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On Friday, Former President John Dramani Mahama reaffirmed his vision for a prosperous future for Ghana. Delivering a keynote address at the NDC LAB Policy Dialogue held at the Peduase Valley Resort in Aburi, Eastern Region, Mr. Mahama highlighted the steadfast commitment of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to implementing ambitious policies aimed at addressing the socio-economic challenges of the country and fostering inclusive growth.
Mr. Mahama emphasized the pressing nature of the current economic crisis in Ghana, presenting alarming statistics on unemployment and deteriorating living conditions.
He expressed criticism towards the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration, attributing the country’s worsened economic condition to mismanagement and ineptitude under their leadership.
“The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reported on Wednesday, that unemployment keeps rising and currently stands at a staggering 14.7%, as nearly 1.4 million young people aged 15 to 35 were unemployed in the first three quarters of 2023 alone. This is, by every account, a very harrowing situation”.
“Worsening living conditions, unbearable hardships, a spiralling cost of living, high inflation, rising inequality, a widening gap between the haves and the have-nots, a steep erosion of the purchasing power of Ghanaians, an unsustainable public debt, massive debt defaults, a failing currency, and astronomic budget deficits tell the tale of a catastrophic economic meltdown, which is the result of shocking mismanagement and ineptitude by the Akufo-Addo/ Bawumia administration.”
“This is not the Ghana we subscribed to. Without a doubt, this current iteration of our country requires urgent rebuilding anchored on our collective aspirations with workable, progressive, and sustainable policies,” he said.
Addressing these challenges, Mahama delineated a comprehensive strategy for economic recovery and governance reform. He underscored the significance of a robust governance structure built on ICT uptake and innovation, aiming to spur job creation and foster economic growth.
He introduced a range of significant initiatives, including the “Digital Jobs Initiative” with the goal of generating 300,000 skilled employment opportunities for the youth. Mahama also disclosed plans to institute a FinTech Growth Fund to assist local companies in the digital economy and initiate a “Coding for Employment Programme” with the ambitious target of training one million coders.
Mahama’s speech underscored the NDC’s dedication to addressing infrastructure deficits by prioritizing the completion of abandoned and uncompleted government projects. He highlighted the party’s preparedness for governance, pointing out the ongoing initiatives to gather data on infrastructure projects and formulate implementation frameworks for proposed policies.
Mahama wrapped up his speech by reaffirming the NDC’s commitment to constructing a Ghana that aligns with the aspirations of its citizens. He expressed confidence in the party’s capacity to fulfill its promises and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process in the upcoming elections.
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Source/NDC/Accralive.com/Ebenezer Junior Arthur.
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