NPP has failed in fulfilling key campaign promises - GACC Report

The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has launched its ‘Assessment of Key Commitments and Propositions of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) at a ceremony today [Friday].

According to the Executive Secretary, Beauty Emefa Nertey, the purpose of this is to identify key commitments and policy propositions of the NPP government to create awareness on these commitments and mobilise citizens to demand greater accountability in the management of public resources.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Afia Kwarteng, she disclosed that according to the key 8 promises of the NPP government, it has failed in delivering on its promises.

GACC used what it described as 'desktop approach' as most of the data were secondary in nature.

The data according to them was gathered from official reports, such as the 2016 NPP Manifesto, the 2017 and 2018 State of the Nation Addresses (SONA) by President Akufo-Addo, the 2017 and 2018 budget and economic policy statements and other NPP government policy statements related to their performance in office.

Information GACC said was obtained from key offices and institutions responsible for delivering their promises on transparency and fiscal accountability such as Ministry of Finance and Ghana Audit Service although there was no formal administration of a survey or questionnaire, the report said.

The review also focuses on the promises made, those initiated, fulfilled and/or ongoing within the government’s first one and half years (January 2017-June 2018) in office.

The assessment of the feasibility of the propositions also looks at whether or not they are realistic and can be done within their four (4) year term or not. Some of the findings by GACC stated that no bill has been brought before Parliament for consideration with regards to the passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Law, to bring comprehensive accountability, transparency and stability to the budget process.

Another was the law that was promised by the NPP to establish Financial Stability Council and yet “no bill has been brought before Parliament for consideration,” the report said.

The NPP also promised to shift the focus of economic management from taxation to production by reducing some taxes and abolish some others but “several taxes labelled as nuisance taxes have been abolished. However, the promise to reduce the corporate tax rate from 25% to 20% has not yet been implemented,” the report noted.

The report also touched on the promise to elect MMDCEs, the promise to put measures to fight corruption among others.

Portions of the conclusions and way forward of the review read: “the government has two and half years to end its first term in office and it is important that CSOs monitor the fulfilment of these promises and hold the government accountable to deliver on them the promises…It is hoped that the NPP government will accept the report in good faith and work to honour all its promises as it prepares towards an election in 2020.”

The report underscored the need for politicians to be held accountable and be made to honour their campaign promises, which won them political power.

“The NPP while in opposition, made several promises in its 2016 manifesto and on coming into office in January 2017, the government repeated most of these promises and assured Ghanaians of its commitment to execute them. In general, a number of promises have been delivered while others have either been delivered or not touched at all… The fight against corruption is not satisfactory so far. However, it is clear that some of the promises have been executed, the most prominent ones being the establishment of the Office of Special Prosecutor and the reduction of taxes.”