“If we do not stay focused and work hard and smart together to win the power that is before us, we risk condemning generations to a future of helplessness, hopelessness and wretchedness. Ghanaians know that we, of the NPP, have the ideas. They know we have the competence and they have no doubt that we have the people and they can tell that we have love for our country, not to seek to destroy it for the sake of enriching ourselves. They know we have what it takes to rescue Ghana and make her work again. And, by the Grace of God, we will not disappoint them.”

These were the words of Nana Akufo-Addo on Saturday, October 17, 2015, on the final day of the International Conference of the New Patriotic Party, at the NH Grand in Amsterdam.

Having spent the majority of his adult life in Ghanaian politics fighting for the improvement in the welfare of the Ghanaian, the NPP flagbearer says this period has been long enough for him to understand the concerns of Ghanaians, as well as have a good idea what to do to help citizens build a life of dignity and fulfillment.

According to the NPP flagbearer, there are far too many Ghanaians who struggle and yet cannot make ends meet, and too many Ghanaian children who are being failed by the education system.

“I listen to the disillusionment of the average Ghana with politicians who promise them relief and end up bringing them grief when they get into office. I listen to the journalist who is saddened by the revelation that a government can spend $10 million to print presidential diaries. Yes, you heard me right: $10 million. And yet we are barely able to scrape together $10 million as a down payment on our debt to Nigeria for the supply of a truly essential product – gas,” he said.

He continued, “The message when you travel across the country is the same. We have had enough of the lies. We have been taken for granted for far too long. You and I know Ghanaians deserve better. That is why you and I have the responsibility to do what we have to do to bring about change. Change is coming. Change is within our reach, but change will depend on you and I.”

NPP will do things differently

Nana Akufo-Addo assured the people of Ghana that he is committed to doing things differently when he is elected President in 2016.

This, he said, is hinged on the fact that he is the presidential candidate of a party that has a credible record of delivering results.

“We have shown both with our philosophy and our policy actions that ours is the party that believes in the wellbeing of the individual. We believe in enterprise because we know that when business thrives society benefits from the profits of enterprise,” he said.

That, according to Akufo-Addo, is why his government, God-willing from 2017, will push for policies that are jobs-focused, promote low taxes, ensure access to affordable and competitive credits and make investors feel confident that their ventures will be bankable.

“We will then create the hundreds of thousands of jobs that the young people of Ghana are yearning for… Ours is not to create, exploit and benefit from divisive politics. Ours is to sell equal hope to every Ghanaian. We are committed to a one, united Ghana because we believe in equality between ethnic groups; equality of rights and equality of responsibilities,” he added.

Ghanaians ready for NPP

The two terms of President Kufuor from 2001 to 2009, the NPP flagbearer said, has left the country in no doubt about who the better managers of the Ghanaian economy are.

“We showed that we walk more than the talk. Others talk and even take our talk and stumble when they attempt to do our walk. Examples are plenty, the NHIS, which is collapsing, the school feeding program, which is dead, the free ante-natal care, which is no more, and the development of the North, which has been saddened by SADA,” he said.

He continued, “I believe that the Ghanaian people are ready to take on our vision – enhancing productivity and diversifying our agriculture; expanding our industrial and manufacturing capacity; reforming our financial sector to support the growth of agriculture and industry; and accelerating the creation of a genuine regional market out of ECOWAS to stimulate Ghanaian enterprise and ingenuity.”

To Ghanaians in the Diaspora, Nana Akufo-Addo noted that they have an important and critical role to play.

“You have the expertise, and, in many cases, the capital to contribute to the growth of Ghanaian civilisation. Together, we at home and you abroad, can work to realise the dreams of the founding fathers for a free, prosperous Ghana as the vanguard for a free, prosperous Africa. We will rebuild Ghana together,” he said.