Moving Ghana away from Economic Slavery: Independent Presidential Campaign Platform for Change (Part2)

Let us rise and prove to OURSELVES that with the RIGHT LEADERSHIP, we can do very much better. We must opt for MERITOCRACY instead of our present MEDIOCRITY.

Our problems require COMMON SENSE, DISCIPLINED and a PRAGMATIC approach to solving them. We have to say NO!! To some old habits inherited from the „Colonial master “…mostly the FREEBIES. For example, Free Housing, Vehicle, Petrol, Water, Electricity, Telephone, per diem, EX, Gratia and a host of other privileges which blots the National budget. That system favors the few who would wish that it remains so forever.

I’m the son of peasant farmers, trained as an Engineer, a Manager, a Farmer and Businessman. I have passed through life the hard way within the trenches in Ghana, and I have life experiences in Europe and America. I have the visionary and revolutionary capacity to transform the hopelessness in Ghana from within our backyard. I am aware of all the negativities within our economic set up that discredit our financial administration and I will boldly plug them all for our economic survival.

Ghana at this point in our history needs DEDICATED and SELFLESS INDIVIDUALS who would sacrifice to work under a merit-orientated administrative condition. Conditions that would ultimately help us never again to be subjected to the harsh economic dictates of the IMF/WB. We must work for conditions which will put MEANING into the „ Ghana beyond Aid” slogan. Those who cannot and do not want to sacrifice for Ghana, will have NO BUSINESS in my government. They would be assisted to establish their own businesses, pay their fair % of taxes and they will have no problems with the law. Yes, the laws of the country will be ENFORCED accordingly on economic saboteurs. It is the search for selfless individuals to help save our Country, which I have offered to serve for FREE for the first 2 years, if I’m voted to the presidency in 2020. I want to prove to the youth of Ghana that there is still hope for them, and that all is not lost yet.

I co-founded the Ghana National Party, in 2008, a potential alternative to the NPP and NDC grip on Ghana’s political landscape. I was overwhelmingly, by popular acclamation, nominated the presidential candidate at the party’s National Congress. I travelled throughout the Country and therefore not a novice in our Ghanaian politics. I know the needs of our people and have a passion for their deplorable living conditions.

I have studied and followed the NDC/NPP divisive and deceptive political tricks over the years, and my intuition is that NEITHER of the two, has the political will to take Ghana to the „ promised Land. They are voted into power, only to supervise a CREATE, LOOT and SHARE Government.

None of the successive military interventions in the 1960s to 1980s made any meaningful relevance in our socio-political and economic aspirations, even though they were meant to clean up AND eradicate corrupt practices. Many citizens were humiliated, brutalized including public execution by firing squad of all former Heads of State apparently for no justifiable cause. May their souls rest in peace.

Corruption today is worse than it was before the military interventions.

The question then is, what was the justification for the military adventures and the execution of the former heads of State?

In the last 27 years, there have been no positive national development direction other than deceptive and un-productive NDC/NPP party manifestos that have seen more corruption ever in the history of our self-governance.

The development of Ghana depends on EACH ONE OF US, but the FRAMEWORK to this requires the CLEAR VISION and DETERMINATION of the president. Unfortunately, Ghana hasn’t had, in my view, the RIGHT LEADERSHIP so far after 1966.

I believe that God has given me the best recipe for Ghana’s Economic Salvation.     I have studied our political situation for decades and worked strenuously on this document which I dedicate first, to Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah who transformed Ghana within Nine years, under his vision of an industrial based economy. But for his visionary leadership, we would still be in darkness. Those who hated him for leaning on socialist Russia for all we needed, are today sleeping with communist China for everything and when the Chinese commits crime in Ghana, they see nothing wrong with it because they give us Loans. Secondly, I dedicate it to the suffering people of Ghana as the presidential campaign platform for change. Kwame Nkrumah did so much for Ghana, but we were ungrateful to him. MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE.

Thirty-five years after his overthrow, we are still groping in the dark for the RIGHT economic prescription and our people still live in deplorable conditions.

