President Mahama addressing party supporters in Tamale
President John Dramani Mahama has charged the presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, to “stop jumping from one radio station to the other” and debate him (Mahama) to prove his capabilities to Ghanaians.
According to the president, normally it is the opposition party that calls for debate and not the president.
“Opana is running away from debating me and rather going round radio stations speaking his slang English,” the president said.
President Mahama has dared Nana Addo to face him one-on-one if he knows his (Nana’s) policies are credible, instead of going on radio alone and speaking slangs.
Addressing National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital, President Mahama said he was faced with three challenges when he became president namely, the economy, power crisis, social and economic infrastructure, which he claimed had all been fixed by the NDC government.
President Mahama disclosed that the power crisis has been fixed and that today Ghana has more power supply than the country consumes.
“Government has been able to provide several communities in the country with portable water and electricity, roads, educational facilitates and health infrastructure,” he asserted.
President Mahama, who is the flag bearer of the NDC, said his government had invested heavily in infrastructure, making Ghana better than the United States in terms of infrastructural development.
He assured the electorate that his government is committed to fast-tracking the Eastern corridor road project and that the contactors are making headway with the construction.
Economy
He stated that Ghana’s economy is growing and that it is the second largest (economy) in West Africa, even bigger than that of Cote d’Ivoire.
According to him, Ghanaian’s economy is worth $38 billion while Cote d’Ivoire’s is $32 billion.
Job Creation
He assured the Ghanaian youth of job opportunities in 2017 to enable them to work and put money into their pockets.
He explained that the Tamale Airport would have a cargo village to export fresh fruits and other vegetables to Europe and other countries.
A farmer service center, he claimed, would be created in Kumbungu to provide jobs in agriculture and agribusiness for the youth.
Youth Employment Agency
According to the president, the National Youth Employment Agency (YEA) would from 2017 employ 400,000 youth into the scheme throughout the country.
Electoral Commission
President Mahama claimed that the NPP is creating unnecessary tension to discredit the Electoral Commission (EC), using empty sacks with an EC logo on them and claiming they were found in an NDC chairman’s house.
He noted that Ghana’s electoral process is one of the best in the world, adding that the December 7 elections would be transparent, free and fair and that he is prepared to accept defeat because he has done his best.
FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale