The former President and the 2024 flag bearer for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has stated that he is exercising caution in his promises ahead of the 2024 general elections.
He made these comments while addressing NDC supporters to climax his two-day “Building the Ghana we want together” tour of the Volta Region.
The former president stated that the current state of Ghana’s economy limits his ability to make grand promises.
“…I am being very measured in the promises that I make because we all know the crisis in which this country has been plunged [into]. We will show you the books and finances of this country, and you will realize the harm that the New Patriotic Party administration has done this country, the economy is broke.”
Mr. Mahama also said the next NDC government would pay monthly allowances of GH¢1,000 to all Assembly members, a proposal estimated to cost the nation GH¢80 million annually.
Mr. Mahama also stated that, when voted into power he is going to reduce the President’s office expenditure to pay the Assembly members,” whilst disclosing that “The office of the President’s budget alone is more than GH¢2 billion.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mahama threatened to deal with officials of the New Patriotic Party, NPP, by prosecuting any of them involved in corruption in his next government.
According to the former President, who was voted out of power in 2016 due to corruption-related activities among his appointees, his reason for taking on the NPP members is that corruption had been left unchecked and had become rampant under their watch.
Speaking at a forum on his campaign tour at Tegbi, a small fishing town in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region on Thursday, the former President accused the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) of having zero desire to check the nuisance mainly because members of the party were heavily involved in corrupt activities.
He empathically stated, “So I have said if they can’t deal with it when we come, we will deal with it for them. When NDC comes, we will hold those who have misconducted themselves accountable”.