By Frank Amponsah
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has exposed former President Mahama for lying to some members of the diplomatic community with false videos about violence in the country, which paints a negative for the government.
According to the party, Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s “boot-for- boot” mantra was demonstrated last Monday in the Ashanti region, where one of their own was shot dead by a yet-to-be identified member of the Hawks-a vigilante youth group with ties to the party.
At a press conference addressed by the NPP National Communications Director, Yaw Buaben Asamoah said the ‘Hawks’, which was formed in the wake of the former Presidents’ campaign “unity walks” and a so-called ‘NDC Task Force’ have been cited in the brazen impunity.
“The NPP condemns the violence without reservation. We should also as a matter of urgency ask the Police to expedite action in bringing the perpetrators to book,” he said.
He said: “Why is former President Mahama so desperate for power? Can that desperation be justified by peddling falsehoods about security in Ghana to the international community?? Especially when he appears to be the inspiration for such violence within his own party? Is he sincere about contributing to the peace, stability and hence prosperity of this nation? Especially since he has led the country before and seeks to lead again?”
According to Buaben Asamoah former President Mahama and the current NDC party leaderships’ flip flopping on security and the institutions and procedures that keep all Ghanaians safe can be said to expose a deliberate agenda to infuse a sense of political violence and fear of elections on the country.
The NDC he said has found and renewed their faith in the Police and are are also involved in an intricate but incongruous dance of officially boycotting and attending and commenting on the proceedings of the Short Commission at the same time.
“Only the politically confused National Democratic Congress can sustain this dance. We, the New Patriotic Party, are different. The NPP is different from the NDC. Given the same set of governance challenges, whether of ideology, leadership style, institutional respect and reform, economic management, social inclusion, citizen responsiveness, accountability and electoral process integrity, the NPP, though far less longer cumulatively in government than the NDC, performs far better in the interests of Ghana”, he indicated.
He also mentioned that the voting public is thirsty for workable solutions and NDC flip flopping between police and commission as it suits their political agenda cannot be credible or attractive.
“Be that as it may, we the NPP believe and insist we are different. The record of the NPP and its antecedents show governance with tact, innovation, sensitivity and decisiveness. Of the sixty-two years since independence, the NPP tradition has had a little over twelve years in total to govern.
… Our record of governance success belies the time we have had in government. It is on that record that we are asking the people of Ghana to refocus away from the orchestrated violence agenda to the bread and butter issues that influence the lives for the better.”
He challenged the NDC for a viable policy debate as the parties go into this year of action.
“On the economy, they should tell us how they built a deficit and astronomical debt and we will tell them how we are managing the debt and passing laws and setting up frameworks to control deficits,” he said.
He pointed out that the NDC needed to be aware that a Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2018 (Act 982) has been passed and that no government’s deficits could go beyond 5% by law.
He also asked whether John Mahama was aware that the economic fundamentals were pointed in the right but even so, the Nana Addo administration is pursuing serious administrative reforms in revenue collection, especially the ports and cleaning procurement by reducing sole sourcing and making savings.
He said everywhere the country is awake except the NDC and the NPP and the Ghanaian public, would like to hear the NDC and its pliant leadership on the huge question of attitudinal change that can arguably propel our GDP by another two to three percent.
He added that the NDC and former President should look to the securitization of GET-Fund revenues and the Synohydro Agreement for uploading infrastructure upfront.
“These and many more are the issues we would love to hear the NDC consistently on. The country needs to be competently government to lower the cost of living and enhance the quality of life. It requires more than propaganda and the NDC will be left behind as the benefits of good governance move beyond the short term difficulties to produce medium to long term benefits.”
