General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fiifi Kwetey, has branded the Akufo-Addo government policy that birthed the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) as a swindling scheme implemented merely for votes.

Addressing party faithful during the launch of the NDC Youth Manifesto in Accra, Mr. Kwetey said the choice between the two major political parties could not be more stark as his party prioritized policies that would bring about development in the country.

“Over the last eight years, we have seen a number of policies that have been unveiled, like NABCO. What has happened to it? Because it was nothing but a scam and a 419 policy. It was a policy designed for votes. The difference between us and them is that we think about policies first for progress before votes,” Mr. Kwetey said.

The National Youth Organizer for the NDC, George Opare Addo, popularly known as Pablo, also condemned the government’s failure to address the country’s pressing issues, highlighting the alarming 21.7% youth unemployment rate, with 1.4 million young people without jobs and 8.4 million Ghanaians going without food daily.

“We are all too familiar with 001, 100, or 000. This has become a formula that most of us live by. And if you don’t understand it, what it simply means is that one stands for the only meal you have a day,” he added.

The NDC Youth Wing Leader criticized the government’s response to citizens’ concerns, citing examples of excesses such as the president’s $17,000-an-hour private jet hire, the appointment of friends and family to high positions, and lavish spending on condoms, air conditioning, and tourism capacity building.

“When we tell them our women give birth in hospitals without beds and lights, the President responds by hiring a private jet at $17,000 an hour. When we tell them young people struggle without jobs, they answer you by appointing their friends and families to high places,” he said.

Pablo emphasized that the government has become the problem, with daily scandals and no solutions to the country’s challenges.

“They don’t care about you. We complain about higher rents, and they respond by installing 11 air conditioners in a two-bedroom house. And as if that is not enough, the owner of the two-bedroom house is appointed board chairman,” he added.

The NDC Youth Wing is calling for change and accountability from the government, urging citizens to demand better from their leaders.

“We elected governments to solve our problems. Unfortunately, this government has become our problem that you and I will have to deal with every day,” Pablo said.