KEY POLICIES ANNOUNCED BY H.E JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA (THE NATION BUILDER) TOWARDS THE 2024 GENERAL ELECTIONS
NB: UPDATED AS AT 6TH FEBRUARY, 2024
1. Implement a 24-hour economy strategy with three (3) shifts of eight (8) hours each to; maximize productivity and efficiency; transform Ghana into an import substitution and export-led economy; enhance access to public services and create more well-paying jobs for unemployed Ghanaians.
2. Stop the economic decline and restore stability and inclusive growth to the economy.
3. Reform the Bank of Ghana and rejuvenate the almost collapsed banking and financial sector.
*We will also give opportunity for experienced banking hands who were laid off, to secure their careers once more and move from the menial jobs they were forced into.
* As far as practicable, banking licenses that were unjustly cancelled by this Government will be restored.
4. Prioritize local participation in the banking, financial, telecommunications, mining, oil and gas, agriculture, manufacturing, and construction sectors to generate more jobs for the youth.
5. Actively attract viable and serious private sector investors to partner government to invest in productive sectors for job creation.
* This will involve an emphasis on agriculture and agribusiness and will have a strong focus on making Ghanaians own their own micro enterprises.
6. Lead a process to set a standardized limit for borrowing and ensure that Ghana never suffers such a deadly debt management programme that threatens to send elderly people holding government bonds to their early graves and wipe out the investments of the Ghanaian middle class.
7. Complete abandoned and ongoing projects instead of rushing to start new ones.
* We will carry out an inventory of all hospitals, schools, electrification, water, and road projects which have stalled or been abandoned and make annual budgetary allocation for completing them.
8. Establish a Governance Advisory Council to help improve political governance, curb corruption, and ensure respect for human rights.
* The Council will include representatives of Civil Society Organizations, religious leaders, traditional leaders, and ordinary Ghanaians, among others. They will be empowered to release a State of Governance in Ghana report every year.
9. Run the leanest but most efficient government under the fourth republic by appointing not more than 60 ministers and deputy ministers in our bid to cut down on government expenditure.
* We shall combine certain Ministries and eliminate government agencies that are duplicating each other.
10. Abolish the payment of Ex-gratia and cut out waste and ostentation in Government.
11. Work with Parliament and all stakeholders to complete the constitution review process and strengthen separation of powers.
12. Government procurement is recognized as a major source of corruption and misappropriation of public funds. We will among other measures, set up an Independent Value for Money office to scrutinize all government procurements above a $5 million threshold or as shall be recommended by Parliament.
13. Give anti-corruption state institutions unfettered space to operate – The days of the Clearing Agent must come to an end on January 07, 2025.
• We shall wage a strong fight against corruption to reduce waste and save money for reinvestment in the economy.
* The sword of the fight against corruption will cut both ways – against past government officials, officials of the incumbent administration, civil and public servants, businesses, government suppliers, etc. if they fall foul of the law.
14. The Fourth Estate of the realm – the media – will also be given the conducive and collaborative atmosphere to operate as the fourth power that they ought to be, without threats, harassments and assassinations.
15. Set up a Commission of Enquiry to investigate the matter of looted State Lands and make recommendations for resolving the vexed issue of expropriated Ga-Dangbe lands.
16. Stop collateralizing statutory funds for the purpose of taking on more loans.
17. Reconsider the tax exemption regime and ensure that any exemptions are beneficial to the Ghanaian people.
18. Ensure that the extractive sector operates within a mutually beneficial tax environment for the stability of the exchange rate.
19. We will seek to make Ghana benefit more from its finite natural resources and encourage indigenous Ghanaian businesses that have the technology and capacity to operate their own productive mining concessions by themselves or in partnership.
* Also, we will resource the geological survey department and review the laws governing the extractive industry so that Ghana can increase its share and local participation in the exploitation of the nation’s natural resources.
20. From January 2025, the next NDC administration will transform the economy, diversify our exports, and ensure value addition to create more jobs.
* We will add value to our cocoa by increasing domestic processing, refining our gold before export, and pursuing the dream of an integrated bauxite and alumina industry.
* VALCO, TOR and other strategic industries that can serve as extra pillars for our economy will be brought on stream.
