NPP Final Rally: Give me the chance to transform Ghana - Bawumia

Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, the Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Thursday made a clarion call to the electorates to give him the opportunity to transform Ghana and build on the solid foundation laid by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

He entreated prospective voters in Saturday’s polls to entrust the nation into the hands of a presidential candidate with innovative ideas and integrity to protect the gains made and propel Ghana into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Addressing enthusiastic NPP supporters during the Party’s final rally, dubbed: “Possibilities Victory Rally,” at the University of Ghana Sports Directorate Park, Dr Bawumia said his government would unleash the forces of the private sector to transform the economy.

“I will work hard to selflessly protect our natural resources, improve the Free SHS policy, teacher and nursing trainees’ allowances, care for the needy and welfare of the Zongo communities,” he said.

The NPP flagbearer highlighted some of the innovative policies and programmes implemented by the NPP-led government.

He mentioned innovative policies such as the medical drone delivery system, mobile money interoperability payment, digital property address, National Identification (Ghana Card), paperless ports, Credit Scoring System, and free dialysis and childhood cancer treatments under the NHIS.

On infrastructure projects, Vice President Bawumia said the Akufo-Addo government had constructed more roads, interchanges and railway lines than President John Mahama’s.

The government, he said, had expended six billion Ghana cedis on Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) alone.

On the Planting for Food and Jobs, he said the policy had ensured food security, with Ghana being ranked the third in Africa in terms of nations with food security.

“So, on what basis does former President Mahama want to come back?… Even the macroeconomic indicators, which we have had difficulties with, if we compare our records, we have done better than the NDC government…” Dr Bawumia stated.

“When I called for a debate with John Mahama, he ran away… I speak with facts and data,” he stated amidst shouts and cheers from the huge crowd.

Touching on some of the policies his government would implement if given the mandate on December 7, the NPP flagbearer said he would shift from using crude oil to solar energy for producing electricity, expand the use of electric vehicles in the public transport sector to reduce cost by 50 per cent, introduce flat tax rate and tax amnesty in 2025.

He would also cede three per cent of the government’s expenditure to the private sector, which translates to GHc30 billion annually, to enable the private sector to embark on various projects in the housing and other sectors to fast-track the progress of the nation.

Dr Bawumia expressed optimism that the NPP would win both the presidential elections and the parliamentary majority on the December 7 polls and urged Ghanaians to have confidence in the NPP.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in his address, said the NPP had the best candidate in the 2024 race and urged the electorates to vote for Vice President Bawumia.

He said Dr Bawumia had been groomed over the past eight years and well prepared to take the mantle of leadership from him.

President Akufo-Addo decried some utterances purported to have been made by a clergyman that incited religious tensions.

“It is sad that yesterday a pastor told his congregation that they should not vote for Dr Bawumia because he is a Muslim,” the President stated.

“No pastor should sow seeds of discord among Ghanaians by making provocative religious statements.”

The President said both Christians and Muslims had been living in peace and harmony; therefore, Ghanaians should not allow anyone to divide the nation on religious lines.

The final rally by the NPP climaxed months of nationwide electioneering embarked upon by its Flagbearer, Dr Bawumia, to explain his vision to the electorate.

A sea of supporters stormed the event grounds at the University of Ghana, playing their vuvuzelas and dancing to party songs.

High-profile personalities of the Elephant family, including former President John Agyekum Kufuor, past and present national executives, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament and parliamentary candidates of the party, attended the last campaign rally.