The Largest opposition party’s flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, has intimated that the Campaign beginning from 7th October, 2020, by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is centered on the true vision of the party and the people of Ghana beyond the powerful pledges in the ‘People’s Manifesto’.
This statement comes on the back of an Official Campaign Launch on Wednesday, 7th October, 2020 in Wiawso the capital of Sefwi-Wiawso district of the Western North Region of Ghana, said that “all the attacks and lies won’t stop us from delivering our vision,”. According to the former President, the NDC is better and prepared than ever before.
He, however, revealed that the during his four-year tenure as President of Ghana, his government faced challenges yet overcame those challenges. This, he said puts the NDC in a better position to deal with the present challenges Ghana is facing.
Iterating his pledge on jobs defined in the ‘People’s Manifesto’, John Mahama promised to create one million new decent jobs over the next four years when voted into power.
Also, he said that, the free primary healthcare policy, is a policy that is still held in high esteem and will be delivered by the NDC when elected after the December 7 polls. He further said that access to healthcare is a human right and would always consider the people of Ghana first.
However, there are several academia’s in the health sectors that have stated that the free primary healthcare policy will not be feasible.
According to a Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School and Health Economist, Dr. Gordon Abekah-Nkrumah revealed that the fiscal integrity of the promise made in the manifesto by the NDC, to provide free primary health care, is a great initiative but, will not be financially feasible. He further stated that the free primary healthcare project will cost between USD 1.5 billion to above USD 2.3 billion but, the project’s annual revenue from the National Health Insurance Levy (NHIL) will be below the cost.
Also, the General Secretary of Ghana Medical Association, Dr. Justice Yankson, opined that Ghana has failed for many years to dedicate 15 per cent of its GDP to the health sector as is required by members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Meanwhile, John Mahama entreated all compatriot in the various constituencies across the country to deliver the messages in the ‘People’s Manifesto’, directly to the people, educating and sharing it with the community.
Touching on the campaign, he stated that the message has be segmented into simple flyers and also produced an abridged version of the ‘People’s Manifesto’ to make it easier for all to have access and for people to get the details first hand. He further revealed that the manifesto can be downloaded from www.johnmahama.org or can be accessed using the John Mahama app on phones or any communication device.
Touching on the whereabout of his running mate, Professor Jane Nana Opoku-Agyemang, John Mahama intimated that, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang is currently in the Eastern Region to continue a door to door campaign.
Meanwhile, John Mahama showed gratitude to the General Secretary to the NDC party, Johnson Asiedu Nketia who submitted the Presidential nomination form on behalf of John Mahama and his running mate, Professor Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
On December 7, 2020, John Mahama revealed that the NDC will police all ballot papers from all polling stations through the constituencies from the regional to the national collation centers.
