Hours after the NPP officially launched the manifesto in Accra on Sunday [October 9], the President via his Twitter account said, “Michelle Obama quote appropriate for Ghana too after the NPP insultfest of Sunday. When they go low, we go high”.

Michelle Obama quote appropriate for Ghana too after the NPP insultfest of Sunday. “When they go low, we go high”.

— John Dramani Mahama (@JDMahama) October 10, 2016

The NPP’s manifesto launch on Sunday gathered several thousands of party supporters at the Trade Fair centre.

The party’s Vice Presidential nominee, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, in his address challenged claims by the governing National Democratic Congress that it has performed better at managing Ghana’s economy.

He mentioned among other things that, the NDC had supervised corruption and introduced numerous taxes that are gradually collapsing the businesses in the country.

On the recent rating of the Ghanaian Economy by Moody’s, Dr. Bawimia challenged the NDC that the ratings did not indicate it had performed well in the last few years, noting that the recent ratings only showed a revision of Ghana’s economic outlook.

“Ghana’s rating under Moody’s is still B-. It is only the outlook that has been revised, and that is not equivalent to a ratings upgrade. Sometimes one wonders whether they don’t read or they don’t understand. So, let me give Mr. President a free piece of advice, Mr. President, please desist from embarrassing yourself by stating that Moody’s has upgraded Ghana. Your economic management team should explain that difference to you,” he said.

He further accused President Mahama of being out of touch with the reality hence his constant claim that Ghana’s economy is booming.

“Notwithstanding this abysmal record, President John Mahama is actually asking Ghanaians where the economic crisis is. He is clearly out of touch. Mr. President the economic crisis is out there if you care to look out of the Flagstaff House,” he said.

It must be noted that the NDC also at its manifesto launch described the NPP as ’empty barrels’. Fifi Kwetey, the Minister of Transport, said the NDC was a party that that delivers on its promises while the NPP spends time talking without action.

“They [NPP] do the talking, we [NDC] do the doing. They are empty barrels that make a lot of noise, we are full barrels we do not make a lot of noise. That is the difference between them and us…”Fifi Kwetey said.

‘Kayayei won’t pay taxes under NPP’

Dr. Bawumia as part of the many promises made at the manifesto launch said an NPP government would abolish the tax burden on head porters, otherwise known as ‘Kayayei’.

He said, “the mismanagement of the economy under this John Mahama led government has resulted in an increase in taxes on virtually everything taxable. Taxes were imposed even on condoms and cutlasses.”

“This has increased the burden on the private sector and is a disincentive to production,” the NPP vice presidential nominee added.

‘Mahama can’t teach me patriotism’

Flagbearer of the NPP for the 2016 general elections, Nana Akufo-Addo in his address said President John Dramani Mahama cannot teach him any lessons in patriotism.

While dismissing the President’s claims that those who cannot see the success of the economy are unpatriotic, Nana Addo said the NPP is not looking for catchy phrases or meaningless slogans; but rather it is offering solutions that will take the country out of what he called economic crisis.

“I have heard the President of the Republic make the breathtaking claim that the economy is not in crises. He went further to say that those who say the economy is in crisis have bad eyesight.”

“The president says that those who say the economy is in crisis are unpatriotic. Let me state clearly and without any equivocation that John Dramani Mahama cannot teach me any lessons in patriotism.”

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to him, the Mahama administration has commenced the distribution of outboard motors, head pans, cash, cars, roofing sheets, laptops, sewing machines and many other goodies, all in a desperate attempt to influence the electorate ahead of the polls.

But Nana Akufo-Addo said notwithstanding the distribution of the goodies across the country, the NPP will still win the next general election because the battle is the Lord’s.

Speaking at the NPP’s 2016 manifesto launch at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra, he said of the NDC, “we are faced with unrestrained and unprincipled access to state resources with apparently unlimited cash, who has confidence that that they can buy you vote. If they cannot, they will try to bully you. This is the opponent we have in this election.”

The NPP flagbearer also referred to the NPP as the Biblical David and NDC as the Goliath.

He quoted 1 Samuel 17: 45 in which David gave encouraging words to his followers to demystify the perceived might of his opponent, Goliath.

