A flagbearer hopeful of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, has requested President Akufo-Addo to take responsibility for the current economic hardship.

According to him, had the President listened to his early cautions, the country would not be in the current economic turmoil it finds itself. Thus, he criticized the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration for the hardship Ghanaians are experiencing now.

“What is making it difficult for them to govern is that they are not people who listen to advice. They never accept their mistakes, so they are not able to learn from their mistakes. Notwithstanding the poor state of Ghana’s economy, still they are not accepting responsibility.”
John Dramani Mahama

Speaking as part of his three-day ‘Building Ghana we want together’ campaign tour of the twenty-three constituencies in the Central Region, he expressed the need for government to take step in alleviating the plight of Ghanaians.

Meanwhile, the former President has promised to use only 60 ministers to run his government should he be elected the President of Ghana again. He indicated that the current government has ruined the country by running with over 86 ministers and their deputies, which is expensive for the nation, especially considering his recent appointment.

“Looking at how the government has ruined the country, when NDC comes, we shall manage the country with not more than 60 ministers in order to reduce government expenditure.”
John Dramani Mahama

Mahama vows to appoint 60 ministers

Mr Mahama highlighted that the excessive trips by government appointees with expensive budget would be curtailed because the government must be lenient to the people of Ghana.

On his part, the Member of Parliament for Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira Constituency, Kofi Arko Nokoe, recounted the difficulty he faced in wrestling the seat from the then New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP, Catherine Abelema Afeku, who was then a cabinet Minister.

He stated that he suffered to wrestle the seat so the NPP is willing to do everything to retain the seat in the 2024 elections.

“This is a seat which is very difficult to win but in 2020, we wrestled it from the NPP. In 2016 after the election, the NDC power went down in the constituency. In 2018, I went to the party and told them I could wrestle it because everyone was afraid of the then NPP MP. I went round the constituency and I realized Axim was the challenge so if we are able to break that challenge, we shall win the seat.”
Kofi Arko Nokoe

As part of the NDC flagbearer hopeful’s bid to contest for presidency in the general election in 2024, he has resolved to tour the regions of the country to acquaint himself with Ghanaians and espouse his plans to them.

With the party’s internal elections slated for May 13, 2023, Mr Mahama will be Number 1 on the ballot of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) when it goes to the polls to elect its 2024 Presidential Candidate. The balloting for the positions was conducted on Wednesday, March 29 after completion of the vetting of all aspirants.

One of the candidates, Ernest Kwaku Kobeah, has withdrawn from the race to throw his support for presumptive candidate John Dramani Mahama.

Kojo Bonsu, who served as Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), will be Number 2 on the ballot. Also, former Central Bank Governor Dr Kwabena Duffuor, who also served as Finance Minister in the government of the NDC between 2009 and 2012, will be Number 3 on the ballot.

Even before the Vetting Committee came out with its report, some of the aspirants have been campaigning.