Members of the Greater Accra Association of Assembly Members (GAAAM) have questioned the commitment of former President Mahama to his promise to put them on salary when voted into power.
They believe the promise by the former President who is the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential Candidate is just an attempt to hoodwink them for votes because when he was President he rejected the move to put assembly members on salaries.
Spokesman for the group, Stephen Kwasi Acquah, during a courtesy call on President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, said the same promise was in NDC’s manifesto in both 2012 and 2016 yet they failed to implement it.
“Because he failed to implement it in 2012, that’s why we didn’t have the trust and confidence in him to vote for him,” he noted and said “we have realized that if there is anyone who can pay assembly members or ease our burden, then that should be you Akufo-Addo and the NPP because of your track record as a promise keeper.”
They therefore assured the President that “because of this we have faith and confidence in your ability to deliver when we help you to campaign for four more years for you to do more,” thereby endorsing his candidature.
On his part, President Akufo-Addo commended the group for the confidence reposed in him and the NPP as a party.
He also thanked them for their sense of dedication to duty in spite of the limited resources, having identified four constituencies in the region where they thought were winnable and committed themselves to help the party win them.
“I think this is the spirit; when we all put our strength together, it will not be possible for these people (referring to the NDC) to come to power again,” he noted.
His reason was that “the atmosphere in the country is good for us; very good for us. Ghanaians are content with the work we have done, so the most important thing for us is to go from house to house to push our good message right up until the D-day.”
The President cautioned that “we cannot afford any complacency because elections are not won until the last vote has been counted and we have to make sure that everybody who has registered will come out and vote in this year’s election.”
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent