The National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Salam Mustapha, has disclosed that a vote for the Bawumia-Napo ticket is a vote for the youth of Ghana in the December 7, 2023, general elections.

“A vote for Bawumia and Napo is a vote for the young people of Ghana. A vote for John Mahama and Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang is a vote for their End of Service Benefits. The choice is yours and I know you will choose for your future", he disclosed at a press conference at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.

According to him, the NPP flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia understands the Ghanaian youth and will work for the youth and represents their true aspirations.

“We have witnessed Dr Bawumia’s strong performance as Vice President of the Republic and we are confident he will guide the youth to realise our full potential. It’s a new dawn for the next generation.” He justified

The governing party’s youth leader, said, former President John Mahama  was not only hopeless in office, but his running mate Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang.

“Her performance was abysmal as Education Minister as compared to the four years that Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh (Napo) was on that same seat. Napo was phenomenal as Education Minister and remains in the nation’s history as the one who implemented the Free SHS policy. What about Prof Jane Naana? It is unthinkable that a university professor and vice chancellor presided over one of the worst periods in our education history. If she and her boss did not believe in Free SHS then why would you believe they would if returned to power? They will simply collapse it”, he argued.

He described John Mahama and his running mate Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang as a perfect disaster for the youth who should not be allowed to come any close to governing the country.

“Madam Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang supervised the monstrous heart-breaking 3-month pay policy, where teachers worked for three years and only got paid three months. This was how mean she was. She supervised the cancellation of the teacher training allowance, forced universities to pay their own utilities, and could not provide common chalk for basic schools. This duo portend doom for our country and gloom for the youth who we should be preparing for the fourth industrial revolution", he stated.

He said the youth of Ghana should be very afraid of the return of John Mahama and should not countenance him.

“He is not a serious person and does not care about anybody. He once told us that four years is not enough to develop a country. Strangely enough, here he is again, counting on our short memories and seeking a return for a second term in office. Deep within himself he knows he cannot do much for you and your future with the one term in office he is asking for and this should tell us that it is for dubious personal interest and not in the interest of the youth. His re-election quest is about greed, personal aggrandisement, face-saving and totally ill-motivated. John Mahama hasn't shown any dexterity in helping the youth.” He argued on why he should be rejected on December 7, 2024.

24-Hour Economy a Slogan

Mr. Mustapha noted that John Mahama’s 24-hour economy is nothing but a slogan and that he could not keep the lights on for 12 hours in a day and now promising to keep night clubs opened for 24 hours.

“He and his party cannot even explain what a 24-hour economy will mean to the farmer in Yendi, the teacher in Sunyani, the taxi driver in Bawku, the roasted plantain seller in East Legon, and the fisherman in Cape Coast. Now, we know per the latest explanation by John Mahama that the whole 24-hour economy nonsense is about drinking, smoking and dancing away and not about creating jobs and opportunities for the youth", he said.

“If President John Mahama in the days and weeks remaining, after being voted out of office, could take a cabinet decision and give away over 100 acres of prime prison lands, including the Borstal in Roman Ridge and offices and accommodation in Cantonments to a very close business associate, Casilda, and sign off over $300 billion worth of Ghana’s entire bauxite deposits to his younger brother, then what would he not do if you give him four more years?.”

He said the NPP does not take Ghanaians trust for granted and that the NPP knows the cost of living has gone up and there is ample economic difficulties in the country.

“These challenges are global, and we are all feeling it. If you followed the US Presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump last Tuesday, the first question was on the US economy and cost of living because America, like most countries, has faced her worst cost of living crisis since 1933. Even in the heat of these global challenges which has hit", he added.

Economy now Stable

Ghana has remained very stable. The NPP has steered the vessel of state with tact and compassion. No fuel shortages and long queues at filing stations as we saw under President John Mahama; Free SHS/TVET is in one piece; no food shortages, there is an increase in public sector employment, and workers get paid on time; the lights are stable and our economy is getting stronger and inflation rate has halved and all indicators, including the latest forecast from Fitch, show that by 2025/26 inflation will return to where we took it in 2019, 10% or below. This government has so far created over 2.1 million jobs in the country and our infrastructure record is unmatched.", he claimed.

“We have built more roads, more airports, more railways, more flyovers, more hospitals, more technical education facilities, more warehouses, more fishing harbours, more sports facilities than any other government over such a corresponding period in the entire history of independent Ghana. We have transformed the digital space and building the system that will take Ghana to the next level. We have in the current Vice President and leader with his own vision, a vision that aligns with the new challenges and opportunities of the world today and for the future of the youth of Ghana",e he noted

Mr. Mustapha stressed that, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has shown that to lead is to solve and understands leaders solve problems and he is a problem solver.

“He is a deep thinker; he is a visionary and highly intelligent. He is a man of integrity. He has discipline. Self-discipline! He does not drink. He does not smoke. He does not sleep on the job. He is not corrupt. His boss has had no cause to investigate him. He is not Government Official One. What he presents are plans that are business friendly and will assist the private sector to grow and create jobs", he said.

"A Bawumia government will train one million youth in digital skills to take full advantage of the fourth industrial revolution. This will include coding, software development and web development. Furthermore, a new area that will open up and bring in more jobs is the mining sector which will witness new arrangements and simplification”, he added.

According to him, Dr. Bawumia has the credibility to back his promises because of his track record.

He continued that the Vice President is a proven performer even in his limited role and should he ascend to the presidency, he will put up a stellar performance, adding, the credit scoring system which is about to be launched is a game changer for the youth.