Mr. John Dramani Mahama, Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), pledged to “save the country’s democracy” and “cure the canker of corruption” if elected in the upcoming December polls.
Speaking at the Party’s Governance Forum held in Accra on Thursday, he argued that the democratic progress achieved since 1992 had been “severely eroded” by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, emphasizing his commitment to “halt” the trend.
“For Ghana to be successful again, there is an urgent need for a reset of our governance and democratic systems. This can only happen when this current NPP government is rejected at the polls on 7th December 2024,” he stated.
Mr. Mahama cited greed among appointees of the ruling government, asserting that the administration’s promise to “protect the public purse” was nothing more than “a hollow promise.”
“This is a government that lacks integrity, transparency, and accountability; they will not accept responsibility for the hardship they have inflicted on our society…
“We must urgently halt the decay of our institutions, reset, and begin to chart a dignified path forward…
“No barrier erected by the deeds or misdeeds of this government [NPP] would be too steep to surmount from January 7th, 2025, when, by the grace of the Almighty God and votes of the Ghanaian people, I am sworn into office as President,” he said.
Mr. Mahama stated that his leadership would align with the aspirations of the people, insisting that democracy must “deliver justice to the people.”
He highlighted various scandals under the NPP administration, labeling the stalled National Cathedral project as “a brazen act of corruption.”
He urged voters to “show the NPP government the exit” in the December election, to pave the way for “scrutiny and accountability.”
Mr. Mahama outlined several proposals for effective governance, stating that his future administration would prioritize “meritorious appointments” and ensure that “transparency and accountability systems” are operational.
He reaffirmed his intention to appoint 60 ministers and eliminate ex-gratia payments for government appointees once he takes office.
Mr. Mahama stated that the next NDC government would uphold the separation of powers and establish a Governance Advisory Council to enhance political governance, combat corruption, and promote respect for human rights.
“Membership of this Council will include representatives of Civil Society Organisations, religious leaders, traditional leaders, academia, labour, and ordinary Ghanaians.
“Every year, this Governance Advisory Council will hold a stakeholder forum and release a report on the state of human rights, corruption and our governance to serve as a guide for the government to know whether we are on the right track,” he explained.
Mr. Mahama indicated that the next NDC administration would assist the Auditor General in recovering embezzled state funds “with interest” and implement “Operation Recover All Loot” to address corruption.
Additionally, he intends to “continue and complete” the Constitutional Review process that began under the late President Mills.
The forum was on the theme: “Resetting Ghana for Good Governance and Accountability.”