Former President John Dramani Mahama has called on President Nana Akufo-Addo to take his responsibilities seriously and focus on working to change the circumstances of the Ghanaian populace.
In a Facebook post on Monday, the former President stated that rather than the “rabble-rousing skits” Ghanaians have been served, the President must “take his responsibilities seriously and focus on working to change the circumstances of our people.”
He was responding to comments by the President that he, Akufo-Addo, is not to blame for the difficulties faced by Ghanaians.
On Saturday, December 18, President Akufo- Addo, while speaking at Juaben in the Ashanti Region, during the commissioning of a New Patriotic Party (NPP) constituency office complex, said, “I admit that Ghanaians are going through difficult times; some people are trying to say that it is my fault, but you know that is not the case. Yet, they will continue to say it.”
Then at the NPP National Delegates Conference held in Kumasi during the weekend, the President challenged Mr Mahama to show any of the policies the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has suggested in its five years in opposition.
“What is the one policy that the NDC and their leader, John Dramani Mahama have brought about in this five years in opposition? Somebody should give me one idea that has emerged from the NDC that will bring about progress for Ghana. The answer is zero, not one single idea,” he added.
The comments made by the President, according to Mr Mahama, were made because he, President Akufo-Addo, has not read the NDC’s 2020 People’s manifesto.
Mr Mahama explained that the opposition party has suggested the ‘Big Push’ agenda meant to accelerate the infrastructure plan for the country as well as the free primary healthcare plan and the 1 million jobs agenda to be introduced by the NDC when it assumes power.
This, he insisted, should have been noticed by the President if he had read the manifesto.
“If only he took a moment, in the comfort of his chartered jet, to read the People’s manifesto, he would have at least learnt about the ‘Big Push’ (an accelerated infrastructure plan for Ghana), ‘Free Primary Health Care Plan’, the ‘1 million jobs plan’, ‘Ghana FIRST’ (Framework for Industrial Revitalisation, Support and Transformation) and several other well-thought-through and costed policies,” he said.
Meanwhile, the former President has stated that he is willing to provide President Akufo-Addo an autographed copy of the manifesto to enable him learn about policies proposed by the NDC.
For him, the President has carved his niche as a good campaigner, but “a poor leader, as Ghanaians have found out at great cost.”