He argued that the manifesto was also indecisive, incoherent and lacked credibility.

“…To look forward into the future you must have a manifesto that is a very coherent and realistic document that signals the seriousness of the party to win power and to administer the country for the future and future generations. So a manifesto must not be hesitant or indecisive, it must not be insincere and it should not be an opportunistic document,” he said.

[contextly_sidebar id=”tCWk3mkUsyKCHJyyOrg8rfeXnWBeSwjm”]The NPP unveiled its 2016 manifesto on Sunday, October 9, which contained the party’s vision for the country.

The party among other things promised to build factories in every district in Ghana as well as make available to each constituency an amount of $1 million as part of its social intervention programmes when given the opportunity to govern the country.

But speaking at the Cape Coast Polytechnic in the Central Region, Mr. Amissah-Arthur urged the students to vote massively for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to enable them build on what he said is the solid foundation they have laid so far.

“The NDC manifesto that we unveiled in Sunyani a couple of weeks ago is a logical development of the vision that has guided this party [NDC] since we were in opposition in the year 2008. We developed four themes and these themes have been implemented over the last eight years and it has shown important results. And our plan is that we will focus on these four themes and make adjustments as we deem fit as the national situation and the global situation evolves. So this time round we have the same four themes but this time with an emphasis and job creation.”

“We feel that the NDC has a much more credible programme for the future of our country than our opponents and the reason is simple; that our opponents try every opportunity they have to denigrate our achievements, through the lectures that their running mate gives, through even the manifesto that they launched few weeks ago,” the Vice President added.

–

By: Godwin A. Allotey & Caleb Kudah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post NPP manifesto insincere and opportunistic – Veep appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Spokesperson for the NDC’s 2016 Campaign, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, argued that a comparison of the manifestos clearly shows that NDC’s policies are rather achievable and realistic.

Speaking to Citi News’ Kojo Agyeman on the sidelines of the launch of the Braille version of the NDC’s 2016 manifesto in Accra, Bawa Mogtari said her party’s manifesto is realistic.

“I don’t want to profile an explanation for why the NPP is promising the end of the world or all sought of non-existent policies, what I want to do is to focus on the NDC’s manifesto which has been adjudged as being realistic, sensitive and being real to the needs of this country as a people…going forward we are going to remain focused on this campaign working very hard to ensure President Mahama’s re-election as president of the Republic of Ghana.”

“You don’t expect the policy adviser of the NPP to tell you that their ambitions are unrealistic. In deed they are promising one dam to each district, I’m not sure if all these districts have a running stream so you can build a dam but they have promised that,” she added.

The NPP launched its manifesto over the weekend at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra.

–

By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post NPP’s manifesto unrealistic – Joyce Bawa appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The launch comes three weeks after thousands of party supporters gathered at the Sunyani Coronation park in the Brong Ahafo region to witness the launch of the main election manifesto document.

The President said the launch signified government’s recognition of vulnerable groups as critical aspects of the country’s human resource base.

Addressing the gathering of pupils from special schools, Persons with Disability (PWDs) and government officials at the Forecourt of the State House in Accra, Mahama said this was the first in the history of the country such an event was happening adding that the launch, emphasized the NDC’s commitment to its social democratic credentials.

“The NDC has always led the way in championing the cause of the disabled. We believe that disability is not inability,” President Mahama said.

President Mahama said the NDC government was the first to appoint a person with disability as a Minister of State. He said that the Minister of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, Dr. Henry Seidu Danaa, who is visually impaired, is a hardworking minister who had helped Cabinet to become sign language compliant.

The occasion was also used to officially launch a new government exercise to distribute tricycles to the physically challenged.

Dr Danaa in his address described the launch of the Braille version of the manifesto as a great event in the country.

“The launch marks another milestone because it indicates clearly the way forward in the actualisation of the social democratic principles of the NDC,” he said.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com

The post Mahama launches braille version of NDC 2016 manifesto [Photos] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

President John Mahama about a month ago, September 17, officially launched the party’s election 2016 manifesto document in Sunyani in the Brong-Ahafo Region without a braille version for the visually impaired.

