Dr. Kobina Arthur Kennedy, a prominent member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has highlighted the challenges facing the party in the run-up to the 2024 General Elections.
He first mentioned Ghanaians’ recurring tendency to change the government every 8 years, a pattern evident throughout the Fourth Republic.
He also pointed out the negative track record of the Akufo-Addo administration. Addressing Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s nomination as the NPP’s flagbearer on the “Ghana Tonight” show on TV3 on November 7, Dr. Arthur Kennedy commented,
“There is always 8 years to change, which Ghanaians have demonstrated all through the Fourth Republic, which will be a significant and historical barrier for the NPP to overcome. The second thing is the bad record of the government and the fact that Dr. Bawumia is trying to run on the ticket of a government that has been unpopular.
“There are ways to overcome that but that is a problem. The third one is the religious aspect. The other one is the fact that the person on the other ticket is very well known, a former president whose almost-dead career has been resurrected by the bad performance of the NPP government. All these are challenges that the NPP ticket will face in the 2024 elections.”
Moreover, Dr. Arthur Kennedy emphasized the significance of Dr. Bawumia’s election in dispelling the perception of the party as exclusively Akan.
“One can say that the election of Afoko against government support was more significant, but certainly one can say that the NPP has been able to elect a non-Akan flagbearer, and that is a positive thing. It will make a lot of significance; it will make an impact, but I think that if Afoko’s election didn’t make an impact, we should not exaggerate how much Bawumia’s election will make, but it certainly gives you an answer to the narrative that it is an Akan party.”
General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong, supported this sentiment, affirming that the party’s victory under Dr. Bawumia’s leadership challenges the previous notion of the NPP as an ‘Akan’ party.
Similarly, former National Chairman Peter Mac Manu underscored the significance of Dr. Bawumia’s win, refuting claims by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the North was their stronghold.
These party members highlighted the NPP’s commitment to internal democracy, stressing unity and support for the eventual flagbearer.
John Mahama Focused On Winning 2024 Elections
In the bid to break the NPP’s Break the Eight, John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has already taken to the campaign trail.
John Dramani Mahama has expressed his intention to conduct a comprehensive review of the Free Senior High School Policy (Free SHS) within the first 100 days of assuming office, should he win the 2024 General Elections. Mr. Mahama stressed the importance of solid foundational education and proposed the formation of a panel of educational experts to devise an improved framework for implementing the Free SHS policy, intending to elevate the quality of basic education. He also advocated a return to using the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) for student assessments within the regional bloc, citing the need for an external benchmark to evaluate Ghana’s education system effectively.
Furthermore, he has accused Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta of engaging in reckless borrowing, leading to an economic crisis during the Akufo-Addo administration. Mr. Mahama alleged that the Finance Minister’s excessive borrowing exacerbated the country’s economic challenges, claiming that prudent borrowing could have averted the ensuing financial turmoil.
Also, Mr. Mahama’s proposition of a 24-hour economy with a three-shift system has been welcomed by many citizens across the country, particularly with enthusiasm from Dr. Yaw Baah, who emphasized the potential job opportunities it could create.
Dr. Yaw Baah encouraged the youth to prepare for the jobs expected to be generated under this policy proposed by the NDC for the 2024 elections.
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