The Presidential candidate of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama, has entreated the youth in the country to consider next month’s elections as one that has implications for their future.
In his view, the youth are the ones who would bear the brunt of the decision that would be taken on December 7, and would have to live with the ramifications of the government which would be installed on January 7, 2025.
Addressing a mini rally at Kyebi on Monday, as part of his campaign of the Eastern Region, Mr Mahama said the choice of voters should not be based solely on political affiliation, but consideration for who could redeem Ghana from the ditch it’s been driven into by the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government.
He stated that the youth would be the ones to defray the unsustainable debt the current government has incurred from GH¢122 billion in 2016 to GH¢760 billion.
The former president bemoaned the lack of jobs for the youth, noting that unemployment continued to worsen, increasing from eight per cent in 2016 to 14 per cent currently.
According to Mr Mahama, the NPP rode on the back of falsehood to secure electoral victory in 2016, but lacked the requisite competence and personnel to manage the country.
Recounting the campaign promises of the NPP government prior to assuming power, Mr Mahama questioned the whereabouts of the one million dollar per constituency promise, and challenged the government to show what that money has been used for at Kyebi.
The five-day Eastern Region campaign took the former president and his team to Nsawam, Teacher Mantey, Adeiso, Asamankese, Suhum, and Koforidua in the Nsawam Adoagyiri, Ayensuano, Upper West Akim, Lower West Akim, Suhum and New Juaben South constituencies, respectively.
In Nsawam, the former president emphasised that choosing the NDC at the poll was crucial to change the direction of leadership of the country.
The elections, the former president said, presents the opportunity to improve Ghana’s fortunes and that shift in leadership was needed, urgently to tackle the challenges arising from the mismanagement of the economy, the incompetence and corruption in high places.
In Suhum, the former president accused the Akufo-Addo government of engaging in “reckless decisions” like the collapse of local banks, which did not only render thousands jobless, but added GH¢25 billion to the public debt, a problem which costs less than GH¢10 billion.
Moreover, he said the NDC government would take conscious steps to create sustainable formal jobs to absorb the professionals who lost their jobs and make credit available to women through the proposed Women Development Bank.
He gave the assurance that an NDC government would reconstruct the pothole ridden Suhum to Koforidua road if voted into power.
In Koforidua the former president stated that the Eastern Regional capital town would be elevated into metropolitan status.
He said the planned elevation was conceived in 2016, but has since been abandoned by the NPP government.
The former president also assured of overhauling the Koforidua market into a modern trading hub.
FROM JULIUS YAO PETETSI, KYEBI
