The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has decried what is labelled as the “hypocrisy and lies” that the governing National Democratic Congress and its flagbearer, President John Mahama, engaged in on the just ended “Accounting to the People.”
According to the NPP, the tour was effectively an abuse of incumbency as President Mahama was “engaged in outright campaigning in these so called ‘Accounting to the People’ tours.”
[contextly_sidebar id=”Jkr5FWbF75CB5lsisToRbJmfkscLBFa1″]President Mahama’s “Accounting to the people” featured a visits to the ten regions of country and was angled as an exercise in accountability by government, but it has been heavily criticized as a tax payer funded campaign ahead of the elections in November.
In a statement signed by the Director of Communications of the party, Nana Akomea, the NPP cited a number of instances on the “Accounting to the People” tour it felt constituted an abuse of incumbency.
According to the NPP, “On Thursday February 4th 2016, President Mahama while addressing the people of Nyanoa-Kwaobaah, demanded to be given a second term so he can ‘start putting money in your pockets’.”
“He went on to admonish the Chiefs and people of Mamprugu to ignore their kinsman Dr Bawumia and vote ‘massively’ for him, President Mahama as in his words: ‘your brother may not be a true brother,” the statement also noted.
The NPP also indicated that on “this campaign tour, there are over 400 billboards across the country, Branding of public buses, GBC TV and Radio live broadcasts etc. all at the expense of the poor Ghanaian taxpayer.”
The statement thus asked, “Why can the President not admit that he is campaigning? Why does the NDC lie to Ghanaians that the president is not campaigning but is only “Accounting to the People”? Why is this blatant lie being told so often to the people of Ghana? What does President Mahama and the NDC lose if they tell Ghanaians the truth?”
Find below sections of the NPP statement.
PRESS RELEASE; MONDAY JULY 18, 2016
PRESIDENT MAHAMA AND NDC SHOULD STOP THE HYPOCRISY AND LIES ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN TOUR, AND THE ABUSE OF INCUMBENCY
The Npp, like many Ghanaians, is bemused about the blatant lies President Mahama and the Ndc are telling Ghanaians about their campaign tour. Ghanaians have constantly been told President Mahama is not on a campaign tour but is engaged in some “accounting to the people” tour.
This insincerity and lies from President Mahama and the Ndc is even more shocking in the light of clear and present evidence that President Mahama is engaged in outright campaigning in these so called “accounting to the people” tours.
On Thursday February 4th 2016, President Mahama while addressing the people of Nyanoa-Kwaobaah, demanded to be given a second term so he can “start putting money in your pockets”.
On Tuesday April 12 2016, he told the people at Atimpoku, Apeguso and Bosso in the Eastern region that those who had attained the age of 18 should register when the register was opened “in order to ensure that they exercise their franchise to retain the NDC in power to continue the transformational agenda…”
On Tuesday June 28 2016, President Mahama told a crowd in his Ashanti regional tour that he deserved a second term.
He repeated this demand on Wednesday 29th June.
On Thursday July 14th 2016, while addressing the Chiefs and people of the Mamprugu traditional area, President Mahama repeated his demand for a second term.
He went on to admonish the Chiefs and people of Mamprugu to ignore their kinsman Dr Bawumia and vote “massively” for him President Mahama as in his words ” your brother may not be a true brother”.
These demands by President Mahama to be retained, given a second chance or voted for again, have been repeated throughout his tours nationwide.
So the question is, why can the President not admit that he is campaigning? Why does the NDC lie to Ghanaians that the president is not campaigning but is only “accounting to the people”? Why is this blatant lie being told so often to the people of Ghana? What does President Mahama and the NDC lose if they tell Ghanaians the truth?
ABUSE OF INCUMBENCY
The Ndc used to decry what they termed abuse of incumbency in political campaigning.
Sad to relate, President Mahama in indulging big time in incumbency abuse.
In this campaign tour, there are over 400 billboards across the country, Branding of public buses, GBC TV and Radio live broadcasts etc all at the expense of the poor Ghanaian taxpayer.
Footage on President Mahama’s visit to Yendi for instance, show a trail of over 40 heavy duty land cruisers.
All these expense and the NHIS remains underfunded and unpaid feeding grant for schools in the North keep our schools closed.
Our governance deserve better.
Signed: Nana Akomea, Director of Communications.
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmnline.com/Ghana