NPP gov’t now working with NDC manifesto – Mahama

Former President John Mahama has taunted government for “implementing” the NDC’s manifesto even though the party is in opposition.

Speaking at a Townhall Meeting in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, the NDC flagbearer said the party is bothered by the move by government because the manifesto was drafted for the country.

“We are not yet in power but the NPP has started working with our manifesto….but we don’t mind, we did the manifesto for the country. However, we are confident that we will come back to power come December 7,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, General Secretary of the party Johnson Asiedu Nketia accused the government of implementing the opposition party’s programs and policies.

“They have always claimed NDC members are dumb, they always say that. Now the dumb people have put together their small manifesto, but they the learned ones are now implementing our manifesto, why is that?

“But it won’t amount to anything. We gave them four years, you have just a little over three months to finish. What you couldn’t achieve in three years you can’t finish in three months,” he stated at the party’s Townhall Meeting at Kumasi in the Ashanti region.

The claim is coming on the back of several accusations by the opposition party against government of implementing their policies which were outdoored last week in their manifesto for the 2020 elections.

They cite government’s stance on Okada legalisation as proof of their claim.

Meanwhile, the Transport Ministry has announced that stakeholder discussions on the legalisation of Okada in the country will resume in October.

It comes on the back of the raging debate on the legalisation of the motorcycle transport business sparked by opposition leader John Mahama.

The ministry in a statement said the discussion is entering its second phase after it was halted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

PRESS RELEASE ON OKADA 11.09.2020

“The 2nd phase of the consultations is to engage stakeholders in the six (6) newly created regions of Bono East, Ahafo, Western North, Savannah, North East and Oti Regions. Other key interest groups and civil society organizations would also be consulted.

They include the following:

i. Center for Democratic Development (CDD)

ii. Danquah Institute,

iii. Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG)

iv. Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC)

v. Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA)

vi. Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA)

vii. And Political Parties

“Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the final stage of the stakeholder engagement

is expected to commence in October 2020, and a report presented before

Cabinet for consideration”.

NDC flagbearer John Mahama ignited the conversation of Okada legalisation after he promised to regularised it if he wins power in December.

While defending his plans to legalise the controversial mode of transport in an interview with Woesor TV Sunday, August 23, 2020 the NDC flagbearer said “why behave like the turkey and bury your head in the sand? This pragyas, Aboboyaa, okadas have created more jobs in this economy than any government job-related policy. It has created more jobs than NaBCo, YEA and all those artificial job creation programs.

“These young people live under harassment because it’s illegal and so the police stop them, they take money from them and so my suggestion is that why do we behave like the ostrich? Let us legalise it and let us regulate it, let’s make it safer”.