According to a statement issued by the spokesperson for the party’s election 2016 presidential campaign, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, “the Braille Version will make the NDC Manifesto accessible to the visually impaired and reflects the commitment of the NDC and President Mahama to expand interventions and introduce additional social protection initiatives to benefit the vulnerable.”

President Mahama will interact with some persons with disability and present demonstration models of the motorized transport for physically challenged persons to the National Federation of Persons with Disability which he had earlier promised.

“Under the ‘Consolidating Social Protection’ section of the NDC 2016 Manifesto, President Mahama made a commitment to improve the mobility of the physically challenged and introduce them to economic activities using motorised tricycles,” the statement said.

The launch will take place at the forecourt of the State House in Accra at 2:00pm.

‘NDC manifesto not mere promises’

President John Mahama has said the National Democratic Congress’ manifesto does not contain mere promises meant to entice Ghanaians to vote for the party.

According to him, the manifesto captures the unique plans of the NDC to move Ghana forward if given the mandate to serve for a second term.

“Our [manifesto] is not a catalog of lofty promises woven together to entice the electorates to vote for us as others want to do,” he noted.

Addressing thousands of party supporters at the Sunyani coronation park in the Brong Ahafo region when the party officially launched the manifesto on Saturday, President Mahama said the content of the manifesto were motivated by the party’s vision that “speaks to the aspirations of our people while confronting our reality as a nation.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NDC to launch braille version of manifesto today appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

At a press conference on Tuesday, the Minority refereed to instances in the manifesto where the NDC chose to tout its achievements by making references to the last two years, when it should have been eight years.

According to the minority, this could only be described as a deliberate attempt by the Mahama-led administration to mislead the voting public.

Speaking at a press conference, the minority spokesperson on agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, made reference to the declining fortunes of the agricultural sector in the last 8 years as an example.

He explained that “for subsidized fertilizer, the NDC selected the year 2008 and the year 2013 to show that distribution has increased over the whole period of eight years. They failed to mention that there was no distribution of subsidized fertilizers in the year 2014, and that only 90,000 metric tonnes of the 180,000 was distributed in the year 2015.”

The Minority made similar observations with government’s rice projections where it said the NDC had overseen a period of 8 years, but showed numbers for only 2008 and 2014, to say that rice production has increased over the period.

“What they failed to show was that, rice production was down in the intervening years, 2009 to 2013 and after 2014. What is worse is they failed to mention that rice imports rose from 425,390 metric tonnes in 2008, to 630,200 in 2015,” Dr. Afriyie Akoto added.

He also indicated that, his research was from the Statistical Service based on custom declarations at Tema and Takoradi ports, adding that, “I am sure the NDC had access to this information; but decided to go quiet on it and rather come out with very selective information.”

–

By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NDC being selective with facts to tout achievements – Minority appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government will determine the cost for all the promised in the manifesto in the 2017 budget after its re-election on December 7.

“The manifesto of the NDC has not yet been costed. The 2017 budget God-willing when we are elected and President Mahama returns for his second and final term, that will be presented to parliament will spell out the details, that is when Ghanaians will know how much this particular manifesto pledge will cost,” Ablakwa said.

Speaking to Citi News’ Caleb Kudah, Mr. Ablakwa denied the NDC promises “1 student, 1 tablet computer”.

According to him, it was a misrepresentation of what the President actually said at an event to reveal highlights of the NDC manifesto.

Mr. Ablakwa noted that “We are not promising one student, one tablet. The President has said the he is introducing e-textbooks, in the same way he want to introduce wifi zones in our secondary and tertiary schools.”

President Mahama at the presentation of highlights of the NDC’s manifesto earlier this month revealed that text books for the various core subjects will be converted into softwares which will be put on tablets and distributed to Junior High and Senior High School students.

He said the initiative will first be piloted and subsequently expanded with the aim of helping to boost the competencies of the all students in core subjects.

“Students will receive tablets that have all their core subjects on the tablet. If the pilot is successful, the programme shall be expanded,” Mahama said.

NDC manifesto not mere promises – Mahama

Meanwhile, President John Mahama says the NDC manifesto does not contain mere promises meant to entice Ghanaians to vote for the party, but captures the unique plans of the NDC to move Ghana forward if given the mandate to serve for a second term.

Follow the hashtag #GhElections on Social Media for election related stories.  

