Pro-opposition group, 'The Truth Forum' has cautioned President John Mahama to desist from what it calls the distribution of freebies to buy votes ahead of the December 7 elections.

According to one of the leaders of the group, Yaw Buaben Asamoah, President Mahama’s giving of gifts on the campaign trail in the name of public policy initiatives is not only a waste of the country’s resources  but demeaning to the country’s democracy.

“The message therefore to His Excellency the President is to desist from the ongoing very public give away culture unprecedented in its openness and insensitivity because it is not only futile but also brings the high office of the presidency into disrepute and shame,” he added.

Addressing a news conference in Accra today [Tuesday], Mr. Boaben Asamoah called on Ghanaians not to fall for the freebies but vote out President Mahama for poorly managing the country.

“Many voters are very aware of the high stakes in this election and will therefore not be swayed by gift giving and vote buying.

“After six general elections since the inception of the fourth republic, many Ghanaians have gained enough experience of the true nature and purpose of elections and have thus moved beyond mere inducement offered at elections,” he stated.

Mr. Boaben Asamoah who is also the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary aspirant for Adentan in the Greater Accra Region said Ghanaians are wise enough and would therefore not be swayed by petty or grand style vote buying schemes.

“This is because voters realise that vote buying and election related gift giving does not address their core concerns and needs which include sustained employment, increasing incomes, reliable and affordable utilities and accessible social services,” he said.

Mr. Boaben Asamoah said given the lack of political traction for vote buying; the NPP would not have engaged the NDC administration.

However, he said the NPP is worried because of the alarming waste of questionable resources in which the Mahama administration is  giving away vehicles, houses, motor bikes, outboard motors, head pans, gas cylinders, tablets, mobile telephones and cash to some Ghanaians ostensibly to get votes.

“Indeed the infamous picture of His Excellency president Mahama stuffing cash into the pocket of a chief on the street in the full glare of the public shows the depth to which the presidency has in desperation sunk in pursuit of a phantom political desire,” he said.

Distribution of outboard motors worse than vote buying- GII

Anti-corruption group, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has said the distribution of outboard motors to fishermen by President John Mahama in the Western Region was worse than vote buying.

The Executive Director of GII, Linda Ofori Kwafo said “It is akin to abuse of office.”

The outboard motors distributed by President Mahama

Her comments came after President Mahama began his campaign tour of the Western Region with the distribution of outboard motors to some fisher folks.

At separate durbars with the fishermen in Axim and Sekondi, President Mahama distributed the outboard motors to help improve their working conditions.

But the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2016 Campaign Spokesperson, Joyce Mogtari, said the sharing of the outboard motors was part of a government intervention and not intended to buy votes.

She said the outboard motors were purchased with state funds and distributed by the president who was performing his duties as a president and not as a candidate..

By: citifmonline.com