The Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Dramani Mahama, says the next administration would work effectively with all stakeholders and actors to improve the governance system of the country.
He said an effective collaboration with stakeholders and actors in the governance sector was important as it formed the bedrock of the country’s democracy and national development.
Mr Mahama was speaking at a governance forum organised by the governance committee of the party, led by Mr Sylvester A. Mensah on the theme, “Resetting Ghana for good governance and accountability.”
It had in attendance members of the National Executive Committee (NEC), council of elders, regional and district executives of the NDC, Members of Parliament (MPs), party faithful, and civil society organisations (CSOs).
Mr Mahama said the NDC government acknowledged and appreciated the role that state and non-state institutions in the governance sector, such as security services, judicial services, and the media played in the growth and development of the country, and the need to strengthen them.
He, therefore, outlined some proposals that the next NDC government under his tenure would implement to strengthen those actors and institutions and ensure transparency in the governance sector.
According to the former President, the next NDC government would adhere to the tenets of separation of powers, ensure meritorious appointments, resource independent constitutional bodies, and hold regulatory stakeholder engagement and presidential encounters in a bid to fight corruption and ensure transparency.
Also, he noted that the NDC government, through its Operation-Recover-All-Loot (ORAL) with the use of local and foreign investigators, would investigate, prosecute, and recover the proceeds of corruption.
To ensure effective justice delivery and enhanced security, Mr Mahama said the next NDC government would ensure that cases were determined expeditiously through the use of automation-virtual hearing and other forms of technology.
In addition, he indicated that courts would be established within the boundaries of prisons to ensure fair treatment of prisoners, review the compensation package for security personnel who lost their lives and sustain injuries in line of duty and improve accommodation for security personnel.
He, therefore, urged security personnel in the country to vote massively for the NDC during the special voting on December 2, 2024, adding that “the Special Voting will herald the tone for my resounding victory in this year’s elections.”
In terms of responsible mining, Mr Mahama said his new government would prohibit appointees and party officials from mining to avoid conflict of interest and also ban illegal mining as well as mining in forest reserves.
“Small-scale mining will continue to be the preserve of Ghanaians as we take inventory of all licensed small-miners and their concessions to build capacity and hold miners accountable,” Mahama added.
Moreover, he indicated that the National Sanitation Day and the Cleanest City Awards scheme would be re-introduced while the District Assembly Common Fund would be enhanced from the current five per cent to 7.5 per cent under his tenure as president.
Mr Mahama also promised to ensure the full implementation of the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989), re-open investigation into the murder of Ahmed Hussein-Suale, ensure the passage of the Broadcasting Bill into law, and reactivate the Media Development Fund to support journalists.
Mr Mahama assured that he would pursue a comprehensive foreign policy that articulated the country’s national interest, and also facilitate the integration of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger into the Economic Community of West African State (ECOW
BY BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY