The assurance from the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, that the NPP will win the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections loudly echoes the sentiments of majority of Ghanaians, who, after eight years of despondency under the incompetent Mahama-led National Democratic Congress administration, are clamouring for change.

Indications are clear that majority of Ghanaians have lost complete faith in the ability of the Mahama government to reverse the current trend of gross economic mismanagement and corruption that have combined to impose excruciating hardship on them.

Nothing is working in the country, and what makes the matter worse is that the government is not being truthful to the people, for them to appreciate the real challenges facing the nation.

Communications Director of the NPP, Nana Akomea, could not have said it better when he pointed out that Ghanaians were worried about the manner in which President Mahama and his government had been governing the country through deception and lies.

The deception has reached such alarming heights that even announcement by the president of approval for recruitment of lecturers by the nation's public universities has been greeted with complete doubts by the University Teachers Association of Ghana.

The President promised to make 'dumsor' a thing of the past, but the situation is now getting out of control. He promised putting monies in the pockets of Ghanaians, create more jobs for the teeming jobless youth, as well as stabilize the economy, but none of these has been achieved.

As a result of the maladministration of the Mahama government, Ghanaians are becoming poorer and poorer, while sleaze and corruption have been elevated to immeasurable levels.

With this state of affairs, it is therefore not surprising that the clamour for change in government appears louder than ever as the nation inches towards the December polls.

But, as Nana Akufo-Addo rightly pointed, members of the NPP that is seen as the most credible vehicle to bring about the change must be prepared to protect the ballot to ensure the success of the change agenda that is in full gear at the moment.

Although the policies and programmes of the NPP have been received widely by Ghanaians, the party must not relent in its efforts at ensuring that victory does not elude it through a combination of political chancery and any other unorthodox means.

The vigilance with which members and sympathisers of the party, as well as other volunteers, monitored the recent limited voter registration exercise offers enough assurance that the suffering Ghanaians are not prepared to allow their mandate to be tilted towards the wrong direction.

The fact cannot be gainsaid that the hearts of majority of Ghanaians are with the NPP in the pursuit of the change agenda. The NPP must therefore do all it can not to fail the millions of Ghanaians who have put their trust in the party, and are expecting it to rescue the nation from the ineptitude of the Mahama government.

By now, everybody is convinced the Mahama government that is associated with the worst ever reckless and criminal election year spending will certainly employ various dubious means aimed at using our own resources to buy our votes.

The NPP should lead an effective campaign to ensure that the votes of the people are not bought with their own money, while ensuring continued vigilance at any stage of the electoral process, especially in view of the suspicious posturing of the EC and the cunning nature of the governing NDC.