Time and again, I have realized that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) lacks innovation and fresh ideas. In every election cycle where policy takes center stage, the NDC consistently falls behind, often resorting to repackaging or rebranding the opposing party’s ideas to suit the occasion. A clear example of this was in the 2020 elections when the Free Senior High School (SHS) initiative was a major campaign point. Recognizing the widespread support for it, the NDC hurriedly introduced the slogan of free tertiary education. In the final stretch of the election, they updated their manifesto to reflect this promise.

As we approach the 2024 elections, the NDC is back to its old tactics. With the political climate becoming increasingly policy-driven, they are once again scrambling to adjust. Their flagbearer, John Mahama, was selected a year before NPP’s Bawumia, yet he waited for Bawumia to unveil his manifesto before releasing his own. This time around, the NDC has tried to reframe and repurpose several of Bawumia’s key policies. One notable example is Bawumia’s proposed flat rate system for the port, which Mahama has echoed in his recent statements. The NDC wants to project themselves as the solution, but their strategies appear reactionary rather than innovative.

Perhaps the most glaring example of the NDC's attempt to mislead Ghanaians is their so-called "24-hour economy" policy. This initiative, which promises to keep certain state-run institutions like the DVLA, Passport Office, and the ports running around the clock, seems more like a desperate bid for power than a well-thought-out plan. Can a country that the NDC claims is broke sustain such a system with three shifts of workers paid adequately? Moreover, the NDC promises to hire more police to protect these businesses at night, but under the strict conditions of the IMF, is Ghana in a position to increase public sector employment or wage bill?

They also propose to incentivize private businesses by reducing electricity tariffs and providing security, urging these companies to adopt a three-shift work system. But in a struggling economy, are private businesses truly ready to employ more workers and operate on such a scale? The NDC’s plan to employ more youth through this 24-hour economy appears illogical in light of the nation’s current economic challenges. With limited industrial activity and stagnant wages, private businesses are unlikely to expand their workforce when the market remains lean.

Another policy the NDC is using to deceive voters is their "No Fees Stress" initiative. This proposal is not only misleading but downright impractical. Recognizing that they lack a policy that truly resonates with the grassroots, the NDC has repackaged their 2020 free tertiary education promise into the payment of academic fees for first-year university students. However, this is a superficial solution. The real financial burden of tertiary education lies in accommodation, feeding, and stationery. Covering only the academic fees ignores the most pressing needs of students and their families. Once the first year is over, who will cover the costs for subsequent years?

The NDC’s rhetoric becomes even more questionable when they threaten the current government with legal action over alleged corruption. John Mahama recently warned President Akufo-Addo not to sign a gas contract worth $800 million. The NDC has vowed to prosecute those they deem corrupt, but such promises ring hollow. In Ghana, justice is served through due process, not political threats. No one can be incarcerated without a fair trial, and such a process requires time and legal scrutiny. It’s disheartening that respected institutions like IMANI Ghana, represented by Franklin Cudjoe and Bright Simons, and commentators like Dr. Randy Abbey, remain silent on the NDC’s unrealistic policies.

While Bawumia is proposing bold and comprehensive solutions, the NDC accuses him of being a fraud. Meanwhile, the NDC continues to push impossible and laughably unrealistic policies, and yet some Ghanaians still rally behind them. This is not only ironic but deeply concerning. If we continue to embrace these empty promises, Ghana risks falling into a 50-year cycle of regression.

Isaac Ofori

Social Activist and Human Rights Advocate