Election 2020: NDC outdoors manifesto in August

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Ghana’s largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has said it will release its election 2020 manifesto in August.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, the NDC Communication Officer, Sammy Gyamfi said the manifesto, which is the party’s vision for Ghana will highlight key programmes that will be better alternatives to the governance of Nana Akufo-Addo.

“It is worth noting, that we shall be outdooring our manifesto for the 2020 general elections in August. But even before that, the flagbearer and leader of the NDC will in the coming days announce some big-ticket policies which are central to his transformational vision for this country,” he said.

Gyamfi also indicated that the manifesto will include programmes that will ensure millions of permanent jobs are created for Ghana’s teeming youth.

“This will include a major and comprehensive job creation policy he intends to undertake, to create millions of permanent and dignifying jobs for the teeming unemployed youth when he assumes the reins of power in 2021,” he added.

Ghana is six months away from holding its presidential and parliamentary polls.

The NDC, which is seeking to return to power with its flagbearer, John Mahama, is also yet to announce who Mr. Mahama’s running mate will be.

Meanwhile, the party has highlighted some actions Mahama will take if elected in the December 2020 polls.

Amongst them are;

*Pay all customers of the collapsed financial institutions whose monies are locked-up in full and restore indigenous Ghanaian participation in the financial sector.

*Reduce the size of government by at least forty (40) ministers to reduce government expenditure and channel those resources into the productive sectors of the economy for the benefit of Ghanaians.

*Provide free Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) from the second cycle to Tertiary level to build the human resource base of the nation for industrial development, entrepreneurship and job creation.

*Institute a National Apprenticeship Program in line with his vision of rapid industrialization and job creation for the country.

*Scrap the 50% increment in the Communication Service Tax to reduce the cost of telephoning and data. This will reduce the cost of living and the cost of doing business in the country.

*Construct a regional hospital for each of the six (6) newly-created regions and the Western Region to improve access to quality and efficient health care delivery.

*Provide districts without hospitals with fully-equipped modern health facilities.

*Take healthcare to the doorsteps of the people by building a first of its kind “OnipaNua” Hospital Ship and deploy it to provide medical services to the inaccessible riverine and fishing communities on the inland Volta waterways. 

*Additionally, the next Mahama government will rehabilitate the “Onuador” mobile vans that have been abandoned by the Akufo-Addo government and procure more, to provide medical outreach services in underserved and hard to reach areas in all the 16 regions of the country.

*Construct two (2) new international-standard Infectious Diseases Centers and two (2) additional international research centres.

*Abolish the dreaded double-track system of secondary education through an emergency and massive infrastructure drive. This will ensure a conducive environment and one-track qualitative learning experience for SHS students.

*Establish University Campuses in each of the six (6) newly-created regions.

*Abolish the mandatory national service and obnoxious licensure exams for teacher trainees and restore the automatic employment of teacher trainee graduates. Let me state unequivocally, that no teacher trainee graduate, will be denied posting or employment under the next Mahama government. Additionally, the promotion and welfare of teachers will be prioritized by the next Mahama government.

*Restore the automatic employment of Nursing Trainee graduates. Again let me state unequivocally, that no nursing trainee graduate will be denied posting or employment under the next Mahama government.

*Restore the distribution of free cocoa fertilizer and chemicals to cocoa farmers to boost cocoa yield and improve the welfare of cocoa farmers.

*Complete the Eastern Corridor roads, dualise the Aflao, Cape Coast and Kumasi roads among others.

Complete all abandoned or uncompleted hospital and health projects, educational projects, road projects and other infrastructural projects in the country.

*Punish corruption and end the practice of nepotism.

*Train, remunerate and empower assembly members to be responsible for the local level registration of births and deaths in their electoral areas, to improve the national population register.

Source: Daily Mail GH with additional files from CNR