"We’ll not take mandate of the people for granted" - John Mahama

Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama says his administration has no intention of taking the mandate of the people of Ghana for granted.

According to Mr. Mahama, NDC has been in power before, thus its record on how it has handled the mandate of Ghanaians are there for all to see.

Addressing the European chapters of the party in Amsterdam following a three-day NDC Europe Conference, he said "We do not claim perfection, but we in the NDC can never be like the NPP. We simply cannot be and are not as reckless and contemptuous of the people of Ghana as the NPP has been. We have never been and will not be as wasteful, ostentatious, and as imprudent as the NPP has been"

Flagbearer John Mahama committed to operating a lean government which he says will not only be lesser than that of the NPP but also a team which will get jobs done more efficiently.

"Nothing in our historical record compares to the level of economic mismanagement that the NPP has superintended"

He added that the NDC believes in substantive offerings, carefully considered, and curated to stand the test of time while comprehensively resolving some of the most complex problems.

"We have no intention of taking the mandate of the people of Ghana for granted. We know we are going against an incumbent government that has proven that it is prepared to shed the blood of its citizens to hang on to power, as they amply showed at the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election and the 2020 elections"

"And then there is an Electoral Commission whose neutrality in this electoral contest is questionable. Our work is therefore cut out for us. We must get off our marks immediately and convince Ghanaians that we are prepared to govern in addition to our superior record to that of the NPP"

"The first step towards doing that is proving that we can manage our internal affairs, which is why this European Conference is significant. It offers a platform for sharing unique insights into better organisational strategies and innovative approaches to mobilising the people of Ghana for a resounding victory in 2024"

The Flagebearer further hinted that the NDC profoundly value contributions of the NDC European chapters in Amsterdam towards the running of the party.

"The party also acknowledges your concerns about participation in elections and governance"

"Of particular concern to you have been the constitutional impediments to persons holding dual citizenship and their occupation of some government positions in Ghana. Only a few weeks ago, we suffered what we consider grave injustice when our Member of Parliament for Assin North was thrown out of Parliament by the Supreme Court on grounds we find entirely unsatisfactory"

Mr. Mahama charged the party and its functionaries to step harder on the pedal and work towards an emphatic victory in 2024.

"Victory will not come easy and there must be a deliberate effort to tackle the biases of the Electoral Commission and the actions of the ruling party.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith