Ghanaian politicians have long been criticized for making grand promises to voters, only to disappoint them later by not fulfilling those commitments.
Both past and present governments have faced accusations from constituents who feel betrayed after politicians secure their votes with enticing words and then fail to deliver on their assurances.
In the ongoing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Presidential Race, the two leading candidates, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen and Dr Alhaji Mahamadu Bawumia, have made pledges that have captured the attention of many Ghanaians.
Alan Kyerematen’s campaign aid, Hopeson Adorye, revealed that if Kyerematen becomes the party’s flagbearer in the 2024 elections, he will ensure that every delegate receives a monthly salary, benefits from Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) contributions, and even receives a pension.
Not to be outdone, President for ‘Bawumia Must Win’, Gyasi Boako, stated that one of Dr Bawumia’s campaign messages is that, if elected as president, he will make 10 appointments in every constituency.
These promises have sparked skepticism, with many doubting their feasibility and expressing concerns that they are too good to be true.
Adom TV’s political show, The Big Agenda, took the initiative to question the politicians about their commitment to such enticing promises.
Anthony Nukpenu, the Greater Accra Regional Organizer of the NDC, offered an intriguing perspective.
He asserted that politicians are compelled to make such extravagant promises because the voters demand them.
He explained, “You who want power knows within yourself that you can only give fifty percent, but the voters do not want the fifty; they want one hundred percent. So, you promise them the hundred, and after you get power, you facilitate and give them the fifty for them to know you have given them something.”
Mr Nukpenu admitted that politicians are not genuinely committed to these lofty promises, knowing that they are often impossible to fulfill.
However, he emphasized that they go ahead with them in order to win the hearts and minds of the voters.
When asked if he would admit that politicians lie and deceive Ghanaians, Nukpenu responded, “Every politician speaks the truth, but after the truth, at some point, you need to say more to persuade the voters to vote for you. To say politicians lie, that will be disingenuous.”
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