Former President and Presidential candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama said he has utmost confidence that very soon Ghanaians shall see and have a feel of a Manifesto that responds to the day-to-day needs of Ghanaians.
That manifesto, he said will leverages their shared aspirations and common identity when it is launched.
“A manifesto anchored on the people’s will,” he said.
He was speaking at the closing ceremony of the NDC LAB Policy Dialogue held at the Peduase Valley Resort in Aburi in the Eastern Region.
According to him, he is ready to lead the NDC in building the Ghana Ghanaians want together.
The NDC LAB members form the majority of the membership of the Manifesto and sector committees, it provides for a seamless communication and flow of work, leading to the timely finalisation of the 2024 Manifesto and its eventual launch.
John Mahama noted that there’s no need to re-echo that Ghana is currently gripped with its worst socio-economic crisis in several decades and that the beautiful thing is he has equally seen the readiness and eagerness of Ghanaians to join the NDC on the journey of rebuilding ourselves and our society.
“And to the majority of Ghanaians and voters on our side and those not on our side, be rest assured we shall protect your votes. We shall let the true voice of the people speak. And we shall make sure the outcome of this election is a true reflection of the wishes of the people of Ghana.”
According to him, with its vast pool of quality human resources, the NDC LAB was birthed at the right time to provide critical thinking and ideas around policy options and services, including rethinking our approach to governance and how to better the socio-economic conditions of the Ghanaian people.
He said: “I have been engaging and following the work of the NDC LAB since 2021. I have participated in some of your deliberations and have experienced your professionalism, meticulousness, attention to detail and, above all, love for the nation. Comrades, as this dialogue marks another phase of the NDC’s policy development process, it is also the clearest indication of how far we have come as a party and our readiness for the elections of 2024.”
He stressed that the party will have solid proposals for its manifesto and policy implementation in government.
John Dramani Mahama also mentioned that the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reported on Wednesday that unemployment keeps rising and currently stands at a staggering 14.7%, as nearly 1.4 million young people aged 15 to 35 were unemployed in the first three quarters of 2023 alone.
This, he said, by every account, is a very harrowing situation.
“Worsening living conditions, unbearable hardships, a spiraling cost of living, high inflation, rising inequality, a widening gap between the haves and the have-nots, a steep erosion of the purchasing power of Ghanaians, an unsustainable public debt, massive debt defaults, a failing currency, and astronomic budget deficits tell the tale of a catastrophic economic meltdown, which is the result of shocking mismanagement and ineptitude by the Akufo-Addo/ Bawumia administration.”
He also talked about the compounding miserable circumstances Ghanaians are in, governmental corruption and plain thievery of resources, severely weakened and heavily politicised governance institutions serving the NPP rather than the national interest and, more importantly, the insufferable arrogance of power.
He said, this is not the Ghana we subscribed to. “Without a doubt, this current iteration of our country requires urgent rebuilding anchored on our collective aspirations with workable, progressive, and sustainable policies. Comrades, I have had the opportunity to review the consolidated reports from the thematic working groups – thus, the Finance and Economy, Human Development and Governance working groups.”
“…I can observe that apart from the fact that the policy proposals seek to address the current Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-created twin challenges of economic and governance crisis, the policy proposals also directly respond to most of the thorny issues raised by Ghanaians during my ongoing Building of Ghana Tours.”
He noted that they are all acutely aware that they do not have the benefit of time from 7 January 2025 when they are sworn into office and that Ghanaians have high hopes and expectations, which they intend to meet.
These high expectations in the next NDC Government, he averred, reflect their unwavering belief in our ability to deliver – and that is why I am again happy that the NDC LAB has already stepped into the next phase of considering the implementation and action points in respect of our key and flagship policy proposals.
“We have the plan and strategy and know exactly what to do when sworn into office on 7 January 2025.”
24-hour economy policy
John Mahama said the 24-hour economy policy has found resonance with most Ghanaians, especially the youth, as confirmed by both data-based and anecdotal evidence.
This policy he indicated, has offered hope to our increasingly restless and despondent population that the half measures and mismanagement they see under the Akufo-Addo/ Bawumia government, which has plunged us into suffering, will soon give way to more prudent and forward-looking programmes.
“The 24-hour economy remains the surest way to achieve significant economic expansion, boost productivity, meet demand, curb unbridled imports and their attendant adverse effects on our economy, currency and, above all, generate well-paying jobs for the millions of people without employment.”
He said, he is encouraged by the positive feedback and input he continues to receive on the proposal from their compatriots in organised labour, academia, business, and industry and remain determined to build the Ghana we want together with all Ghanaians to collectively reap the outcomes for our shared prosperity.
