Mahama accuses NPP of deception - Takes campaign to Eastern Region

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama, has accused the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) of deception, pointing to the unfulfilled promise of giving each constituency US$1 million each year. 

Addressing NDC supporters at a rally in Kyebi in the Abuakwa South Constituency in the Eastern Region last Monday, Mr Mahama asked the gathering if the constituency had received its share of the promised US$1 million.

“Kyebi, people think all is well with you here and that there is no hardship. They said $1 million would be given to every constituency annually. If they did not allocate it to any constituency at all, at least Abuakwa South Constituency should have received its share,” Mr Mahama said.

Given that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo hailed from Kyebi, Mr Mahama said, “You should have received $8 million by now, which could have been used for development. I have been shown a long list of issues here, including poor roads, lack of water and many other neglected areas. The factories, the promise to create jobs for the youth also did not materialise.”   

He called on voters in the area to vote out the NPP to serve as punishment for their unfulfilled promises.

“The time is now. The Atewa Forest is nearby—that is where the elephant belongs,” he said. 

Fabrications

Mr Mahama also accused the NPP of fabricating opinion polls to undermine credible projections that predict a decisive victory for the NDC in the upcoming December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections.

Later addressing NDC supporters and chiefs at Teacher Mante in the Ayensuano Constituency, Mr Mahama stated that this year’s election marked a rare moment where all reliable polls indicated a clear one-touch win for the NDC.

“We vote every four years. Of all the elections held, the December 7, 2024 election has been an election predicting a decisive win for the NDC. When you monitor various researches, all point to NDC’s victory on December 7. We have something we call opinion polls. We have various organisations that have expertise in opinion polls: the Economist Intelligence Unit, Fitch

Solutions and Global Info Analytics all predicting a one-touch victory for NDC. No second round,” he said.

He attributed this to widespread public discontent over the state of the economy, noting that hardship, unemployment and national debt have reached unprecedented levels under the

NPP government.

 “Nothing is working under the NPP government,” he declared, adding that it was time for the administration to be kicked out of office.

Mr Mahama expressed concern over the long-term impact of NPP’s economic mismanagement, stating that Ghana could take 20 to 30 years to recover from the financial mess and long-term debt commitments as some loans and bonds would take 20 to 30 years to pay.

Gender balance

The former President then turned his focus to gender equality, championing his running mate, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, as Ghana’s potential first female vice-president, a milestone he believed would empower more women to pursue leadership roles.

Mr Mahama reiterated the NDC’s commitment to gender parity through the implementation of the affirmative action law which enjoins governments to ensure that by 2028, appointments would achieve a 50/50 balance of men and women, ensuring equal representation.

The chief of teacher Mante Barima Okofo Mante II expressed optimism that John Mahama and the NDC would return to power and appealed that the next NDC government should help the community address issues regarding land dispossession, insecurity and youth unemployment.