According to the lead speaker for the forum, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, the NDC  will use  the conference to  establish comprehensively that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is the most discredited party in Ghana’s history and that NDC’s track record makes it a party that Ghanaians could trust to deliver on its promises.

[contextly_sidebar id=”4GVRL15TIHw8kQw2y6vemJm24sgFqZ0Z”]Party bigwigs expected to attend the event include Fifi Fiavi Kwetey; Minister for Transport, Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, former Youth and Sports Minister; Okudzeto Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister for Education and Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Deputy Minister for Communications.

Kwadwo Twum Boafo, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Board; Joyce Bawa Mogtari, Deputy Minister for Transport; Sam George, NDC Parliamentary nominee for Ningo/Prampram and Madam Emilia Arthur.

There forum will be live on Citi FM at 4pm.

The party postponed the forum last week after consultation with the leadership of the NDC’s national campaign team.

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By: Pearl Akanya Ofori/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The NDC at the forum lambasted Dr. Bawumia and the NPP but was unable to fully tackle the 170 concerns.

Dr. Bawumia had accused government of ballooning Ghana’s debt stock and mismanaging the economy, whiles the living standards of citizens worsen.

Addressing students and lecturers of the Assin Fosu College of Education on Thursday, Dr. Bawumia said the only issue that needs to be straightened is corruption and mismanagement of the economy led by President Mahama.

“Last week, they came out to say they wanted to set the records straight after my lecture. I gave the NDC 170 statements and asked them to respond to them, they have run away, they have not been able to respond. The only record that we are going to set straight is their record of corruption in this country, their record of mismanagement and their record of incompetence, that is the record Nana Akufo-Addo is going to set straight,” he said.

He also used the opportunity to highlight on some of the projects and initiatives an NPP government would implement if given the nod in the upcoming December 7 polls.

“…We are really set for a major transformation of this economy; it will not be the type of propaganda transformation John Mahama is talking about when he says he’s Transforming lives and changing Ghana.”

“When the NPP had only 20billion Ghana cedis, you saw transformation. You saw the National Health Insurance Scheme, the School Feeding Programme, the National Youth Employment Programme, the free Maternal Care Programme, Metro Mass, Mass Cocoa Spraying exercise etc.; all these interventions were done with only 20 billion but with 248 billion that has come to the NDC, they have collapsed all these programmes and yet they have the audacity to say that they have transformed Ghana, they have only transformed their pockets,” he added.

Dr. Bawumia is currently on a campaign trail in the Central Region and has so far toured the Gomoa East, Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Ekumfi, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam, Upper Denkyira West and East and the Assin Central and North Constituencies.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post Bawumia rubbishes NDC’s ‘Setting the records straight’ appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The NDC at a press conference dubbed, “setting the records straight” to counter the NPP’s recent “Promises Made, Promises Broken, Promises Repeated” media encounter, said Ghana’s economy saw an impressive performance under the John Attah-Mills – John Mahama administration against the poor performance by the NPP’s John Kufuor.

Addressing the press, Minister of Transport, Fifi Kwetey, said in spite of the many financial resources that was available to the NPP, it was unable to ensure a significant growth in terms of infrastructure development.

“From 2001 to 2008, the NPP accumulated a total debt stock 56.9billion cedis, taking it from 9.7billion cedis in 2008. NPP therefore had access to 4.3 times more loan financing than NDC 1 under Jerry Rawlings. In spite of this, the NDC 1 overshadows the NPP in virtually all critical development infrastructure.”

“NDC built 3 regional hospitals against zero by the non-performing NPP. NDC within that period, can also boast of a couple of public universities against zero by the NPP,” he added.

But Dr Akoto Osei in a sharp rebuttal on Good Evening Ghana dismissed these claims.

According to him, it is rather the NDC that has nothing positive to show for the management of the country’s economy under the Mills and the Mahama administration.

Giving examples to support his claim, the Old Tafo MP revealed that some contractors who embarked on various governmental projects for the NDC have still not been paid.

The situation, according to him, has compelled the contractors to borrow from some banks which in his view is collapsing the banking system.

“When you don’t pay contractors, there is arrears. These contractors have gone to borrow from the banking system. They are collapsing the banking system so it is showing as debt in the banking system. That is a serious problem…You don’t present the budget statement and say you cannot find 1.7 billion. It will show up somewhere.”

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post NDC’s claims on economy unfounded – Akoto Osei appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, the then NPP government had a lot of revenue from cocaine, yet could not transform the country.

Fifi Kwetey made the claim when he addressed the media at a forum dubbed “Setting the records straight,” in response to claims made by the NPP that government has been incompetent particularly in its handling of the economy.

“It should be noted that; we tried not to even make reference to the fact that the NDC period was a period when the economy of Ghana was not inundated with massive cocaine cash as was experienced during the eight years of the NPP, when the floodgates of cocaine were opened and Ghana became a virtual cocaine hub,” Kwetey said.

Former President Kufuor led Ghana from 2001 to 2008.

The NPP had accused the current NDC administration led by President John Mahama of having enough revenue from foreign loans and oil, yet has not been able to improve the lives of Ghanaians.

The party also chastised the NDC for ballooning the country’s debt stock to frightening levels.

We’re investing in projects not piling debts

But Fifi Kwetey said the NDC government should be commended because the loans it contracted are being invested in profitable infrastructure.

“For us in the NDC, foreign loans are meant for investment. Most likely, because the NPP was so wasteful with foreign loans, the party wrongly assumes the NDC has the same defect. No! We in the NDC have a great track record of using foreign debts to invest in solid investments,” he added.

We’ve managed economy better than NPP

Mr. Kwetey also said on the record, the NDC has managed Ghana’s economy better than the NPP.

“From 2001 to 2008, the NPP accumulated a total debt stock 56.9billion cedis, taking it from 9.7billion cedis in 2008. NPP therefore had access to 4.3 times more loan financing than NDC 1 under Jerry Rawlings. In spite of this, the NDC 1 overshadows the NPP in virtually all critical development infrastructure.”

“NDC built 3 regional hospitals against zero by the non-performing NPP. NDC within that period, can also boast of a couple of public universities against zero by the NPP,” he added.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post Ghana was a cocaine hub under Kufuor – Fifi Kwetey appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The forum was to among other things dispel claims made by the New Patriotic Party, which suggested that the NDC had performed abysmally within the last few years despite the massive loans it and revenue it has had.

But Transport Minister, Fifi Kwetey, who addressed the media, said the foreign loans have been invested in concrete projects and infrastructure.

Click below to listen to full audio:

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NDC’s ‘setting the records straight’ [Full audio] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Every election year, the party organizes a series of press conferences to address pertinent issues ahead of the polls.

The programme was scheduled to be held on  last Wednesday but was moved to today because of party’s Manifesto launch .

Besides the press conferences, the “Setting the Records Straight” series would also be addressing the general public in a number of town hall meetings.

Today’s event  will be held at the party’s Headquarters in Accra .

Officials expected to attended are the  Transport  Minister  Fifi Kwetey, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, former Minister for Youth and Sports; Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Minister for Education and Emmanuel Kofi-Armah Buah, Minister for Petroleum.

The rest are Ato Forson, Deputy Minister for Finance; Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Deputy Minister for Communications; Kwadwo Twum Boafo, the Executive Secretary of the Ghana Free Zones Board; Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Deputy Minister for Transport,  Sam George and Emilia Arthur.

The programme will also be broadcast  live on Citi FM at 4pm.

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By: Pearl Akanya Ofori/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NDC begins ‘setting the records straight’ series today appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.