Nduom Promises To Transform Ghana In Four Years

The flag bearer of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, has promised that in four years, the party will transform the social and economic fabric of the country, to create the jobs Ghanaians are looking for if the party is voted into power.

He said in the long term, a PPP government would form a union with teachers to provide high quality free, compulsory and continuous education from the kindergarten to senior high school that would prepare people for the millions of high grade jobs that it would inject into the Ghanaian economy.

“From today, when you hear PPP, think Jobs, prosperity and peace. When you tell your mother, brother colleague or classmate to vote for PPP and they ask you why, simply tell them “Edwuma Nyi, Sika Nyi, Ahoto Nyi”, he said.

Delivering the policy statement of the PPP in Accra Tuesday, at an encounter with civil society organisations, Dr Nduom said, “We stand on the platform of jobs, jobs, jobs, for every Ghanaian who wants to work”.

The encounter with the civil society organisations followed the format of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Presidential Debates, and gave an opportunity for a cross-section of Ghanaians to ask the PPP flag bearer some pertinent questions.

The PPP, having been sidelined in the IEA Presidential Debates on the basis that it does not have representation in Parliament, decided to organise the event to avail itself of the opportunity offered the four political parties with representation in Parliament, to engage with representatives of key national stakeholders.

Established on February 25, 2012, the PPP has organised itself as a focused, vibrant, independent-minded and progressive political party that is fast gaining grounds as the third political force in the country after the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

In asmuch as the PPP is promising to create the jobs Ghanaian are looking for, Dr Nduom noted that  true progress could not be obtained without a unified country.

He said a PPP government would, therefore, create an inclusive, united Ghanaian society that would reinvent the country.

“We, promise to build one solid Team Ghana by reinventing our Ghanaian selves, our attitudes and our way of life”, he stressed.

He said Ghanaians were sitting on trillions of dollars in gold, oil, bauxite, iron ore, diamonds and vast tracts of fertile lands that could help dramatically improve education, healthcare and create jobs for the people.

“But we cannot benefit from these natural resources until Ghana has leadership that is truly democratic and does not aim to be an elected dictatorship; a leadership that is prepared to give some of its power to the people in order to unleash the energy of self-determination.

“The Progressive People’s Party promises to give power back to the people to ensure broad national development and prosperity”, he promised.

The PPP flag bearer said during the recent dramatic economic and social change, one thing that had remained constant was the “toxic, winner-takes-all political culture that has a deadly vice grip on the throats of our people”.

“If we do not take concrete, sure steps from this political culture, we will remain a nation made poor by leaders who just want to win power for power’s sake”, he contended.

Dr Nduom said the PPP had emerged with the courage to stand up and say “We are not just here to give empty promises to win power; we will not abuse the name of the  Lord with vain prophesies; we will not proclaim that we are not corrupt, yet refuse to disclose our taxes, assets, health status and sources of party funding”.

“We are here to tell every single Ghanaian that if you vote for the PPP, you, as a Ghanaian citizen will win power, whether you are Christian, Muslim, male or female, young or old. We are here to let you know that if PPP wins this election, every single individual that votes will be a guaranteed winner, no matter which political party you voted for”, he stressed.

Dr Nduom said a PPP government would amend the provisions of the 1992 Constitution that seek to perpetuate the winner-takes-all system of governance, adding, “Ghana desperately needs to upgrade its political system to match the strides that our economy and society can make in the Fourth Republic”.

Outlining the PPP’s commitment to promote the interest of women, he promised that if the party was voted into power, it would implement affirmative action policies and programmes to give women opportunities to develop their potentials in life.

He said a PPP administration would establish a Women Enterprise Development Agency to train, encourage and promote the growth and development of women entrepreneurs, and also ensure the passage of the Spousal Property Rights Bill if it was not passed before January 7, 2013.

Dr Nduom addressed many other critical national issues as captured in the PPP Political Platform, which constitutes the party’s manifesto.

These include support for agriculture, equal sharing of the national cake, reform of state institutions to make them more efficient, provision of energy for industrialization, and relentless fight against crime, the drug trade and corruption

Story: Kofi Yeboah/Daily Graphic