’re building the team and the plan that’s focused on Ghanaians, and our momentum is undeniable. As more people hear our positive message of change and vision for this country’s future, they’re getting on board - and I’m inviting you to join us.

Happy New Year.