‘Beware of NDC Propaganda’ - NPP Cautions Ghanaians in Diaspora

Ghanaians in Diaspora have been cautioned to be mindful of the so called single-digit inflation figures being bandit around by the NDC as economic success since these figures do not in any way reflect the true and accurate picture of the realities on the ground.

Speaking at an NPP rally in Dortmund (Germany) Mr Alhassan Yakubu Tali Vice-Chairman NPP-Germany pointed out that economic success must lead to an improvement in the lives of the ordinary Ghanaian which is not the case in Ghana under President Atta-Mills and said ‘for the past three years we have heard nothing but empty rhetoric, infantile propaganda and mere statements of intents but no action’.

According to him the three-year old misrule of the Mills-Mahama administration can only boast of unparelled graduate unemployment, unprecedented increases in the prices of basic food items, high utility tarrifs and persistent power and water shortages which have become the order of the day and the plight of most Ghanaians.

Using certain basic items to explain his point Mr Yakubu Tali disclosed that a bag of Maize which was selling at 20 Ghana Cedis in 2008 is now being sold at 120 Ghana Cedis an increase of 500% in just three years. An outboard motto which cost 2800 Ghana Cedis in 2008 now costs 8,000 Ghana Cedis while school fees for senior secondary school student had jumped from 150 Ghana Cedis to 450 Ghana cedis per term since the NDC government assumed office. He noted that in the face of these grim and harsh conditions it is insane and insensitive for government to allege that there has been an improvement in the lives of the Ghanaian adding’ they should be apologising for messing up the economy and betraying the trust and confidence reposed in them rather than making these outrageous claims.’

The 46 year-old Investment Banker observed that the situation has been exacerbated by the lack of investor confidence following the disclosure of the gargantuan corruption scandal that implicated high government officials including the Presidency. He said the loss of investor-confidence results in capital flight and this explains why the cedi has hit its lowest value as against major currencies in 18 years.

Mr Yakubu Tali likened the present state of the Ghanaian economy to a sinking ship in dire need of a rescue team and a plan to salvage it stressing that the challenge facing Ghana is not the lack of resources but rather lack of clear and decisive leadership, incompetence and corruption and said the Akuffo-Addo-Bawumia ticket provides Ghanaians the opportunity to reverse this unfortunate and unacceptable situation. Also speaking at the rally, Mr Charles Ankamah, Deputy General Secretary,NPP-Germany assured Ghanaians that the abuse of power, greed and corruption that have become acceptable under the Mills-Mahama administration will not be tolerated under an Akffu-Addo Presidency.He said Nana Akuffo-Addo and Dr Bawumia have demonstrated exemplary leadership and have the honesty and integrity to lead Ghana.

He reminded Ghanaians that the eight-year old rule of the NPP under President Kuffour brought unprecedented economic growth and infrastructural development and the introduction of various social intervention programmes including the national health insurance scheme, free maternity care, school feeding programme and capitation grant to mention just a few.

Mr Ankamah pointed out that the people who thought these programmes were impossible and even opposed them are the very same sceptics casting doubts on Nana Akuffo-Addo’s vision of providing free senior secondary education for the youth of Ghana, saying ‘ we have proved them wrong in the past and we will prove them wrong again when elected to lead this country’. He told the cheering crowd that Ghana cannot continue to depend on the export of primary/agricultural products and that there is the urgent to modernize agriculture, industrialize and modernize the economy to be able to compete on the international market as envisioned by the NPP flag bearer.

The Deputy General Secretary assured Ghanaians that the NPP’s campaign will be issued based devoid of insults adding that the politics of insult is a weapon for the weak and narrow-minded who are not capable of making a good arguable case and hence use it to divert attention from the real and substantive issues. Other speakers included Mr Rexford Oduro- Kwarteng and Rev. Dr Nii Clottey who prayed for a peaceful election.

The next NPP rally in Germany is scheduled to take place in Beliefield on May 1st 2012

Kwaku Anane-Gyinde Director of Communications NPP-Germany