The flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has said the ideas he espoused Wednesday this week are not his manifesto.
According to him, those were just his initial ideas but “the manifesto team for the campaign will come out with a comprehensive manifesto in due course.”
The Presidential Candidate of the NPP, Dr. Bawumia, said this on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 in Accra, when he addressed the nation and outlined his vision for Ghana if he becomes President.
In his address, Dr. Bawumia spoke about the economy, his contributions, his vision, priorities and policies.
CHOICE
Concluding his speech, he observed that the choice Ghanaians face in 2024 is between Vice President Bawumia and former President Mahama.
However, Dr. Bawumia emphasised that, “it is fundamentally a choice between the future and the past.”
He told Ghanaians to ask themselves a number of questions before making that choice. He wants the voters to ask themselves if there is someone they can trust to come up with innovative and impactful ideas to transform Ghana.
He said if it was someone with personal integrity who is not corrupt and can be trusted to fight corruption, then the choice, he said clearly, is Dr. Bawumia.
He claimed that if Ghanaians want a leader with a proven record they can trust to create jobs for the youth and take care of the poor, disabled, and vulnerable, then it is him.
NO HONEYMOON
The leader of the NPP said he was eager to serve, work with Ghanaians with honesty and integrity, and be determined to make a positive difference.
“I will not ask for a honeymoon to cool-off and think about what to do with the responsibility you would give me. I am prepared and ready to work if you give me the opportunity,” he asserted.
Dr. Bawumia continued, “You know what I stand for. You know my vision. My vision is all about fulfilling your mission. I believe in the ingenuity of the Ghanaian. Together, we can succeed in building a progressive society of possibilities, enterprise, compassion, open opportunities, and shared prosperity for every Ghanaian, born rich or poor, born in the north or the south, born Christian or Muslim, born girl or boy.”
FOUR-POINT VISION
The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, laid out a four-point vision on agriculture, housing, transportation, and power to help reduce the rising cost of living during his presidency.
On agriculture, Dr. Bawumia’s outlined a comprehensive plan for modern agriculture to ensure precision agriculture and food security.”
He has envisioned a Ghana where food security is attained through the application of technology and irrigation to commercial large-scale farming.
He said his government will also promote the use of agricultural lime to reduce the acidity of the soils, enhance soil fertility, and get more yield from the application of fertilisers.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
On public transportation, Dr. Bawumia announced that his government intends to promote the use of electric vehicles, which he said will positively impact factors affecting the high cost of public transport in Ghana.
He said his administration will endeavour to reduce the cost of public transport by 30–40% with the adoption of electric vehicles for public transportation.
HOUSING
Under Bawumia’s Housing for All policy as President, his government intends to have a major focus on the provision of public housing in the same manner that Singapore did, he said.
He noted that he will partner with the private sector to build large housing estates without the government having to borrow or spend.
Also, the National Rental Assistance Scheme, he added, will be enhanced to deal with the problem of demands for rent advances of two years and more.
POWER SECTOR REFORM
Dr. Bawumia noted that as part of the effort to reduce the cost of living, “my government will implement policies to have energy self-sufficiency at reduced cost through solar and other renewables with the application of market efficiency to the energy market.”
“We will diversify the generation mix by introducing 2000 MW of solar power and additional wind power through independent power producers to reduce our dependence on oil and gas by the end of my first term in office. This will significantly reduce the cost of electricity.”