As President, I will set the path to revolutionize the Ghanaian economy from our own backyard within the first year of my 4 yrs. in office. I will handover governance with a REFORMED 1992 Constitution and a visionary administrative system insulated with strong institutions that will stand the test of time.

Fellow Ghanaians, there are several necessities of Life, which are classified as „ Human Survival Needs “. The Provision of these, gives DEMOCRACY and MODERN CIVILISATION a true meaning. These are…

Food

Water

Housing

Medical Services

Transportation and Communication Systems

Meaningful Employment

The above basics are still not fully available to most of our people in our 62 years of self-rule, especially getting worse after the 1966 coup. WHY IS THAT?

It is all because we failed to plan and work for the common interest of the people. Ghanaians deserve better and we must reject MEDIOCRITY and EMBRACE sound and selfless decision making, discipline and search for constant improvements and perfections in our way of life AND our way of doing things. THAT IS WHAT a sincere and TRUE REVOLUTION implies!

Ghanaians must stand out NOW to be counted! Ghana is blessed with ALL that it takes to develop a nation, but after all the years of independence, we are still backwardly struggling to survive under very harsh economic conditions because of SELFISHNESS, GREED, FAILURE in LEADERSHIP and intellectual Dishonesty displayed by successive governments. These have regrettably eroded the hopes and aspirations of many Ghanaians especially the Youth. Under the circumstances I wish to challenge the youth of Ghana to rise up with the understanding of the Ghanaian Youth anthem „ Arise Ghana Youth for your country, The nation demands your Devotion “I urge you to go out to knock on doors wherever you come from and let the message of reform reach to our illiterate majority and assure them that they should keep hope alive and vote for Samuel Ofori Ampofo for change as President of Ghana.

I also challenge all other Ghanaians, the soldiers, police, doctors, lecturers, teachers, Nurses, Farmers, market-folks, fishermen, all public and civil servants, to have an unwavering change of mind towards those who have ran this country  down especially in the last 27 yrs. of the 4^th republic. If NDC/NPP have not made any meaningful impact in your lives in 27 years, what will you lose voting against them for a better choice in 2020 elections?

AS president, I will apply all the powers vested in the Executive to provide most of the basic human survival needs to the people of Ghana within four (4) years to prove how cruel previous NDC/NPP Leaderships have treated Ghanaians over the last 27yrs. It makes no sense promising the people heavens and leave them in hell. I will establish an open and most tolerant democratic governance in our history. MY DOORS WILL BE WIDELY OPEN FOR ABSOLUTE PRESS FREEDOMS.

Under my presidency, every pesewa of the Taxpayer’s money will be accounted for quarterly at ALL LEVELS of the economy, in the center pages of the daily graphic and the Ghanaian Times newspapers to prove how taxes are judiciously applied on National projects.

Fellow Ghanaians, until a comprehensive National development plan has been drawn and adopted by law. My Government shall lay emphasis on reforming agenda that will put the Nation on economic recovery. We will look for money to complete all abandoned projects by previous Governments; especially Housing, Roads and Highways. I am very certain that if we can effect these reforms which I am going to present, we shall begin to position the ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS in a larger and broader perspective to guide us out of ECONOMIC SLAVELY.

1. LITERACY DRIVE.It is my determination to see over 80% literacy population of rural Ghana within the shortest possible time. Informed people are MORE LIKELY to make better decisions, which is necessary for Nation building.

• The progressive mass education program initiated during Kwame Nkrumah’s era shall be VIGOROUSLY re-introduced and the Center for Civic Education initiated under K.A Busia’s era shall be well funded throughout the country under my presidency with the supervisory authority of the Min. of Education.

2. TERTIARY LEVEL POLITICS: 

IT IS MY Conviction that political party activism within the tertiary institutions is banned. That will establish a united student leadership front to protect our democracy against unproductive national policies and abuse of political power. Furthermore, and most importantly, the student leadership elections are always marred with financial scandals by the various political organizations (TESCON and TEIN) corrupting the minds of all the students before they get roped into the real corrupt system. If we want to effectively eradicate the menace, we must reorient and conscientize the minds of our youth while in the school system.