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NDC manifesto promises not budgeted for – Ablakwa appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The NPP recently accused the governing NDC for allegedly ‘stealing’ its ideas barely 24 hours after  President John Mahama presented the highlights of the NDC 2016 manifesto.

But addressing the Nadowli Traditional Council in the Upper West Region, the Chief of staff said “some parties don’t have manifestos yet they go around blaming the NDC of stealing their manifesto. At a point they said their manifesto was missing, the latest news is that they are preparing their manifesto, well it’s all good but the NDC manifesto is out.”

A number of political parties including the NPP are yet to launch their manifestos for the December 7 polls.

The NPP has announced it will be launching its 2016 manifesto next month on October 8 in Tamale in the Northern Region.

Julius Debrah is in the Upper West Region to campaign for President Mahama who is in New York, USA, to attend the 71^st edition of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) ahead of Ghana’s election on December 7, 2016.

He used the opportunity to explain portions of the NDC manifesto, especially on the ‘Green Revolution’ a policy that will transform the agricultural sector.

The governing NDC launched its manifesto at the Sunyani Coronation Park in the Brong Ahafo Region on September 17, 2016, describing it as a blue print that will accelerate the country’s socio economic development.

The Chief of Staff slammed other political parties for not producing their manifestos a few weeks to the crucial elections.

“If I come to you saying give me your mandate and you don’t have anything on paper to show to the people, it means that you aren’t serious with the people’s mandate,” Mr. Debrah stated.

The chief of staff was accompanied by the NDC General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketiah; the Majority leader in Parliament and MP for Nadowli- Kaleo, Alban  Babgin; the Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Amidu Sulemani and the regional executives of the party.

_

By: Richard Mensah/ghelections.com/Ghana

The post Produce manifesto and stop needless accusations – Chief of Staff to NPP appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The manifesto, according to Mahama, hinges on four thematic areas, which includes putting people first, strong and resilient economy, responding to social infrastructure and improving transparent and accountable governance.

President Mahama had said he will aggressively implement the manifesto in its entirety if given a second term mandate on December 7, 2016.

He further stated that, the manifesto does not contain mere promises meant to entice Ghanaians to vote for the party.

According to him, the manifesto captures the unique plans of the NDC to move Ghana forward if given the mandate to serve for a second term.

Click here for full NDC 2016 manifesto  

Follow the hashtag #GhElections on Social Media for election related stories

–

By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Full Text: NDC’s 2016 manifesto appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, the manifesto captures the unique plans of the NDC to move Ghana forward if given the mandate to serve for a second term.

“Our [manifesto] is not a catalog of lofty promises woven together to entice the electorates to vote for us as others want to do,” he noted.

Addressing thousands of party supporters at the Sunyani coronation park in the Brong Ahafo region when the party officially launched the manifesto on Saturday, President Mahama said the content of the manifesto were motivated by the party’s vision that “speaks to the aspirations of our people while confronting our reality as a nation.

“It has been honed by our collective experiences as a nation, our history as a party and political tradition…the successes we have chalked and above all, our unyielding commitment to see our nation and its people prosper on the basis of hard-work and our social democratic principle,” Mahama said.

Mahama, who had earlier presented a highlight of the budget at a special event, earlier in the week said the document focused on four thematic areas that centred on improving the well-being of Ghanaians.

“We in the NDC put people first in all we do and it is for that reason that we aim to build a strong and resilient economy underpinned by the provision of vital social and economic infrastructure,” Mahama said.

Follow the hashtag #GhElections on Social Media for election related stories.

–

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NDC manifesto not mere promises – Mahama appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Intermittent rain in the area since yesterday [Friday], has hampered preparations on the ground.

The pitch of the Sunyani coronation park, venue for the launch has become muddy.

The work of journalists dispatched to cover the event has also been halted as the rain has disrupted coverage, forcing everyone to take refuge under canopies mounted at the park.

Citi News’ Fred Djabanor, said “everything has come to a standstill”. Some some members of the NDC are currently at the venue with others locked in their cars close to the park.

He however noted that, there is no indication the launch will be cancelled due to the rain.

Follow the hashtag #GhElections on Social Media for election related stories

–

Photo credit: Godwin Allotey

By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Heavy rain threatens NDC manifesto launch [Photos] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.