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We would not have gone to the IMF if Ghanaians had listened to me – Alan

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We would not have gone to the IMF if Ghanaians had listened to me - Alan

Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, former Trade and Industry Minister and flagbearer contender of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has asserted that Ghana would not have returned to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) if the country had listened to and executed his proposals in the past.

Mr Kyerematen singled out the President’s Special Initiatives (PSI), which was established under the John Agyekum Kufuor administration, as one of his ideas that, if fully adopted by Ghanaians, would have been a game changer.

He was addressing at the start of his Greater Accra Delegates tour in Accra’s Ablekuma constituency.

“The amount of work I have done for this country, sometimes I even feel ashamed talking about it. In President Kufuor’s era, I was one of the senior ministers in Kufuor’s administration. I brought PSI (The President’s Special Initiatives), and if Ghanaians had listened to me, today Ghana wouldn’t have gone to the IMF.”

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor saw the President’s Special Initiatives as a chance to usher in a “Golden Age of Business,” fueled by public-private partnerships and the development of over 100,000 employment.

According to the NPP administration, the PSIs were designed to advance Ghana’s economy beyond HIPC status and lessen the country’s over-reliance on assistance and donor support, as well as a few commodity exports, by identifying new economic pillars.

Mr Kyerematen quit as Minister of Trade and Industry in January this year to pursue his presidential ambitions as a member of Nana Akufo-Addo’s cabinet.

He originally ran for president of the NPP in 2007, receiving 32.3 per cent of the vote to the victor, Nana Akufo-Addo’s 47.96 per cent.

He ran again in 2010 and 2014 but came in second to Akufo-Addo, who won both primaries again.

Mr Kyerematen, 68, served as Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States before becoming Minister of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development (PSD), and Presidential Special Initiatives (PSI) during President John Kufuor’s NPP cabinet.

He was a trade advisor at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he oversaw the African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC).

The governing NPP’s presidential primaries in November this year are expected to be a direct fight between Mr Kyerematen and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

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Ya Naa tells Bawumia to treat Mahama like his elder brother

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"It's a critical opportunity for us to demonstrate our maturity, competence, honesty, and commitment to Ghana's progress," Ya Naa Abubakari Mahama II said, adding, "You are my son, Dr. Bawumia, and your competitor, John Mahama, is also my son." You're both completely devoted to this election." The Overlord further emphasised that Dr. Bawumia and Mr. Mahama should see each other as siblings rather than adversaries. "He is not your enemy or rival, but your elder brother," Ya Naa Abubakari Mahama II said. "We have already won the elections as Northerners." Whoever wins this trophy will return home."

The Overlord of the Dagbon Traditional Area, Ya Naa Abubakari Mahama II, has asked the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to run a clean and respectful campaign ahead of the 2024 general elections.

During a courtesy call with Dr Bawumia, Ya Naa Abubakari Mahama II emphasised the necessity of sustaining national unity and peace, whatever of party allegiance.

He reminded Dr Bawumia that his opponent, former President John Dramani Mahama, is also a Dagboni son with similar goals for the country’s growth.

“It’s a critical opportunity for us to demonstrate our maturity, competence, honesty, and commitment to Ghana’s progress,” Ya Naa Abubakari Mahama II said, adding, “You are my son, Dr. Bawumia, and your competitor, John Mahama, is also my son.” You’re both completely devoted to this election.”

The Overlord further emphasised that Dr Bawumia and Mr Mahama should see each other as siblings rather than adversaries.

“He is not your enemy or rival, but your elder brother,” Ya Naa Abubakari Mahama II said. “We have already won the elections as Northerners.” Whoever wins this trophy will return home.”

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The economy is a disaster because Bawumia is ignorant – Sam George

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He suggested the '24hr Economy' concept when he met with leaders from the country's mother workers union on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, as part of his outreach to key stakeholders in his attempt to reclaim power.

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), is clueless about handling the economy, according to Ningo Prampram Member of Parliament Samuel Nartey George.

Unlike Dr. Bawumia, Sam Goege stated that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, Former President John Dramani Mahama, is focused on how the economy would be managed.

“We have been inundated with questions of policy and policy initiatives.  John Dramani Mahama has been outlining flagship policy initiatives over the past weeks in public engagements.

“The other one, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has only one message – John Mahama! He is so pathetic and clueless in his engagements so far it explains to us all the reasons our economy under his leadership is in shambles. Bawumia is empty and spent.

“John Mahama has a clear vision and plan to #BuildTheGhanaWeWant. PS: I am open to a factual debate on the policies outlined so far. I’m uninterested in party bots seeking to earn their daily stipend,” he tweeted while reacting to the comment by Vice President Dr Bawumia to the effect that former President Mahama does not understand what it means to have a 24-hour economy.

Sam tweet

According to Dr. Bawumia, hospitals, the Electricity Company of Ghana, the Ghana Water Company, petrol stations, and numerous chop bars are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

He urged Ghanaians to oppose Mr Mahama’s proposal.

Addressing a throng in Nalerigu on Monday, November 20 as part of his ‘Thank you’ trip after being chosen NPP flagbearer on November 4, Dr Bawumia remarked, “John Mahama says he has a new idea.” What is the concept? He claims to desire a 24-hour economy. He’s not even aware of the policy.

Today, our hospitals operate 24 hours a day, our power company operates 24 hours a day, our water company operates 24 hours a day, our gasoline stations operate 24 hours a day, and many chop bars operate 24 hours a day. Because of digitization, you may now transmit and receive money 24 hours a day, seven days a week… As a result, he doesn’t grasp his own policies. It makes no sense.

“So I want you to vote for me in 2024 because I will bring a new vision, I will bring a new policy. Mahama is the past, and Dr Bawumia is the future. If John Mahama was there, we would say we have a dumsor economy, you can’t have a 24-hour economy in dumsor. So, you want to vote for Dr Bawumia in 2024, we will take the country to new heights,” Dr Bawumia stated.

Mr Mahama stated that the 24-hour economy will provide work for all Ghanaians.

“The 24-hour economy I proposed is for jobs and more jobs,” the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) stressed.

He suggested the ’24hr Economy’ concept when he met with leaders from the country’s mother workers union on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, as part of his outreach to key stakeholders in his attempt to reclaim power.

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Mahama urges government to pay allowances owed nursing trainees

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“Let the allowance come. Wherever you are, Krobo Nursing Trainees are begging you to let their allowance come,” John Mahama appealed.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, wants the government to settle all arrears due to nursing trainees across the country as soon as possible.

According to John Mahama, such delays generate unneeded hardship for pupils.

Mr Mahama says the government must honour its pledge to pay nursing trainee allowances to students at the Krobo Nursing Training School in the Bono Region as part of his trip.

“Nana Akufo-Addo and Bawumia have stated that they will pay the allowances.” I ask you, Nana Addo and Bawumia, if you can hear me, we here at Krobo Nursing Training School, claim you haven’t paid their allowances for two years now.”

“Let the allowance come. Wherever you are, Krobo Nursing Trainees are begging you to let their allowance come,” John Mahama appealed.

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