• The national union of Ghana students, (NUGS) shall be the highest tertiary student body and shall be strengthened and encouraged to function freely without political interference or intimidations whatsoever.
• The student body democratic right to demand and exercise their constitutional right to peaceful demonstration, shall always be guaranteed.

3. THE POLITICS OF PETROLEUM PRICING:It is my determination to end the politics of petroleum pricing in Ghana. The present system whereby the ruling class have FREE ACCESS to petrol should be over. The several years’ claim by governments subsidizing prices of petrol and other fuels, has been neither here nor there. They have been mere political deception without basis.

• There is absolutely no reason why Ghana cannot sell petrol for less than the level today. My Government will study the international cost component and all factors including the level of Government taxes to determine reasonable fuel prices to alleviate our people from high cost of transportation that trickles down to determine pricing in all other sectors of the economy. Prices of goods and services shall drastically be reduced for the benefit of all Ghanaians. That is exactly what I will do when I am President.

4) HEALTH CARE. A healthy people are a healthy nation. Health care delivery in Ghana is, and has been very poor ever since we have been a sovereign Nation. The reason has been the lack of political will to establish modern well-equipped medical diagnostic facilities that will serve the medical needs of both the elite class and the ordinary citizens of Ghana. Out of sheer wickedness, when the elite class are sick, they fly to seek better medical care anywhere in the developed world. These behaviors are an abuse of the public purse by our leaders. Many citizens have died in our hospitals for mere lack of hospital beds, oxygen and simple laboratory diagnostic equipment and tools.
-Malaria has continued to be the single most deadly but preventable disease, killing over two hundred thousand people every year. However, no Government has ever made the attempt to attack the source of the killer disease which is the mosquito infestations. Instead, they choose to import malaria drugs with hard earned foreign exchange to fight the virus that mosquitoes transmit into the blood streams.

• Under my presidency, NO GOVT.OFFICIAL will be allowed, on taxpayers’ money to seek medical care abroad for diseases which can be handled through our own medical set up.
• Ghana will establish modern regional medical hospitals as a matter of necessity that will be capable to perform all complex medical needs of our people and even cater for Tourists who will come in for Health Care services. All such facilities shall be required to open for the medical needs of all West African countries and beyond, at a small modest fee meant to cover costs for the nation.
• In order to fight the menace of mosquito infestations, there shall be periodic Aerial spraying of all mapped out areas of possible mosquito breeding havens throughout the Country. There will be a national policy for every town to build underground SEWAGE SYSTEMS! This will start progressively with the Regional Capitals.

5. TAX AND TAX REDUCTIONS:It is my determination to reduce Taxes in Ghana. Especially on import commodities that cannot be produced in the country. Excessive Taxations normally leads to tax evasions and worldwide known to be very unproductive. Some of the Taxes collected will be used as Capital to support domestic production.

• There will be an established Comprehensive National Database of property ownership throughout the country. Every property shall be valued and the multibillion-dollar sector of the economy, tapped into the tax net. In order to make this initiative a success, every house shall be numbered first, for identification purposes. New tax initiatives shall be studied and introduced to have the informal sector of the economy pay their share of taxes for National Development. These will obviously take the heat from the taxes on petroleum and other major imports.
• Under my presidency, Ghanaians returning home after five years in overseas, shall be entitled to one duty free saloon car capacity not more than 2.0. Such cars cannot be transferred nor sold until after 10 years of registration. Duties and Taxes on imported vehicles shall be limited to 30% of value as determined by verifiable receipts or globally acceptable value books.
• Property tax and other innovative tax systems shall be introduced to make up the losses of revenue as a result of comprehensive tax reductions that will be introduced into the Ghanaian economy. We can no longer run a system where the affluent protect their wealth and tax everything that affects the livelihood of the poor in society. These will obviously help to adjust the taxes   on petroleum and other major imports downwards.