21. Building a modernized agricultural economy driven by technology and digitalization and the establishment of agribusiness shall be one of the key anchors of our economic transformation plan;
* We will launch a programme akin to the “Operation Feed Yourself and Industries” of the early 70’s to make Ghana self-sufficient in basic staples and curb unnecessary imports;
* We shall also establish and deploy farmers’ service centers nationwide in all districts to boost production and output;
* We shall revive the concept of school farms so that the produce from the farms will be used to feed the students.
* By introducing well established farmer cooperatives, advanced farming techniques, embracing digital tools and promoting agribusinesses, we shall create opportunities for farmers, improve food security and bolster economic growth.
22. We shall apply the Price Stabilization Levy for its intended purpose to cushion petroleum consumers.
23. As a matter of urgency, we shall revamp the Tema Oil Refinery and ensure that the refinery processes domestic crude oil (as was started under our administration).
24. We shall facilitate an affordable housing scheme for teachers by collaborating and supporting teacher unions.
25. We will introduce an additional holiday to the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr. We will, however, ensure that this does not affect productivity by modifying the Public Holidays Act so that Ghana continues to have the same number of public holidays per year.
26. We shall cancel the obnoxious licensure examination for Teacher Trainee graduates.
27. We shall establish a western industrial enclave to expand industries in the Western Enclave for job creation.
28. We shall pay assemblymen a monthly allowance.
29. We shall pay a 20% allowance to rural-based teachers
30. In April 2025, the new NDC government shall introduce a new budget to support small and medium scale businesses and adjust taxes as an incentive for job creation.
31. Complete the Tamne Irrigation project, support rice processing factories, provide fish storage facilities and prepare the Komenda Sugar Factory for take-off.
32. Improve the implementation of the Free SHS program and abolish the dreaded double-track system.
33. The next NDC government will build Cocoa Processing factories in Cocoa growing areas so that Ghana will not only export raw cocoa.
34. We shall abolish the obnoxious E-levy and review the levy imposed on bet winnings.
* With improved revenues from the savings made from a reduced size of government, anti-corruption fight, fast-tracked operationalization of new oil and gas wells, increased investment in the mining sector and a revamped cocoa sector, we can ease the heavy burden of tax that has been placed on Ghanaian households and businesses.”
35. We shall revive the construction of Cocoa roads in cocoa growing communities.
36. We shall build Tomato Processing Plants in the Bono Regions.
37. We shall build a Cashew Processing Plant in the Bono Region.
38. Farmer Co-operatives will be established in every region which will receive support to improve their businesses.
39. We shall continue the National Apprenticeship Program.
40. We shall scrap the quota system for admissions into Nursing and Teacher Training Colleges to expand students enrollment.
41. We shall ensure the prompt posting of trained health professionals.
42. Build Teachers accommodation in basic schools and start a policy of adding teacher accommodation to every basic school to be constructed.
43. We shall establish factories in every region based on their comparative advantage.
44. We shall open district mining offices and decentralize regulatory and licensing processes for artisanal miners.
45. We shall decentralize recruitment into the security agencies and ensure that recruitments are done on regional basis.
46. We shall complete the Eastern Corridor Road.
47. We shall build the Cargo service Center at the Tamale Airport to enhance exportation of agricultural produce through the airport.
48. We shall revive the cotton industry and give support to our farmers to grow cotton.
49. We shall revive the Pwualugu tomato factory.
50. We shall revive the Wulugu livestock station.
51. We shall revive the Zuarungu meat factory.
52. We shall complete the Pwualugu dam to absorb the spillage from the Bagre dam.
53. We shall start a tree growing policy where young people will plant trees and nurture the trees till they grow.
54. We shall establish a modern dialysis center in the Upper East region.
55. Phase 2 of the Tamne irrigation dam project will be completed to boost agriculture in the Upper East region. We shall continue the irrigation projects that we started in the Upper East region.
56. We shall build an airport in the Upper East Region.
57. We shall reverse the names of Public Universities re-named by the NPP to reflect the core mandate of those universities.
58. We shall build a referral hospital in Bawku.
59. We shall construct a potable water system for the people of Yendi and upgrade the Yendi Hospital to improve healthcare services and reduce long distance travel for medical care.
60. We shall remove taxes on essential medical supplies for dialysis. We shall also establish a Cancer and Kidney disease Trust Fund to support afflicted Ghanaians who need assistance to treat such conditions.
COMPILED BY: THE NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS BUREAU OF THE NDC
NB: UPDATED AS AT 6TH FEBRUARY, 2024
Source: Newsflashafrica.com