NDC’s investments in technology unparalleled — Mahama

The flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has pledged to invest heavily in technology and position information communication technology (ICT) as the springboard for accelerated development when elected in the December presidential election. 

He said the NDC’s track record in technology investments was unmatched as it allocated significant amounts of resources for the development of the most critical technology infrastructures during its time in government.

The investments, he said, included the fibre optic line that runs through six regions, 20 districts and 120 communities from Accra to the Upper regions.

“They also included the $37 million investment in steam education as well as the multi million E-Transform project, under which the E-Justice, E-Parliament, E-immigration were piloted and implemented,” Mr Mahama said.

Conference 

Mr Mahama was speaking at the 75th Annual New Year School and Conference at the University of Ghana.

The conference, held at the ISSER conference centre was on the theme: "Nurturing resilience: Adopting technology and embracing humanism for sustainable development”.

 It was spearheaded by the School of Continuing and Distance Education of the College of Education at the University of Ghana.

24-hour economy

Mr Mahama said an NDC government would ride on the back of technology to implement the proposed 24-hour economy, which is aimed to create a system for businesses to operate around the clock to help expand the economy and create more jobs.

Responding to questions, he said the next NDC government would abolish entitlements enshrined in Article 71 of the Constitution and put in place an independent emoluments commission to review and be in charge of the entitlements.

He said the party would also look at social protection to safeguard the comfort and well-being of the people.

He cited the inability for Social Security and National Insurance Trust to pay contributors who were laid off from work during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

He said the NDC would support the election of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives but not along partisan lines.

The NDC, he said, was of the view that the election at the local level must be based on the integrity of the contestants and not the support of the party they belonged to.