6. RESTRUCTURING SALARY LEVELS IN GHANA: It is my determination to restructure salary levels in Ghana with absolute reference to the national income. Borrowing to subsidize budgetary allocations shall be no more. We will live within our means and for once, balance the national budget. My REVOLUTIONARY government will offer what the economy can afford to pay as salaries and be fair, for all to be able to live conveniently within the month. We must at all levels, be prepared to sacrifice in our effort to build a stronger economy.

• A National Salary Commission in consultation with the Executive and Economic advisers shall restructure salaries from the president down, with reference to the National Income.
• SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OVER POLITICS. In restructuring levels of salaries, my Government will reverse the misplaced trend where Politics has been seen over the years as the only avenue in Ghana which one would quickly get rich overnight. As a nation, we must position science and technology over and above all other disciplines in order to challenge our best brains for scientific researches and innovations for national development.
• My Government shall therefore reward professionals in the medical and technology areas and the teaching professions with better remuneration as pertains in the developed world. Salary disparities shall be addressed at all levels.
• It is my determination to restructure salary levels in Ghana with absolute reference to the national income. A National Salary commission, in consultation with the executive and Economic advisers, shall restructure salaries from the president down, with ref. to National income. Borrowing to subsidize budgetary allocations shall be NO MORE.

7) FIGHTING CORRUPTION. Corruption is a social canker and a radicalizer. My Government will use electronic monitoring to reveal corruption and do everything to make it unattractive and unnecessary. In order to succeed in the fight against corruption, my Government shall review salaries and earnings of all civil and public workers to be able to conveniently live within the month and be able to save. We must note that Corruption has eaten deep down into the hearts of the lowest public workers as well as even the street hawkers for them to also survive the cruel economic conditions in the Country. It is imperative therefore, to review commodity prices reasonably enough to make the menace unattractive.

• PUNISHING CORRUPT AND ECONOMIC OFFENDERS.There have been too many perceived corruption cases in the past, from both sides of the political divide, however, nobody has ever been prosecuted for crimes against the people of Ghana.                                                                                    All perceived Corruption cases under my Presidency, and the Auditor General’s reports, shall be swiftly investigated and prosecuted. Offenders shall be given maximum prison terms and all assets confiscated to the state to serve as a deterrent. The era of give it to god must be over if we are a serious Nation.

8. A GHANAIAN DREAM:It is my determination to encourage every Ghanaian to establish a Dream of owning a home through mortgage financing. For this to be fulfilled, all state houses in the regions shall by executive orders, be listed and regionally managed by Property Management Companies on rental basis to Government officials and Private individuals. Apart from the President and leaders of the other two arms of government, all other officials of state shall have to pay market rents, occupying state accommodation.

• My government shall initiate the establishment of Regional Mortgage Finance Banks and all rent accruals channeled through those banks. The objective will be for low income civil and public servants to borrow long term (20 – 30year) mortgage loans to build or purchase their retirement homes to fulfill their Ghanaian dream of property ownership.
• TEACHERS TIER TWO PENSION FUND. As a major source of funding the mortgage finance banks, my Government will negotiate with the teacher’s groups, the transfer of their tier two funds into the mortgage finance Bank, as majority shareholders. The mortgage Banks shall be managed by the teachers appointed Board of directors, supervised by the Bank of Ghana.

9. FOOD SECURITY:It is my determination to establish food sufficiency for our consumption and for export. My Government will therefore create a one-year buffer stock of all food items that can be locally grown and support local production financially against further imports of such staples.

• My government will establish settler block farms throughout the country for the purpose of fulfilling this determination.
• For us to protect bumper harvest losses and to have all year-round supply of certain staples during the dry season, my Government shall establish climate-controlled silos or warehouses, in all regions to store all excess production and release them for sale when required.

10. POLITICAL AND SOCIAL INJUSTICES:It is my determination to fight all injustices in the country that have not offered equal opportunities for our people and denying the country of its best brains.

• All job placements and even student enrollments that have been done with the notoriously abused protocol system, or by wearing political party colors, shall be over, in favor of known competitive selection processes. Even if an independent appointments commission shall have to be constituted to make the system work, it will be done under my presidency, and will be made the law.

