The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has criticised President John Mahama’s 120-day social contract, calling it a failed promise marked by persistent power cuts and worsening economic hardship for ordinary Ghanaians.
This comes after President Mahama delivered a national address highlighting what he described as fulfilled commitments under his social contract, a document of 25 major pledges he committed to within the first four months of his presidency.
President Mahama, in his speech, stated that his government has fulfilled the promises outlined in his social contract ahead of the elections. On the 24-hour economy, one of his flagship initiatives, he announced that cabinet has approved amendments to the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act and the Labour Act.
“The programme rollout has commenced in earnest. The 24-hour secretariat is collaborating with the Development Bank of Ghana and the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund to operationalise financing pillars for this programme.
Cabinet has approved amendments to the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act and the Labour Act to include specific clauses regarding 24-hour operations,” the President said.
Among other updates, President Mahama stated that the Minister for Finance has launched an inquiry into the collapse of indigenous banks and financial institutions. He also announced that an independent audit of the National Cathedral project is underway, with a report expected by the end of May.
“This war against corruption continues and abated. The Minister for Health is reviewing the Auditor General’s report on the COVID-19 expenditures. After the review, the appropriate actions will be taken.
The Sputnik V scandal is under investigation. The Minister for Finance has launched an inquiry into the collapse of indigenous banks and financial institutions. And make no mistakes, facts will be unearthed, culprits will be punished, and lessons will be learned,” he said.
President Mahama also mentioned reforms in security recruitment. A biometric database is being introduced to screen applicants against national criminal and intelligence records.
“This will automatically disqualify applicants linked to political vigilante groups. Additionally, a board of inquiry has been set up by the Ghana Armed Forces to investigate recruitment processes aiming to uncover discrepancies and implement corrective measures.
The Minister for Energy and Green Transition has commenced investigations into the PDS scandal. Deloitte & Touche is conducting an independent audit of the National Cathedral project. I expect their report by the end of this month,” he added.
However, the opposition party dismissed the President’s address as “a self-congratulatory performance divorced from the harsh realities facing Ghanaians.”
Speaking at a press conference at the party’s headquarter on Thursday, May 8, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin criticised the President’s claims. “Yesterday, Mr President marked his own script. A script that the questions were said by him, and after that, he gave himself a mark,” he said.
Afenyo-Markin accused the President of using the social contract as a political strategy. “The truth is brutally clear. The social contract was a political bait and switch a glossy list of promises not meant to be fulfilled, but merely to be flaunted, exploited and forgotten.”
He added that key promises such as banning illegal mining, scrapping the COVID-19 levy, slashing import duties, launching mass employment programmes, and implementing a 24-hour economy under the “1-3-3” model remain far from reality.
“The hardship is real. The lights are going off. Prices are rising. And Ghanaians are struggling every day to make ends meet. No amount of grand speeches can hide that,” Afenyo-Markin said.
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