NDC's flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama
Ghanaians are eagerly and anxiously waiting for December 7, 2024, to make arguably the most important decision that has the propensity to either propel this country to greater heights of development or destroy the future of this country, not only for the current generation but also for the generations yet unborn.
Candidates of the two major political parties have started their campaign programs with promises and assurances. The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is campaigning on a trajectory that suggests that he is distancing himself from the current government, even though he is the vice president of this administration.
On the other hand, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), former President John Dramani Mahama is also embarking on his campaign tour with messages he believes will resonate with Ghanaians to vote for the NDC.
The NDC flagbearer has strategically and tactically identified what he believes to be the most pressing issues that need addressing and has promised to address them if he wins the upcoming election.
Former President Mahama has made some promises that have necessitated the authorship of this article to analyse the importance of the promises and scrutinise if they are important at this stage of the country and whether he meant them or not.
Below are some of the promises made by former President Mahama:
John Mahama’s Promises:
Former president Mahama has stated that if he is elected, no government appointee will be given a free DSTV subscription, utility bills, and fuel.
“We will discontinue the payments of utility bills, fuel DSTV, etc. as conditions of service for top government officials, directors, and the political class. We believe that people should take up paying their own electricity and water bills like any other Ghanaian,” he stressed.
The former president has also announced plans to transition all government institutions to a cashless system by 2028 if he wins power in the upcoming elections.
He clarified that, though the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has already adopted a cashless system, the implementation will extend to other government agencies and selected private institutions. Mr. Mahama has stated his intention to phase out cash payments for goods and services, promoting electronic forms of payment like mobile money.
The NDC flagbearer has pledged to bolster the Cedi within the first 100 days if elected. The former president spoke with fervour and underscored the importance of a robust national currency and stable economy, asserting that these elements are crucial for laying a solid foundation for the country’s future.
In outlining his vision, Mahama vowed that a future NDC administration would trim government spending while simultaneously enhancing revenue through widening the tax base.
Former president Mahama has also stated that “The number one priority will be stabilizing the economy and restoring a stable currency by launching an urgent economic recovery and fiscal consolidation plan following a national economic dialogue to be held within one hundred days of the assumption of office.”
The NDC flagbearer has also reiterated his commitment to scrap the E-levy if elected president in the 2024 general elections. He also pledged to abolish certain taxes that have become burdensome for businesses and households.
The former president has unveiled plans to establish a new administrative city outside the Greater Accra Region. This initiative aims to speed up government services and address the severe congestion in the capital. The congestion has hindered business growth and disrupted the smooth delivery of government services, despite the country’s decentralisation efforts.
Will the Promises benefit Ghana:
If honored, the promises made by the former president will have implications for the development of this country. Discontinuing the payments of utility bills, DST installments, and fuels for government appointees will save the public purse. Appointees should be made to foot their bills from their salaries, as any other Ghanaian.
Transitioning all government institutions to a cashless system will help fight corruption among civil servants and make life easy for the citizens who engage state institutions for their services. Restoring the value of the cedi is crucial to the sustenance of businesses and national development. The current rate of the cedi’s depreciation cannot be allowed to continue.
The promise by former president John Mahama to trim the government’s spending while simultaneously enhancing revenue through widening the tax base, leads to the government having available funds for infrastructural development.
The promise to establish a new administrative city outside the Greater Accra region will ease congestion in the capital town and create more job opportunities for the youth in the newly created administrative city.
Will the promises be fulfilled?:
In order to assess the trustworthiness of the former president’s promises, critical analyses of his body language and choices of words, as well as the outcome of his previous promises before winning his first term was undertaken, and the evidence suggests that he means business with every promise and assurance he is making.
Verdict:
John Dramani Mahama’s promises are feasible, useful, and based on honesty; he will fulfil them if elected.
Conclusion:
The 2024 election will present Ghanaians the opportunity to “restore the Fourth Republic to its original settings for its sustenance,” as stated by Professor Ransford Gyampo.
Former President John Dramani Mahama is the best candidate to make that possible.
