Former President John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has outlined a 26-point agenda his government would execute in the first 120 days in office if he wins the 2024 general election.
Calling them a social contract with the Ghanaian people, Mr Mahama was of the conviction the interventions would set the foundation and position his would-be government to deliver on its four-year mandate effectively.
At the launch of the party’s manifesto in Winneba in the Central Region on Saturday, former President Mahama said among the interventions would be a national economic dialogue to “discuss the true state of the economy and prepare a home-grown fiscal consolidation programme to guide the budget”.
The next NDC government, the former president said would nominate all cabinet ministers for parliamentary approval in the first 14 days and constitute the leanest and most efficient government in the history of the fourth republic in the first 90 days in office.
For the realisation of the much talked about 24-hour economy policy, the NDC leader said his government would commence the drafting of the needed legal amendments for the implementation of the policy and while at that, establish an accelerated export development council to promote export as part of a broader strategy for economic transformation.
In the area of education, John Mahama said his government would convene a national consultative conference with stakeholders in the sector including parents, teachers, students and civil society organisations to “build consensus on the improvement of our education sector including the free SHS”.
“We will scrap draconian taxes in 90 days to alleviate the hardship and ease the high cost of doing business,” he said, naming the controversial E-levy, COVID levy, bet tax, emission tax, and review duties on vehicles and equipment imported into the country for industrial and agricultural purposes.
The no-fee -stress policy which is intended to cushion first year students in tertiary institutions from shouldering the full complement of the fees, Mr Mahama emphasized would be rolled out with budgetary allocation and free tertiary education for persons living with disabilities.
In the area of health, the former president said his government would establish the Ghana medical care fund for the treatment of kidney ailments and heart disease amongst other lifestyle diseases and distribute free sanitary pads to female students in basic and secondary schools across the country.
Reiterating his commitments to hold the Akufo-Addo government for their sins against the country, the former president said his government would leave no stone unturned in retrieving “all the loot” by elements of the current government.
“We will institute forensic audit into the collapse of Ghanaian banks, investigate the illegal printing of money to finance the corrupt Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration, investigate the US$58 national cathedral scandal, COVID expenditure, PDS, Agyapa, SML, ambulance spare parts, US$2 million botched sky train project, and investigate the payment of US$12 million for the Pwalugu dam,” he stated.
The seed money for the establishment of the Women Development Bank, he said would be released as he prioritises job creation initiatives including Edwumawura, an entrepreneur programme to target 10,000 entrepreneurs annually, one million coders programme and a made-in-Ghana agenda to promote locally made items.
The former president said the next NDC government would introduce a policy to ban all appointees and politically exposed persons from buying any state asset, and review Customs Act to scrap the law banning the importation of salvaged vehicles to rescue the local automotive industry from collapse.
Pledging to reopen probe into major unresolved murder cases including the killing of Ahmed Hussein Suale, John Mahama said he would collaborate with stakeholders to combat Illegal mining, and roll out the Black Star experience; an initiative for creative art industry.
Having become debt ridden, the NDC flagbearer said he would cause a major shake-up the management of State Owned Enterprises and open a probe into the spillage of the Akosombo dam by the VRA and adequately compensate victims.
“This is our social contract with the people,” he stated and provided clarity on how to fund them where need be.
“We are going to realign our expenditure, cut out waste and realign the budget so that we can create more fiscal space to finance these projects. We are going to use innovative methods to raise the resources, strictly prioritise and select the most important projects that will create immediate benefits for the people. We will put our money where our mouths are.”
FROM JULIUS YAO PETETSI, WINNEBA