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Former President John Dramani Mahama has said that the country needs an honest and competent government to turn its economic fortunes around to better the lives of citizens.
He said the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) had lost ideas in managing the economy due to greed and corruption and added that it was only the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that could help restore hope to the people when voted back to power in the 2024 general election.
The flag bearer of the NDC, therefore, asked citizens not to lose hope, but vote massively for the NDC to rescue them from the "shackles" of the government.
Mr Mahama was speaking during a courtesy call on the Overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Abukari II, at the Gbewah Palace in Yendi yesterday as part of his three-day “Building the Nation Tour” of the Northern Region.
The former president is expected to tour seven out of the 18 constituencies in the region.
They are Mion, Gushegu, Yendi, Tamale North, Tamale South, Sagnarigu and Tamale Central, where he would explain his vision to the electorate and also solicit their support.
“The country is in crisis and needs to be rescued from the prevailing high levels of incompetence, greed and corruption exhibited by government officials,” he said.
Mr Mahama expressed disappointment at the government for its inability to undertake the Yendi water supply project since assumption of office, saying: “I am very disappointed that the government has not been able to work on the project for about eight years now even after the NDC-led government did almost all the ground work for the take-off the project before we left office”.
“Ya-Na, I want to assure you that if your son becomes the next president, you will not be thirsty anymore,” he assured.
The Yendi municipality and environs have been facing a perennial water crisis over the past years.
Even though there are mechanised boreholes in the municipality, it is not enough to meet the needs of the residents, a situation that was compelling them to buy water from private individuals at a high cost.
To address the situation, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2020 cut the sod for the construction of a $30 million water project.
Funded by the India Exim Bank, the water supply system was expected to supply 15,000 cubic metres of water daily to serve the people.
However, work is yet to start on the project.
The Ya-Na expressed appreciation to the former President for the visit and urged him to focus on creating more jobs for the teeming unemployed youth when given the nod to lead the nation again.
The Overlord also advised him to ensure a clean campaign devoid of insults and vilification to help ensure an incident-free election in December this year.
