The 2016 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says the government of President Mahama, over the last eight years, has proven itself to be incompetent at finding solutions to the myriad of problems confronting Ghanaians.
According to Nana Akufo-Addo, against a backdrop of an economy in tatters, declining growth in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors, coupled with the inability of Ghanaian youth to find jobs, rising cost of living, widespread and rampant corruption, and an ailing NHIS, Ghanaians must show President Mahama the exit on December 7.
“President Mahama has no solutions to the problems of our country. He is an impediment to the progress of our nation. We cannot continue to seek the progress of Ghana with him in office… Ghanaians have become too miserable under Mahama. We are on a rich land, and yet we are drenched in hunger, poverty and suffering. This is not right,” he said.
Urging Ghanaians to give him and the NPP the opportunity in this year’s elections, the NPP flagbearer is assuring that “we are coming to change these statistics. We are coming to prudently manage the finances of Ghana to improve the living conditions of Ghanaians.”
Nana Akufo-Addo made this known when he addressed thousands of NPP supporters and sympathisers, as well as residents of Sekondi, on Sunday, August 14, at the campaign launch of the NPP’s parliamentary candidate for the Sekondi constituency, Andrew Egyapa Mercer.
“We are asking for power from Ghanaians not because we want to lord it over them, or to steal the monies of poor Ghanaians. No! We seek power to enable us to serve the people, and implement policies and programmes that will bring development, progress and prosperity to all Ghanaians,” he said
To this end, the NPP flagbearer reiterated his pledge towards the industrial development of Ghana, when he wins this year’s elections, stating that “this is the next phase of the development of Ghana.”
He noted that an Akufo-Addo government will be coming into office “to help establish industries in this country so as to create jobs for our youth. These industries will also include the establishment of an aluminum industry from our bauxite deposists, an iron and steel industry from our iron ore deposits at Oppon Manso, amongst others.”
Ghana’s railway sector, which once had its hub in the Western Region, he said will be revived and developed to aide in the industrialization programme of the NPP.
“We are going to rehabilitate our railway sector. That is our commitment. For the last 8 years, President Mahama’s government has shown little commitment towards the development of our railways. We are coming to do it,” he said, drawing rousing applause from the thousands gathered.
Nana Akufo-Addo also bemoaned the deplorable living conditions of fisherfolk and residents along the coastal belt of Ghana, stating that “the fishing communities along the coast have been abandoned by the society, though they have a significant contribution to make to the development of Ghana.”
The NPP flagbearer therefore assured that “like the Northern Development Authority, one central feature of the NPP’s 2016 manifesto will be the establishment of a Coastal Development Authority to allow for the rapid development of the constituencies, and the improvement of the living conditions of Ghanaians resident along the coastline.”
Nana Akufo-Addo urged the Ghanaian electorate to have faith in him and the NPP, explaining that “I am not one to make promises I know I cannot keep, all in the name of getting votes. I have too much love and respect for Ghanaians to make promises which I cannot fulfill. I will never do that. Whatever I have said I will do.
“The ‘1-District-1-Factory’ policy, the development of our small scale industries, and the establishment of strategic industries can all be achieved through the prudent management of our resources.”
He indicated that whilst some neighbouring countries have made giant strides in the last 5 years, Ghana, however, within the same time frame, and under the leadership of President Mahama, is going backwards.
“Cote d’Ivoire, five or six years ago was coming out of civil war. The election in 2010 led to 100,000 displaced people, 3,000 people were killed as a result of the election between Laurent Gbagbo and Alassane Ouattara. In five years, because of good, strong leadership, Cote d’Ivoire is today the number one investment destination in Africa. They are the toast of the continent.”
Nana Akufo-Addo, thus, appealed to the Ghanaian electorate to give him the opportunity “to do for Ghana, what Alassane Ouattara is doing for the Cote d’Ivoire” by voting massively for him and the NPP on December 7.
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