The NPP Vice-Presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has taken the ruling NDC government to task for the numerous “unfulfilled promises” it made to the people of the North and for their incompetence and corruption, which have led to unbearable hardships in the region in particular, and Ghana in general.

Speaking at Nyohini, in the Tamale South Constituency, Dr. Bawumia recalled the NDC’s campaign in the North prior to the election of John Mahama as Vice-President and also as President and how with time, that campaign had resulted in no significant improvements in the lives of the people of the North.

“My elders, my brothers, my sisters, in 2008 and 2012, we were told by the NDC that because John Mahama was a Northerner, we should vote for him. Indeed, John Mahama himself asked the people of the North to vote for him because he was from the North.

“But after eight years, the question is, what has John Mahama and the NDC done for the people of the North? What we have witnessed is the unprecedented stealing in the name of Northerners and Northern development through SADA and unbearable hardships. The failure to pay attention to agriculture and irrigation, etc. have all adversely affected the north. What this shows is that just saying you are a northerner is not enough”, he stated.

Touching on specifics, Dr. Bawumia mentioned the collapse of some social intervention programmes, which were greatly beneficial to the people of the North and whose virtual collapse has made life worse for most families in the North.

“Under the NPP, we created social intervention schemes like the NHIS, Free Maternal Care programme, School feeding etc. But today what do we see? Despite having ten times more money than any government has had, these programmes, which millions of Northerners and Ghanaians in general were benefitting from, have virtually collapsed. The Teacher Trainee and Nursing Trainee Allowances which allowed poor students to become Teachers and Nurses, have also today been cancelled and nowhere is the effect of this cancellation felt more, than the North”, he said.

The NPP Vice-Presidential candidate proceeded to call on the people of the North to reject the NDC’s propaganda and lies against the NPP and vote for Change based on the fact that the NDC has failed the North and Ghana and that the NPP can clearly deliver a more competent government.

“My elders and siblings, if John Mahama is claiming that you should vote for him because he is a northerner, then I would like to remind you that I am also from the North as a grandson of Na Gbewaa and I am asking for you to vote for Nana Akufo-Addo and myself because the NDC has failed and we can do a much better job.

“The NPP is the party that you can trust to build the economy that will provide jobs for our young ones, prioritise their education and training and invest enough resources, without any attempt to steal it, in developing the North and making the lives of the people better. It is the NPP that can make NHIS and other social programmes work again to benefit the people of Ghana and this is why I am urging you to vote for Nana Akufo-Addo. John Mahama has failed as a driver; but with Nana Akufo-Addo as the driver and with me by his side, we are confident that we can steer our country to where we ought to go”, he stated.