Former President John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has laid out an ambitious agenda for the first 120 days should the party win the upcoming general elections.
Addressing a packed audience at the party’s manifesto launch at the University of Education, Winneba, former President Mahama articulated a comprehensive plan aimed at economic recovery, educational reform, social intervention, and governance overhaul.
Economic Reforms and Fiscal Consolidation
Former President Mahama’s first major action, within the initial 90 days, will be to organize a national economic dialogue.
This dialogue will aim to assess the true state of Ghana’s economy and to craft a homegrown fiscal consolidation program.
“This program will serve as a blueprint for our budgetary processes, guiding us towards a sustainable economic path,” Mahama emphasized, indicating a clear shift towards domestically informed financial strategies.
Furthermore, former President Mahama announced the establishment of an Accelerated Export Development Council, which he will personally chair.
This council, he mentioned will focus on enhancing Ghana’s export capacity as part of a broader economic transformation strategy.
Complementing this, former President Mahama indicated that his government will review taxes and levies on vehicles and equipment imported for industrial and agricultural purposes, promoting economic growth in these critical sectors.
Educational Reforms and Social Interventions
On education, the NDC flagbearer emphasized that within the first 120 days, his administration will convene a National Consultative Conference on Education.
This conference, he noted will include key stakeholders such as the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), and representatives from various educational institutions.
The aim of the consultative conference according to former President Mahama is to build consensus on enhancing the quality of education, particularly the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
Former President Mahama also reaffirmed his commitment to the party’s “No Academic Fee Stress” initiative, which will be rolled out for all first-year students in public tertiary institutions.
“We will budget for this and the money will be given to the student loan trust fund secretariat. It will register all the level 100 students and it will pay the money to their universities on their behalf so that they don’t have to go and pay anything. It will be a grant. It’s not a loan. It will be a grant so they don’t have to pay for it”.
Former President John Dramani Mahama, NDC Flagbearer
Additionally, he pledged free tertiary education for persons with disabilities and introduced the Ghana Medical Care Trust Fund, targeting critical health conditions like kidney ailments and heart diseases.
To support female students, the NDC plans to commence the distribution of free sanitary pads in basic and secondary schools.
Former President John Dramani Mahama underscored the importance of these initiatives, saying, “We are committed to creating an inclusive educational environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed.”
Governance and Anti-Corruption Measures
Addressing governance and corruption, former President Mahama promised a series of inquiries and forensic audits into several matters of public concern.
These include investigations into the alleged illegal printing of money by the Bank of Ghana, the handling of COVID-19 funds, and multiple corruption scandals, including the PDS, Agyapa, and Sky Train deals.
“We’ll in investigate the GHS 58,000,000 the COVID-19 expenditure scandal. We’ll investigate corruption scandals including the PDS, Agyapa, SML, ambulance, 13th All African Games, Sky Train, Pwalugu Dam, mathematical Set procurement, galaxy fraud, missing excavators, missing tricycles, and many, many, many, many, many others issue of public interest”
Former President John Dramani Mahama, NDC Flagbearer
Former President Mahama also announced plans to ban all political appointees and politically exposed persons from purchasing state assets, aiming to eliminate conflicts of interest and prevent the misuse of public office for personal gain.
“We will lay before parliament a new bill to reform government scholarship administration, ensuring transparency and fairness,” he reiterated.
Environmental Initiatives and Infrastructure Development
On environmental issues, Former President Mahama detailed plans to confront illegal mining with a decisive ban on such activities in forest reserves.
The “Tree for Life” and “Blue Water” initiatives, he noted will focus on rehabilitating degraded lands and water bodies, transforming them into productive and sustainable ecosystems.
The former president also announced the “Black Star Experience,” a flagship program aimed at boosting Ghana’s creative industry and tourism sector.
This initiative, he emphasized is expected to position Ghana as a leading destination for cultural, artistic, and creative events.
Support for Women, Job Creation, and Industry
A significant highlight of former President Mahama’s plan was the establishment of a Women’s Development Bank within the first 120 days, aimed at supporting women-owned and women-led businesses. This initiative underscores his commitment to gender equality and the economic empowerment of women.
On job creation, former President Mahama outlined plans to launch priority job creation programs, including the “Adwumawura” project, which aims to promote and mentor 10,000 young entrepreneurs.
He also announced the “1,000,000 Coders” program and a “Made in Ghana” agenda to promote local production and consumption, leveraging government procurement to stimulate the domestic economy.
Former President Mahama also promised to review the Customs Amendment Act of 2020, particularly scrapping the law banning the importation of salvage vehicles, a move that is expected to revive local industries in Suame Magazine, Konkompe, Abossey Okai, and similar areas.
Reopening Investigations and Addressing Unresolved Cases
Finally, former President John Dramani Mahama committed to reopening investigations into major unresolved cases, including the killings during the 2020 elections, the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence, and the murder of journalist Ahmed Suale.
In the realm of security, former President Mahama promised to purge state security agencies of militia and vigilante elements.
He also highlighted plans to investigate the Volta River Authority’s handling of the Akosombo and Kpong dams’ spillage, which displaced thousands of residents.
“We will take immediate steps to provide compensation for the victims, including those in the lower Volta, those in Oti, those in Buno East, and those in the Savannah the flooding”
Former President John Dramani Mahama, NDC Flagbearer
In a clear response to concerns about the economic challenges facing Ghana, the NDC flagbearer reassured the public of the NDC’s capacity to deliver on these ambitious plans.
“We will realign our expenditure and cut waste, creating more fiscal space to implement our social contract with the people,” he concluded.