11. COLONIAL EXPLOITATIVE SYSTEM:It is my determination to stop the colonial exploitative system where the nation spends Trillions of needed funds to give government officials’ privileges and allowances at all levels. That system was instituted by the colonial government to entice their expertise to accept postings to the then dark African Continent for exploration and exploitation.

• It was a necessary evil at the time but have over the years been overly abused by our own black leaders and I passionately have concerns for such senseless dissipation of public funds and will be abolished under my Presidency.

12. FUEL BILL TO STATE: By my own calculations, free fuel bill to parliamentarians and all other Government officials is estimated to be over GHS10 Billion a year. A clear waste of public funds by a few at the detriment of millions of the people of Ghana.  That is why the Tema Oil Refinery has been insolvent to be able to operate and have been closed for years.

• The fuel bill alone tells you and me, that all other privileges to Government officials ran into billions of United State dollars.
• .The use of government vehicles as private cars by ministers and all government officials shall be abolished.
• The use of government vehicles during weekends for funerals and unapproved errands shall also be abolished.
• My Government shall within the first 100 days in office invite the Italian company that constructed the Tema oil Refinery into the Country. The objective will be to conduct thorough evaluation of the state of the plant, with a consortium of Ghanaian Petroleum Engineers and expertise, to determine whether our Plant has the capacity or not to refine our local crude Oil and advice accordingly.

13. THE PROLIFERATION OF 275 CONSTITUENCY: There is no way anyone can convince me that the development of Ghana depends on the proliferation of constituencies that has been politically motivated over between NDC/NPP to their advantage during every election cycle, without regards to how it affects the national economy. This has bloated government expenditure and it is proven that over 70% of our GDP, pays the salaries of Civil and Public servants. An irresponsible management of the National Economy. I am determined to fight to reverse the number to 128 maxima within my four years term as President.
    DECENTRALIZATION AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT. The best choice to develop societies is to let them elect their own leaders and economically empower them to take their destiny into their own hands. They will then decide at the local levels, how much levies they contribute as internally generated funds for their development. Over a period, most decisions and policies that have otherwise been made for them from Accra or from the region would be done at the local board meetings.

• Every community under the 128 constituencies shall be required to form
  Local Councils, preferably under an elected Chairman and the local chiefs as members of the Board. Each council shall be sub-vented from the District Assembly Common Fund and keep whatever they collect as IGF at their local councils as top up for their development.

14. WATER:Water they say is life. It therefore beats comprehension as even in the capital city of Accra, most areas haven’t been connected to the main water supply lines. Those areas connected even face rationing every time. Various governments have taken grants and loans for water projects over the decades, but water delivery is still a major problem in the whole country.

• Water delivery in the capital city and all parts of the country is unacceptable. I will therefore employ the best technical expertise to solve the country’s water problems within two years under my presidency. Under my water for life initiative, my government shall construct two overhead reservoirs for every town without storage to store mechanized borehole refined water as a National priority. Towns and villages with severe water problems will be identified first for consideration.

15. BIG GOVERNMENT:The era of big government will be over as soon as I assume the presidency. I will appoint a maximum of 40 ministers of state without deputies. All redundant ministries would be equipped for research functions and effective policy implementation and delivery.

• Since my main objective will be saving as much as we can for national development, I will recommend for the dissolution of some redundant constitutional offices like the council of state and all other sectors which functions overlap the other.

16. NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN:Because there hasn’t been a national development plan since the overthrow of the C.P.P government and especially in the advent of the 4th republican constitution, political parties have experimented National development with political party manifestos.

• This will have to change under my presidency. I will assemble a bi-partisan regional best brain pool to review all old plans from the Kwame Nkrumah 7-year development plan modified to our modern circumstances and demographics. All political parties shall work within the framework of the plan and successive governments shall be constitutionally mandated, to continue from where the outgoing left off.

17. BUILDING MATERIALS AND RENTAL LAWS:   Rental laws in Ghana shall be reviewed and strictly enforced when elected as president. There has always been a talk about affordable housing in Ghana, but no government has ever done the mathematics and talked about securing the building industry against the high cost of building materials and the high interest rates and capital shortage in the housing industry.

