David Prah, E/R NPP Communication Director
The Eastern Regional Communications Director of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), David Prah, has taken a swipe at the former President and flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, describing him as ‘not only the most incompetent President Ghana has witnessed but also a pathological liar.” He has thus asked Ghanaians not to be “swayed by the constant lies” of the former president.
The NPP firebrand’s comment is in response to the “litany of accusations by former President John Dramani Mahama against the incorruptible President, H. E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.”
During his recent Facebook live address, the flagbearer of the NDC accused the NPP government of abandoning hospital projects that were started by his government. He also accused the government of running down the economy, suggesting that Ghana has had to run to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for support in fighting the novel coronavirus pandemic due to the collapse of the economy.
Response
But, responding to the accusations, Mr Prah said it took the Akufo-Addo-led NPP government to restore macroeconomic stability, and bring back the economy the John Mahama administration collapsed back to life. He said the government has reduced the rate of government borrowing; reduced interest rates to spur private sector investment; “moved the economy from taxation to production; enacted and establish a Fiscal Responsibility Law and Stability Council; abolished several nuisance taxes brought by the Mahama-led NDC government such Special Import Levy, 17.5% VAT on imported medicines not produced in the country, 17.5% VAT on Financial Services, 5% VAT on Real Estate Sales,17.5% VAT on domestic airline tickets; reduced VAT for micro and small enterprises from 17.5% to 3% flat rate; and given tax incentives to young entrepreneurs to encourage them to initiate start-ups.”
He further mentioned some other achievement of the NPP government such as making it easier for Ghanaians to acquire driving licences, passports, registering businesses, processing pension payments and clear goods at the ports.
Other achievements, he said, include ending dumsor; restoration of trainee teachers and nurses allowances; restoration of the allowances paid to Arabic/Islamic instructors under the national volunteer service programme; restoration of book and research allowances for lecturers; abolishing the payment of utilities by students in tertiary institutions; increasing the amount of loans provided for students in tertiary institutions; implementation of the Free secondary education policy, among others.
