President John Mahama says Ghanaians will not be fooled into voting for the New Patriotic Party because of the many promises being made by its presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
According to the president, the promise by the NPP presidential candidate to build factories in each district is already being implemented by his administration.
“There are districts where we have metal fabrications taking place, producing steel chairs and iron gates for houses. What kind of factory? Is it a block making factory, we have block making factories already and so until you define what a factory is we don’t know what you are talking about,” Mr Mahama said.
President Mahama’s comment is in reference to a promise made by Akufo-Addo in June during his campaign tour of the Ajumako/Enyan/Essiam, Mfantseman and Abura/Asebu/Kwamankese constituencies in the Central Region, that he will build a factory in every district if voted for during the December polls.
“The only way to free ourselves from the shackles of poverty is by fixing our monetary system. If we are to do this, our monetary system must be stable and strong. This is the only way we can empower Ghanaians. We want to help the private sector to flourish, and we will help establish factories in every district to help create jobs for the people,” Akufo-Addo said.
But President Mahama said the presidential candidate should not be flattered into believing that these promises will help him win power.
“Just empty sloganeering and throwing things about [won’t work], Ghanaians are discerning now,” he said when he paid a courtesy call on the Wa Naa in the Upper West region.
Thousands of NDC supporters welcome Mahama as he arrives in Upper West
He recounted similar promises made by the NPP during the 2000 elections, only for them to turn around and say the previous government had left too many debts, therefore they were unable to carry their promises through.
“That trick has been played on us before, you make the promises and then when you win the elections you say ‘you didn’t realize that was the state of the economy, you know John Mahama has left so much debt that we have to pay the debt before we can fulfil the promises’.
“It has happened to us before, in 2000, so we won’t be fooled this time. We know that this country is moving forward, she is not going backwards,” he added.
President Mahama says his party has built up momentum and it is in the interest of this generation and those unborn for that momentum to be maintained.
In response to criticisms by the opposition party on why he is campaigning if he claims he has transformed the country, President Mahama said the destiny of the country is at stake.
“We cannot afford to send this country backwards and that is why I will cover every blade of grass, I will go to every nook and cranny of this country to make sure that the momentum we have gained as a country moving forward is not set back and that is the purpose for the campaign that I have embarked on.”
He said the NPP cannot deny the fact that the country has seen a drastic improvement in infrastructure during his administration.
“And so you cannot say you have not seen the roads unless you’re sleeping. You cannot say water is not flowing better in many parts of this country and that you’re getting water to drink because of the massive infrastructure that we have embarked on,” he said.
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