By: Moses Owopade, Accra
As Ghana gears toward the 2024 presidential election, the candidates of the two leading political parties, former President and flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Dramani Mahama and the flag bearer of New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mamodu Bawumia have stepped up their campaigns.
Mr. John Mahama has challenged Ghanaians to accost him when in power, if any of his electioneering campaign promises fails.
The former President declared this in his message during campaign tour to the Northern part of Ghana. He declared that, many promises can be made when seeking for the votes of the electorate but Mahama said he is coming back to continue the good works he was known for before the last election that was won by the President Nana Ado Dankwa Akufo Ado of New Patriotic Party.
The presidential hopeful sympathised with Ghanaians for going through hardship and pain, which he said, are as a result of poor management of the nation’s economy by the NPP led government.
Enumerating all the promises made by the present government, he said, “they promised One District, One factory, Free SHS, infrastructural development amongst others. All of these are colossal and monumental failure”.
He said a responsible government will develop infrastructure that will allow the people to have access to quality life before making free education.
“We were building more facilities when in power, we build class rooms, roads and housing, since we left office, NPP should point at the meaningful addition to the infrastructure we left behind”, he quarried.
Recent outcome of research carried out by a department of the Ghana Education Service and was reported by a leading TV station in the country revealed that no fewer than 2million basic school students sit on the floor to study, others are under trees while some school structures are dilapidated.
Mahama assured the chiefs in some of the towns he went to campaign that all these are unacceptable in a sane society. He also assured the traditional leaders that his government will empower the traditional institution and involve them in the development of the country.
It is also important to state that the 2024 election will be interesting as the two candidates of the two topmost political parties are from the Northern part of the country; Mr. Mahama of the NDC and the present Vice President, Dr Mamodu Bawumia of the NPP.
The Vice President in his message however, vowed to make a great turn around to the country if elected. He Said NPP has become the party to beat. “I have served as the Vice President with a great leader in the last seven years, and the party has considered me most qualified and competent as the flag bearer, I will not disappoint the Ghanaian people and I have the confidence that It is Possible,” Bawumia declared.
On the sustainability of the programme of his boss if elected, he said, he has his programme and mind. “I have my own mind, definitely look at the good areas that we have not been able to address in the Akufo Ado government and I will add my great programmes to them”.
It will also be recalled that some of the aggrieved topnotch in NPP had decided to go Independent as provided by the Electoral Act of the Country.
