Independent Presidential aspirant promises 'ten million jobs within two years'

More than five independent presidential aspirants have expressed interest in contesting in the December 7, 2024, general elections.

One of these aspirants hails from the farming community of Shia in the Ho Municipality of the Volta region. Richard Sumah, 46, a marketing consultant, dreams of becoming Ghana's next President.

On Friday, June 14, 2024, he launched his presidential bid in Accra. Following the launch, Richard engaged in a virtual session with youth from the Ho Municipality, where he outlined some "beautiful ideas" he believes are divinely inspired for Ghana.

Among his plans, Richard aims to tackle unemployment through agriculture, mining, skills development, and other sectors. According to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), unemployment in Ghana rose to an average of 14.7 percent in the first three quarters of 2023. The number of unemployed youth aged 15 to 35 increased from about 1.2 million to over 1.3 million during this period, with higher rates among females.

Richard aims to address this issue by "investing in 16 million small businesses across the 16 regions within 6 months and creating a minimum of 10 million jobs within 2 years," as he informed the youth.

In agriculture, he plans to establish the "Ghana Farmers Brigade," which will oversee large-scale state farms across all regions, managed by the engineering wing of the Ghana Armed Forces, aimed at providing raw materials for industries and creating numerous job opportunities.

Additionally, in the Technical and Vocational sector, Richard proposes establishing the "Ghana Builders Corp," comprising skilled workers such as carpenters, masons, steel benders, plumbers, electricians, tillers, and painters. This paramilitary agency, managed by the Army's engineering wing, will spearhead basic infrastructure development across the country.

Moreover, he intends to form "The People Mineral Mining Cooperation" in collaboration with the private sector to streamline mineral extraction and integrate all artisanal miners into a single entity.

Richard also plans to enhance self-employment through accessible credit facilities with low interest rates for small and medium enterprises, fostering entrepreneurship through a venture capital system.

When questioned about the feasibility of his ambitious plans, Richard confidently asserted, "It is doable," emphasizing his belief that his mission is driven by a divine call to transform Ghana and challenge what he views as outdated political practices, including the monetization of politics.

He criticized the current narrative that one needs $100 million to run for president in Ghana, stating, "We must change this narrative. Spending $100 million on elections means buying your way to power."

Richard Sumah stressed that all his policy initiatives are aimed at promoting self-sufficiency and reducing dependency on international donors and institutions like the IMF, advocating instead for Ghanaian solutions to Ghanaian problems.

He called on visionary youth to join his mission to rescue Ghana from what he described as the ineffective leadership of the NPP and NDC parties.