President Akufo-Addo and Former President John Dramani Mahama
Former President John Dramani Mahama has been hit by the jabs thrown at him by President Akufo-Addo on Sunday at the Heroes Park in Kumasi during the 2021 annual Delegates Congress held by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
President Akufo-Addo whilst delivering his speech had dared the former President, who is staging a comeback after Nana Akufo-Addo defeated him twice, to show Ghanaians a single social intervention policy that the NDC administration he led brought, to transform the country and change the lives of the people.
He said whilst the NPP was in opposition for eight years and he (Nana) was the opposition leader, he continually laid bare policies he wanted to introduce to better the lives of the people when elected as president.
The first gentleman of the land then pointed out that he has closely monitored Mr. Mahama for five years since the NDC went into opposition, and strangely he (Mahama) has not suggested a single social intervention policy to better the lives of the citizenry except to do propaganda and incite the public.
“When the NPP was in opposition, I continually declared the positive policies and programmes that I will implement to better the lives of the people, should the good people of Ghana decide to give me their mandate.
“It was during the opposition days that I promised the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme, Planting for Food and Jobs, One District, One Factory and several other positive policies, which we have implemented to better the lives of the masses, whilst in power now,” he said.
The President noted that he is utterly surprised Mr. Mahama, who has been making noise that he wants to be president again, has failed woefully to come out with a single positive policy, and said “I am challenging him to come out with one single policy if he has any.”
Before the President could conclude his statement, the NPP members, who attended the party’s annual National Delegates Conference at the Heroes Park in Kumasi, bumped into spontaneous laughter and cheered him on to throw more political salvos.
President Akufo-Addo said he is even surprised that Mr. Mahama has been going round and telling people that he wants to become the president of the land again, noting that the NDC has not displayed anything to show he deserved the highest seat of the land once again.
Mahama Fire
Mr. Mahama appeared incensed and fired back yesterday saying the President only engaged in serving the nation ‘rabble-rousing skits.’
“I think the President must take his responsibilities seriously and focus on working to change the circumstances of our people, rather than the rabble-rousing skits he serves the nation,” Mr. Mahama posted on social media in response to the President’s open challenge.
“To answer his rhetorical question on policy, if only he took a moment, in the comfort of his chartered jet, to read the People’s manifesto, he would have at least learnt about the ‘Big Push’ (an accelerated infrastructure plan for Ghana), ‘Free Primary Health Care Plan’, the ‘1 Million Jobs Plan’, ‘Ghana FIRST’ (Framework for Industrial Revitalisation, Support and Transformation) and several other well-thought-through and costed policies,” he said cynically, adding “I am willing to provide him with an autographed copy of the manifesto.”
“With his speech of yesterday, he has carved his niche as a good campaigner, but unfortunately a poor leader as Ghanaians have found out at great cost,” he added.
By Ernest Kofi Adu