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel (Ghana), whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel (Ghana).  All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

Nana Akufo-Addo entreated NPP supporters and sympathizers to be resolute in their campaign as the words and success of David will manifest for NPP after the December 7 polls.

He added that, “they have more money than us, but the battle is the Lord’s. They have more outboard motors, more roofing sheets, more laptops, more sewing machines to give away but the battle is the Lord’s. They have more giant sized billboards than us, but the battle is the Lord’s.”

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By: Awudu Mahama/ghelections.com/Ghana

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Speaking during the NPP 2016 manifesto launch in Accra, Dr. Bawumia said, “the mismanagement of the economy under this John Mahama led government has resulted in an increase in taxes on virtually everything taxable. Taxes were imposed on even on condoms and cutlasses.”

“This has increased the burden on the private sector and is a disincentive to production,” the NPP vice presidential nominee added.

He used the market tolls paid by the head porters  ‘Kayayei’, as an example of how far the burdening tax net had been flung, but promised that “under the next NPP government, we are going to abolish the taxes on the Kayeyei in this country.”

Shift from taxation to production

To address these challenges, Dr. Bawumia has indicated that, the NPP will shift the focus of economic policy away from taxation to production.

Mentioning some of the taxes the party intends to reduce or scrap, he said corporate tax would be reduced from 25 percent to 20 percent.

He also said an NPP government would remove import duties on raw materials and machinery from production within the contest of the ECOWAS common external tariff, along with a scrapping of the special import levy.

To accompany the various tax scraps and reductions, Dr. Bawumia assured that the NPP would “ introduce tax incentives for businesses that hire fresh graduates from schools and we are going to reduce the VAT for micro and small enterprises from the 17.5 percent  to the 3 percent flat rate.”

NPP to set up an Industrial Development Fund – Alan

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has also announced the setting up of an Industrial Development Fund, to support critical private sector industrial initiatives, as one of the means to tackling the rising unemployment levels.

Former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten, who made this known at the party’s manifesto launch at the Accra International Trade Fair Centre in Accra, said, “the NPP will pursue aggressive industrialization based on value addition; provide tax and related incentives for manufacturing businesses; investing in skills training and apprenticeship, as well as providing resources for small businesses and start-ups to emerge and flourish.”

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

The post Kayayei won’t pay taxes under NPP – Bawumia appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to the party, the plan is part of its major vision to transform Ghana’s fishing industry if it is voted into power in the December polls.

The focal person for the NPP’s agric ahead of the 2016 elections, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, at the party’s manifesto launch, said the NPP will develop a sustainable fisheries sector by making available the necessary tools and facilities for fisher folks in Ghana’s fishing communities.

Speaking at the party’s 2016 manifesto launch in Accra, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, added that, the NPP will ensure a transparent and effective delivery of premix fuel to fisher folk as well as eliminating pair trawling and other illegal fishing methods to ensure a vibrant fishing industry.

“We shall develop an effective and sustainable fisheries sector by ensuring the availability and effective distribution of premix fuel to the fisher folk. We will eliminate import duties for fishing equipment. We will also rigorously enforce the laws against pair trawling and other illegal fishing methods. Top of the agenda for fisheries will be the programme of building landing sites and storage facilities,” she added.

According to her, the facility will be built at locations including Cape Coast, Teshie, Nungua, Axim, Keta, Ada, Senya Breku, Jamestown and Winneba.

 ‘Poultry and veterinary products’

On the poultry industry, she said the NPP will collaborate with the private sector to improve access to credit to expand production, so they can make profits from their businesses.

The NPP parliamentary aspirant for Krowor constituency, Elizabeth Quaye, added that the NPP will support farmers to reduce post-harvest loses by ensuring guaranteed buying for their products.

She said an NPP government will do this through capitalizing on government’s purchasing power to ensure that food purchased with government funds are purchased from local farmers especially under projects such as the school feeding programme.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post We’ll build 10 landing sites for fishing communities – NPP appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The programme is being presided over by former President John Agyekum Kufuor.

The acting Chairman of the NPP, Freddie Blay, assured that the launch will not see a litany of promises; but solutions to Ghana’s problems.

“We are coming out with solutions to the problems that will bring hope; and bring back the smiles on the faces of Ghanaians,” he said.

He expressed the hope that this manifesto launch will be the first step in a journey that “will bring to an end the rot in our system, create jobs and bring positive change.”

The launch is expected to be followed by a major political rally, which, according to the party, will be opened to all members of the general public.

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Photos: Godwin Allotey

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

The post NPP 2016 manifesto launch underway [Photos] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This is after a former Chairman of the Legal and Constitutional Committee of the NPP, Mr. Ayikoi Otoo, had accused the APC of plagiarizing aspects of the unreleased NPP manifesto.

[contextly_sidebar id=”izy110z3HXRFUUU43W69074VuqEE0TqZ”]After the allegations, the APC came out to rubbish the comments as juvenile and irresponsible saying that the manifesto was the product of months of hard work by Hassan Ayariga and his team of experts within the party.

A statement signed by the General Secretary of the APC, Razak Kojo Opoku, also indicated that the party “will be on the lookout for any acts of plagiarism of our manifesto by the NPP, that is if they are able to put together a manifesto at all.”

Additionally, the APC noted in its statement that, “the NPP has in recent past put up many juvenile explanations to cover up for their inexplicable failure to write a manifesto. They have accused everybody under the sun of stealing their manifesto at a time when they have not put out any document for public scrutiny.”

NPP to launch manifesto

The NPP will launch its 2016 manifesto at the Trade Fair Centre later in Sunday, the event will be held at the forecourt of the Centre from 2pm and is expected to be led by former President John Agyekum Kufuor.

The launch is expected to be followed by a major political rally, which, according to the party, will be opened to all members of the general public.

Persons expected to attend the rally include the Flagbearer of the party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his running mate, Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia among others.

Follow the hashtag #GhElections on social media for more election related stories

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

The post We’ll be looking out for plagiarised ideas in NPP manifesto – APC appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Ahead of the NPP’s 2016 manifesto launch today [Sunday], we look back at some of the promises the party made in its ultimately unsuccessful bid for power in 2012.

The economy

A major part of the NPP’s plan for economic transformation was industrialisation which would involve adding value to raw materials instead of just exporting natural resources unprocessed.

The party also noted that by industrialising the economy a significant number of jobs could be created by increasing agricultural production and adding value to products through agro processing.

The supporting and promotion of local industries, especially small- and medium scale entrepreneurs and businesses would be engaged in to ensure competitiveness in import substitution and exports.

Natural resources cited for development included oil and gas, salt, gold, bauxite, iron ore, manganese and agricultural products.

The formalisation of the economy was also touted by the NPP and it planned to do this by completing the National Identification system, undertaking a comprehensive mapping of the entire country with the objective of improving the planning and land tenure systems, bringing all lands under the formal sector and moving from a cash economy to electronic payments.

Health

Ahead of the 2012 polls, the NPP identified poor access, high mortality rates, a deteriorating National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and a fake 30% of drugs that enter Ghana’s markets as some of the problems confronting the health sector.

The party also placed priority on the training and placement of midwives nationwide, given acute current shortages especially in some of the areas recording high maternal mortalities.

The party said it would work towards reviving the implementation of the original Kufuor policy of free maternal healthcare and free healthcare for less than 18 year olds.

It also pledged to facilitate the increased training and placement of midwives countrywide along with the prioritisation of maternal and adolescent reproductive health.

Additionally, the party assured it would pay more attention to mental health and increase and improve the mental health facilities and train more psychiatrists, clinical and social psychologists, and other mental health professionals.

In line with this, an NPP government would have worked with the private sector towards having three world class hospitals in the country to serve our people as well as the West African region under our medical tourism strategy.

Education

The NPP it its 2012 manifesto held that Ghana’s education system was in serious crisis. Thus it came out with its free Secondary Education policy promise that anchored its campaign ahead of the 2012 polls.

The NPP said it was committed to making secondary education free for every Ghanaian child and that would encompass free tuition, admission, textbook, library, science centre, computer, examination, utilities, boarding and meals.

Funding wise, the party said it would prioritise and fund the free Secondary education promise using budgetary resources, including resources from oil exports.

A teachers first policy was also trumpeted by the NPP that would focus on raising the support and quality of our teachers through monitored and evaluated training.

According to the NPP, its objective was to transform teachers to enable them lead the transformation of the quality of students via enhanced teacher training, monitoring and evaluation to ensure better performance in school and students results.

The NPP also committed to ensuring that basic education provided every Ghanaian with adequate literacy, numeracy and basic ICT skills. Thus it said it would work towards providing every basic school with ICT infrastructure to enable ICT education.

Housing

The NPP targeted the building of affordable housing units for rental across Ghana in a partnership between a proposed Housing Agency, Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDA) and the Private Sector (e.g. GREDA) in public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements.

It also planned to encourage MMDA’s to set up a dedicated “District Housing fund to provide infrastructure for social housing.

Fighting corruption

The NPP’s plan to tackle corruption was to employ preventive, detective, corrective and punitive mechanisms with an anti-corruption policy based on three key pillars; institutional reform, legislative reform and attitudinal change.

As part of these, the NPP manifesto promised independent prosecution as a remedy to the fact both the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Economic and Organised Crime Office need permission from the Attorney General to prosecute. The party also served notice of plans to boost parliamentary oversight

The party also planned to mandate the Attorney-General to report to Parliament on the potential liability of the State arising out of claims against the State and also report on judgment debts paid and those due and owing every six months.

The NPP 2012 manifesto proposed an effective Assets Declaration Regime by fostering a working environment for asset declaration via effective monitoring of asset declaration by amending the law to require the Auditor General to publish periodically the list of all persons so required.

Sanctions were also to be put in place for the non-declaration of assets within the stipulated time frame which would result in a forfeiture of appointment, in the case of political appointees.

Power sector

In the Power sector the NPP said it would work with the private sector to increase output and will reopen negotiations with interested partners to develop and complete the mini-hydro power projects such as Pwalugu, Juale, Pra, Ankobra and Tano.

Good governance in the sector, to remove inefficiencies, and facilitate effective autonomy and ensure transmission and distribution reliability and security was also to be a priority.

The party spoke of an “Accelerated Oil Capacity Programme” which would target the training of Ghanaians in high job creation sectors including fabrications and installation, manufacturing of equipment and construction of oil and gas infrastructure in line with the apprenticeship model.

The party said it would also pursue the development of sources of renewable energy to diversify as well as ensure sustainability of our energy sources for at least a thirty-year period.

Agriculture

The NPP targeted the development of all four of Ghana’s breadbaskets to enhance productivity and production in selected food crops, mainly maize and rice, and high value cash crops as horticultural products.

The party presented an integrated approach to the agricultural sector under the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) project which would recognizes that key constraints affecting the sector will have to be tackled simultaneously to produce sustained results.

In a policy toeing the line of the one district, one dam’s, the NPP intended to expand irrigation coverage Nationwide, especially in the Afram Plains and in Northern Ghana. The party planned to facilitate community-owned facilities like dams, boreholes, and dugouts to expand irrigation.

Transport

The NPP’s plan to improve the transport sector was to integrate and consolidate all modes of transportation to improve efficiency and hence cut down costs.

Roads-wise, the party intended to partner with the private sector to develop interchanges, flyovers and overpasses in urban areas to reduce vehicular traffic whilst connecting the regional capitals with first class roads.

Still with the private sector, the party also had plans to establish a modern rail network that would link the North to the South through the Eastern corridor Accra through to Akosombo, Kumasi and then to Paga mainly for the exploitation of iron ore reserves in the north.

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

The post Overview of key NPP pledges in its 2012 manifesto appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The party will now launch its manifesto at the Trade Fair Center in Accra on October 9.

The initial venue was the Tamale Sports Stadium, where the NPP held its national delegates congress, and the Party had said the choice of Tamale was to maximize the party’s electoral fortunes in the Northern Region on December 7.

It also said the NPP Presidential nominee, Nana Akufo-Addo’s successful campaign tour of the Northern Region necessitated the choice of Tamale.

But sources within the party told Citi News the Tamale arrangement has been cancelled, and did not explain why.

As to what the manifesto may contain, the NPP running mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has indicated that, the manifesto will place emphasis on job creation and creating an enabling business environment for economic growth.

So far, only the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), have released their manifestos ahead of the polls in December.

In September, President John Mahama launched the NDC 2016 manifesto at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, in front of thousands of party supporters from across the country.

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

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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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.

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By: Richard Mensah/ghelections.com/Ghana

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