Ghanaians Are Suffering Under NPP – Mahama

Former President and Flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has again taken a swipe at the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the country’s economic mess. He observed that the economy is in serious disarray, forcing millions of Ghanaians to grapple with extreme hardship and unprecedented suffering. According to him, the high cost of living, high inflation, a collapsed currency, high-interest rates, debt defaults, and the obnoxious domestic debt exchange programme has made life unbearable for the majority of the citizens.

Mr. Mahama was addressing the Minority Caucus of Parliament at a three (3)-day workshop at Ho in the Volta Region. The capacity-building workshop brought together all the one hundred and thirty-seven (137) Members of Parliament (MPs) of the opposition NDC including the leadership of the Minority MPs in the legislature.

The workshop discussed amongst other things the performance of the MPs in parliament which also attracted words of commendation from the former President. The resource persons also took the MPs through election-related topics including deepening their performance in the various constituencies.

In attendance were some Regional and National Executives of the NDC including its National Chairman, Hon. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary, Hon. Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey as well as the Volta Regional Chairman, Hon. Mawutor Agbavitor. Also present were the Volta Regional Secretary of the party, Hon. James Gunu as well as some key personalities.

Addressing the MPs, former President Mahama took another swipe at the governing NPP administration for plunging the country into a serious economic crisis, explaining that the NPP has arguably become the worst government in the country’s history.

According to former President Mahama, the country’s economic challenges are so bad that the Vice President and flagbearer of the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia cannot extricate himself from the mess created by their government, adding that the several attempts to contrive separation between himself and the happenings in the very government he was touted as the brain behind, is purely for electoral purposes.

Former President Mahama also called on the Electoral Commission (EC) to concern itself with what he termed getting the electoral basics right and also ensuring full readiness for the general election before seeking to as he put it, ‘bite what it does not need to chew’. According to him, the NDC does not find the proposal for a change in the date for the upcoming election from December 7 to November 7 as feasible nor helpful, explaining that the proposal is not being made in good faith.

Mr. Mahama questioned the basis of the sudden interest of and the push by the EC to shift forward the date of the elections at a time when it has not demonstrated its readiness to conduct even the general elections. He pointed out that the lack of preparedness by the EC was manifested in the District Level Elections held in December, last year. ‘Elementary lapses and shocking logistical shortfalls painted a picture of an EC which is simply not able to undertake the elementary task of managing an election’, former President Mahama intimated.

The NDC flagbearer commended the Minority Members in Parliament for living up to their expectations so far and based on the available evidence. According to him, the Minority has achieved this feat by putting in valiant efforts to check the excesses of government, adding that they stood firmly and pushed back against blatant abuse of parliamentary rules and standing orders. ‘You have held this marooning government at bay and fought against their very unpopular policies’, Mr. Mahama noted.

He cautioned the EC against disenfranchising sections of the Ghanaian population at all costs through what he described as a misguided insistence on the use of only a Ghana Card as the sole means of identification for registration, saying the NDC would offer the stiffest resistance to such a move. In the view of the former President, apart from the fact that the Ghana Card is a relatively new feature of the country’s national life, it has its merits in the scheme of things, adding that at the moment, it is being branded more as a political tool around which all manner of schemes are being fashioned towards elections.

The Minority Leader, Dr. Cassel Ato Forson, called on his colleague MPs not only to expose government the more but also to continue to hold the NPP regime accountable for what he described as their sins, scandals, corruption, and failure in office as well as breaching the trust of the people of Ghana. ‘While this is important, it has to be complemented with honesty, humility, respect for the people and a high sense of responsibility as well as an abundant display of knowledge and brilliancy’, Dr. Forson emphasized.

The General Secretary of the NDC, Hon. Fiifi Fiavi Kwetey, called for unity and solidarity among the MPs and urged them to ensure that the party and country become their agenda and focus in their undertakings. He also stressed the need for teamwork among the caucus which according to him, is a prerequisite for greater success in their endeavors.