• My government shall review import duties on all building materials and research into alternative but cheaper building materials other than those on the Ghanaian market.
• Rental charges and advance payments are not relative to income levels in Ghana. It is unthinkable to request the poor in society most especially the fresh university graduate taking a first-time job to pay 2-3 years rent advance. Rent advances for residential accommodation shall not exceed 2 months and landlords shall at their own discretion, demand a maximum of 6 months refundable security deposit against damages when the tenant decides to move out.
• Commercial premises accommodation shall attract a maximum of 2 years advance payment and a 1-year security deposit without any goodwill.

18. UNIVERSITY EDUCATION AND STUDENT HOSTELS:  Under my Presidency, Government shall encourage and reward our best brains with aggregate Six to Eight, with full scholarship for 1st and 2nd degrees. Under the guises of “property-owning democracy”, the responsibility of government providing reasonably priced accommodation for students on campuses, has been left to private individuals. That phenomenon is totally unacceptable. These individuals construct huge hostels on rental basis at market rents that are exorbitant for students.

• Under my presidency, government shall construct more university hostels on campuses, and encourage private partnership, however, the state rental laws shall be enforced to regulate and protect students and parents from excessive market pricing. This will be a national priority.

19) ROADS AND HIGHWAYS. Ghana spends a huge chunk of the national budget on road construction. It is the single most recognizable development project that people cherish most. However, roads are poorly designed and shoddily constructed. Most tarred roads only last between 6 months and 1 year and are ruined with potholes within one rainy season. This situation is countrywide and very deplorable. The state of most of our roads have become death traps and the daily losses of lives are between 10-15 persons.

• Under my presidency, strict road construction specifications shall be maintained, and laws will be made so that no road contract shall be signed without a minimum 10-year warranty on quarry chippings and 20 years asphalted roads. The Public Works Department (PWD) which was responsible for the maintenance of roads and real estate nationwide, I understand has been sold. The wanton sale of such state properties was senseless and the State construction corporation and the PWD, shall be re-established, first as a major skilled labor employer throughout the Country and to revisit the maintenance culture that existed during the early years of independence.

20. DUAL CARRIAGE HIGHWAYS.It is unacceptable and disgraceful that the Accra-Kumasi Highway has for more than 15years not been completed despite more than $2.3 billion in World Bank loans. I wish someone can defend the economic justification of the construction of the huge flyover at the Suhum-Asamankese intersection. A total waste of funds.

• Under my presidency, the Accra-Kumasi Highway shall be completed dual carriage within 1 year in office to help reduce the daily accident tolls and loss of lives. All other major intercity highways shall be constructed dual carriage under the comprehensive National development plan to avoid the daily loss of lives through head-on collisions.

21. EMANCIPATING GHANA FROM ECONOMIC VAMPIRES: Ghana as a developing country, is in dire need of a new type of leadership in order to accelerate its wealth creation and development. To this end, the country requires leadership that is modest, dedicated, abhors greed and detest vanity. With so many wrongs and evils in our system of governance and management of the economy, Ghana must reform to be able to establish economic independence that generations shall be proud to inherit.
22. I)I am therefore committed to engage all available global human resource expertise and technology to implement the needed reforms, to be able to establish and protect our economic growth from self-centered economic criminals.
    II).I am committed to establish a system where no Ghanaian will wake up in the morning, worrying about when, where and how to get the day’s meal.
    III). I am committed to establish a system where opportunities abound, and every household shall be economically self-sufficient.
    IV). I am committed to establish a system where all state financial transactions shall be a functional part of the Accountant General’s Department and consolidated funding under the executive and all other state agencies shall be abolished. Regions, Districts and Towns will be set up to learn how to be financially self-sustaining, with some assistance from central government.
    V). I am committed to establish a society where the justice system shall no longer be a respecter of only the rich in society but justice for all, and the human rights of every person shall always be respected and upheld under the highest democratic space. WE SHALL OVERCOME.

Source: Samuel Ofori Ampofo