Preparations towards the much-anticipated manifesto launch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) appear to be gathering momentum.
At the residence of Nana Akufo-Addo, the NPP flag bearer, Onyaa Crescent, Nima Residential Area in Accra, the party’s leader appears to have set the tone with a decoration of his walls with what looks like a hint of what has been captured in the manifesto.
Some of the key issues displayed on the walls include “One Village…One Dam,” “One District…One Factory,” “Health Insurance Will Work Again,” “Still Free SHS,” “Vote for Jobs,” among other policies.
Apart from the highlights, the walls have also been decorated with the photographs of Nana Akufo-Addo and his running mate, Dr. Bawumia, with accompanying popular quotes of the two NPP leaders.
One of the billboards touts Nana Akufo-Addo’s impeccable record of fighting for free speech and a free media environment, crediting him for his untiring effort in getting the Criminal Libel Law, which criminalized free speech repealed.
Above all, the NPP wants Ghanaians to adopt its flagship slogan: “Change is coming!” to change the incompetent Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) government on December 7.
Manifesto Launch
The party has fixed Sunday, October 9, as date for the launch at the Unique Events Palace, Trade Fair Site, La in Accra, and former President John Agyekum Kufuor is expected to supervise the launch, which the party says will be grand.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia are going to be the main attractions, apart from a number of stalwarts who would speak on sector by sector topics to address Ghana’s problems.
DAILY GUIDE has gathered that the NPP is going to place more emphasis on how to reduce the high unemployment rate currently confronting the country by explaining how to create jobs, as well as push for the industrialization of the country.
They will also talk about how they will revive the almost-collapsed National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), redirect the free Senior High School (SHS) policy which they say the Mahama government has messed up, concentrate on economic development by building a robust system where there will be reduction of tax burdens to create an enabling environment for production, as well as give the private sector the opportunity to explore.
Steering Committee Decision
The NPP yesterday released a statement through its acting General Secretary John Boadu, claiming that the party’s Steering Committee had given approval to launch the party’s 2016 manifesto.
“The launch of the manifesto, which contains the solutions Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the party propose to help fix the myriad of problems facing the country, including how to resolve the unemployment problem among young Ghanaians will be held at the forecourt of the Accra International Trade Fair Centre. The event will be presided by Ghana’s most successful democratic leader, President John Agyekum Kufuor.”
The release said, “The manifesto launch will be followed later in the afternoon by a major political rally which will be opened to all supporters and members of the public. All party supporters and sympathizers, as well as the general public, are invited to the rally at the forecourt of the Accra International Trade Fair Centre.”
According to Mr. Boadu, the rally “will be preceded by a stakeholder briefing of the manifesto to civil society and identifiable groups, embassies and diplomatic missions and political parties.”
By William Yaw Owusu