The flagbearer-hopeful of the National Democratic Congress, John Mahama, has declared his intention to run for the presidential primaries of the National Democratic Congress.

John Mahama stated that the intention and agenda of the party are to restore and reset the country to default settings as envisioned by its founders.

Declaring his intent to run for presidential primaries on March 2, 2023, he said the top priority of his government will be to restore stability and inclusive growth to the economy.

1. Efficient economic management to ease hardship

He said: “We will bring the various indicators under control to relieve Ghanaians from their suffering. We will strictly enforce prudence and responsibility in the management of public finances by cutting out waste and ostentation which has become a common brand under this administration.

2. Restore faith in collapsed financial sector

“We shall restore faith in our almost collapse financial system and embark on sweeping reforms at the Bank of Ghana. We shall actively pursue robust policies to ensure active local participation in our banking, telecommunications, mining agriculture, agribusiness, and manufacturing sectors,” he said at UHAS.

John Mahama further said “And this will be anchored on our plan to build the economy and will make investments in productive sectors of the economy like agriculture tourism and digitalization to spur growth and generate jobs for the teeming youth to create sustainable employment and not lose hope in our country day by day.

3. Continue and complete started projects

“With the limited fiscal space we are likely to inherit due to the current state of the economy, a new NDC administration will give priority to continuing and completing abandoned and ongoing projects rather than rushing to commence new ones,” he added.

4. Trim size of government to maximum 60 ministers

John Mahama noted that the size of the government needs to be trimmed to reflect the current economic state of the economy. According to him, the country can be run with 60 ministers and their deputies.

“We shall assemble and operate the leanest and most efficient government in the history of the 4th republic. We will reduce significantly the size of the government,” Mahama indicated.

5. Scrap ex-gratia

He also mentioned that ex-gratia and other emoluments for Article 71 office holders will be scrapped when he returns to power.

“We will continue and bring to a conclusion the constitutional review process begun by the late President Atta Mills which will review the controversial Article 71 to reduce the number of office holders under Article 71 and reduce the disparity in privileges and emoluments vis a vis the public sector and civil servants. The payments of ex-gratia to members of the executive under Article 71 will be scrapped and the necessary processes to abolish that system will start in earnest in 2025,” he said.

SSD/FNOQ