NDC to launch campaign in August - Mahama

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is to launch its campaign for the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections next month, the flag bearer of the party, John Dramani Mahama, has said. 

He said after the launch of the campaign in August, members of the party would be deployed across the length and breadth of the country to solicit votes. 

Mr Mahama announced this while on a working visit to the Ayawaso West Wuogon and Adentan constituencies in the Greater Accra Region during which he met with various stakeholders, including chiefs, members of the Clergy, students, market women, and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo.

Mini rally

Addressing a mini rally at the Elizabeth Sey Hostel in Legon, Mr Mahama said he was seeking re-election to implement the right policies that would improve the lives of all citizens and not a selected few. 

He urged the students to have faith in him and the NDC parliamentary aspirant for the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, John Dumelo, to help change the situation. 

The former President said although the university had expanded in population, its infrastructure had seen little expansion, culminating in congestion at various residential halls. 

He pledged to partner the private sector to build more hostel facilities in the university to curb the rising accommodation crisis on campus. 

Adentan

At Adentan where Mr Mahama met with traditional rulers and members of the Clergy, he described the current economic situation in the country as the worst the nation had witnessed. 

"Everyone in this country is a witness to the current situation of the economy. Since I was born in Ghana, things have not been this difficult, and I know all grown-ups will attest that we have not seen this level of hardship," he added.

Mr Mahama criticised the government's performance, saying that Ghana which was the second-largest economy in the subregion under his rule, had now been surpassed by Cote d’Ivoire.

"President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in opposition always compared us to Cote d’Ivoire, but today he cannot repeat those comparisons because Cote d’Ivoire has left us behind," he said.

Mr Mahama also highlighted the high levels of unemployment, citing reports that over two million citizens were idle at home without education, training or work.

Performance

The former President further said that the increasing prices of fuel had reached an all-time high of about GH¢16 per litre, which had led to food insecurity.

"If with all the corruption, capture of state lands, and poor performance of the economy, voters return the NPP to power, they will see it as a reward for bad performance," he said.

Mr Mahama promised to set up a commission of inquiry to investigate corruption and capture of state lands if elected.

He also pledged to address the poor state of roads in Adentan and expand water supply, which he said had stagnated under the current government.