Dr Bawumia speaking the Manifesto launch
Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia has said that the Akufo-Addo government has successfully delivered on the mandate given it by the electorate, recording about 80 per cent success rate.
Speaking in Cape Coast over the weekend, during the launch of the governing New Patriotic Party’s 2020 manifesto, Dr Bawumia noted that even though the government inherited economic mismanagement from the Mahama government, it has managed to turn the situation around.
According to him, the mismanagement had resulted in macroeconomic instability; high unemployment, especially among the youth; poorly managed financial services sector; a collapsing National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and re-emergence of the cash-and-carry system; and five years of disrupted electricity supply (dumsor) with its associated costs and high electricity prices.
He added that it had also led to the government’s inability to meet its obligations, resulting in cancellation of the nurses and teacher-trainee allowances; increases in taxes on many items to hurt production and penalise consumers; going to the IMF for a “bailout”; freeze on public sector employment, among others.
Restoring hope
Dr Bawumia indicated that the NPP promised an “Agenda for Jobs” to create prosperity and equal opportunity for all, saying the Akufo-Addo government within three and half years has fixed the broken economy and shifted focus away from taxation to production to create jobs.
He added that the government has also invested in local and critical national infrastructure, and in key social protection programmes, making the government machinery work for all Ghanaians.
The Vice-President further said the government has stabilised the economy; eliminated and reduced the number of taxes; doubled growth (Pre- Covid); created two million plus jobs in the formal sector; supported anti-corruption and governance agencies, and prosecuted public sector corruption.
He also noted that the government has improved access to government services through rapid digitisation, and set millions of Ghanaians on the path towards growth prosperity and equal opportunity through its flagship programmes.
Highlights
The Vice-President, who was also the Chairman of the NPP’s manifesto committee, used the occasion to give highlight of the document.
The manifesto has been grouped into three thematic areas, namely “Accounting for Our Stewardship; Consolidating our Progress (including dealing with the impact of Covid-19) and Our Plan for Accelerated Growth”.
He also highlighted the various sectors the next NPP government intends to focus on. They include the economy, industrialisation, agriculture, education, health, housing, physical infrastructure, social protection, and creative arts.
The rest are governance, sports development, building a digital services economy/hub, developing Ghana into a regional hub; tackle access to, and cost, of finance, and improving the business environment.
Right path
The National Chairman of the NPP, Freddie Blay, stated that the Akufo-Addo government has kept faith with the people, adding: “We are on the right path towards economic prosperity, and have undertaken far-reaching institutional reforms necessary for good and accountable governance in a stable and democratic society.”
“As we head into another election in December this year, Ghana needs a stable, firm and competent leader’s hands over the next few years to ensure we protect the progress we have made together, and to transform Ghana for all Ghanaians,” he stated.
Free to copy
In a related development, the General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu, has asked the NDC to feel free to copy his party’s manifesto.
He noted that even though the NDC had announced about two months ago that it manifesto was ready, the party is still unable to launch it.
According Mr Boadu, the NDC has always lacked innovative ideas on how to govern the country.
“They are waiting for us to launch our manifesto so they can copy our ideas as usual. Well, we have launched ours… and they are free to copy since they lack ideas. We have no fears because, as has been shown over and over again, when you appropriate an idea or project that you don’t fully understand or believe in, you can never implement it properly,” he stated.
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