Former President, John Dramani Mahama, the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has ended his campaign tour of the Eastern Region.
The five-day campaign, which started on Monday, November 18, 2024, took the former president to all 33 constituencies in the region, including Abuakwa South.
Despite being a stronghold of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), the former president pulled mammoth crowd at Abuakwa South.
“Nkawkaw, you have surprised me. During my political career, I have been here a couple of times but I have never seen this crowd. You have shown me love and I will not disappoint you if we win the election,” he told a gathering at Nkawkaw.
The former president also pulled large crowds in Kade, Akwatia, Mpraeso, Abetifi, Koforidua, Mampong, Ofoase, Asamankese, Nsawam, Anyinam, and Abirem.
During the campaign, the former president called for change to “reset” all spheres of the Ghanaian economy, including investing heavily in roads infrastructure, provision of water, improvement of the education and health sectors, and reducing consumption and misapplication of state funds.
At the Afram Plains North and South constituencies, the former president promised to construct a bridge over the Afram River, establish College of Agricultural Science of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development in the area, establish an agro-industrial zone and construct the road that will link the two island constituency’s capitals in order to open up the place for business.
At Asesewa, the former president said under the market enhancement project of an NDC government, the famed Asesewa Market would be constructed to meet its status and extend the Koforidua water project to the area.
At Nkawkaw and Abetifi, Mr Mahama pledged to reconstruct the Nkawkaw stadium, the home ground of popular club, Okwahu United, reconstruct the road to Atibie, and complete the Abetifi hospital project which was started by his previous government, but abandoned by the current government.
As part of his plan to combat corruption in the public sector, the former president noted that his administration would work with the judiciary to establish a special court for the trial of persons who would be cited by the Auditor-General to have misappropriated public funds.
He accused NPP presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, of complicity in the botched PDS-ECG concession deal in which Ghana lost US$196 million, and assured that the deal which was described fraudulent by the then energy minister would be investigated and persons found culpable prosecuted.
At Dawu, Mr Mahama urged the electorate to dismiss what he said had become the consistent propaganda of the NPP that he would cancel the free Senior High School Policy if he wins power.