The choice Ghanaians face on December 7th is between John Mahama and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Thankfully both of them have records. John Mahama was Vice President and President for 8 years and Nana Akufo-Addo has been the president for three and half years.

It is not about what you say in opposition. It is about what you did in government. What matters ultimately to Ghanaians is how these two leaders were able to manage the economy and alleviate the suffering of the people when they were given the opportunity to serve.

1. John Mahama presided over a decline in economic growth for his four years in office while Nana Akufo-Addo has presided over higher economic growth in his first three years in office before the COVID-19 pandemic.
   
2. John Mahama presided over a decline in agriculture. Nana Akufo-Addo increased agricultural output and Ghana is currently exporting many food items as a result of the planting for food and jobs initiative.
   
3. John Mahama presided over low industrial growth during his four years in office. Nana Akufo-Addo has increased industrial growth and building and reviving many factories under IDIF, etc.
   
4. John Mahama presided over higher inflation. Nana Akufo-Addo has reduced inflation
   
5. John Mahama presided over higher bank lending rates. Bank lending rates have reduced under Nana Akufo-Addo.
   
6. John Mahama presided over high exchange rate depreciation. Under Nana Akufo-Addo the depreciation of the cedi has been reduced by 50%.
   
7. Under John Mahama, many taxes were increased. Nana Akufo-Addo has abolished 15 taxes including excise duty on petroleum, VAT on financial services, real estate, domestic airline tickets, etc.
   
8. John Mahama increased import duties. Nana Akufo-Addo has reduced import duties by between 30% and 50%.
   
9. John Mahama presided over a moribund railway system. Nana Akufo-Addo has revived the railway sector.
   
10. As a result of economic mismanagement, John Mahama took us to the IMF for a bailout and Nana Akufo-Addo successfully exited Ghana from the IMF program.
    
11. John Mahama increased electricity tariffs by 45% annually. Nana Akufo-Addo has reduced electricity tariffs.
    
12. John Mahama presided over four years of dumsor. Nana Akufo-Addo has kept the lights on.
    
13. John Mahama did not provide any relief and even increased electricity prices during dumsor. Nana Akufo-Addo has provided free electricity for lifeline consumers and free water to all for 6 months during COVID-19
    
14. John Mahama presided over a collapsing national ambulance system. Nana Akufo-Addo has implemented one constituency one ambulance and revived the national ambulance system.
    
15. John Mahama presided over massive graduate unemployment. Nana Akufo-Addo has created jobs for graduates in the private and public sectors including the Nation Builders Corps (NABCO).
    
16. Under John Mahama, public sector recruitment was frozen in many departments. Nana Akufo-Addo has unfrozen public sector recruitment and hired over 550,000 people.
    
17. Under John Mahama, fees were charged for postgraduate medical training in Ghana. Nana Akufo-Addo abolished the fees for postgraduate medical training.
    
18. John Mahama did not fulfill his promise to increase the share of the DACF to persons with disabilities by 50%. Nana Akufo-Addo increased the share of the DACF to PWDs by 50%.
    
19. Under John Mahama, Kayayei were charged daily market tolls. Nana Akufo-Addo abolished market tolls for kayayei.
    
20. John Mahama abolished teacher training allowances. Nana Akufo-Addo restored Teacher Training Allowances.
    
21. John Mahama abolished Nursing Training Allowances. Nana Akufo-Addo restored Nursing Training Allowances.
    
22. John Mahama abolished Arabic teachers allowances. Nana Akufo-Addo restored Arabic teachers allowances.
    
23. Under John Mahama, tertiary students paid utility bills. Nana Akufo-Addo abolished the payment of utility bills by students.
    
24. Under John Mahama, the capitation grant was not increased. Nana Akufo-Addo doubled the capitation grant.
    
25. John Mahama implemented a 3-month arrears policy for teachers who had worked for 2-3 years. Nana Akufo-Addo abolished the 3-month arrears policy.
    
26. John Mahama’s government was not paying teachers promotion arrears. Nana Akufo-Addo’s government has paid teachers promotion arrears.
    
27. Under John Mahama parents paid for the cost of BECE and WASSCE exam registrations. Under Nana Akufo-Addo, government absorbed the cost of BECE and WASSCE exam registrations.
    
28. John Mahama could not implement the National ID Card. Nana Akufo-Addo has implemented the National ID Card.
    
29. John Mahama could not implement a comprehensive address system for Ghana. Nana Akufo-Addo has implemented the National Digital Property Address System for Ghana.
    
30. John Mahama presided over a manual passport application process. Nana Akufo-Addo has digitized the passport application process.
    
31. John Mahama presided over a manual births and deaths registry application process. Nana Akufo-Addo is digitizing all the records at the Births and Deaths Registry and digitizing the operations.
    
32. John Mahama presided over a manual drivers and vehicles license application process. Nana Akufo-Addo has digitized the DVLA application process.
    
33. John Mahama presided over a manual hospital administration system. Nana Akufo-Addo is digitizing the hospital administration with Korle Bu and Cape Coast hospitals going paperless.
    
34. John Mahama presided over a manual court administration system. Under Nana Akufo-Addo the court administration system has been digitized through an e-justice system with online filing processes, electronic case tracking, and electronic case distribution.
    
35. John Mahama presided over a bureaucratic process and delays in pensioners obtaining pensions from SSNIT. Under Nana Akufo-Addo the process has been streamlined and expedited with no hassle for pensioners.
    
36. John Mahama presided over a manual process of buying credit from ECG. Under Nana Akufo-Addo, it is easier to buy electricity through the ECG mobile App being used by 2.8 million customers.
    
37. JM presided over a manual scholarships application process. Under Nana Akufo-Addo the scholarship application process has been digitized and have awarded 70% more scholarships!.
    
38. John Mahama presided over a system with no mobile money interoperability. Nana Akufo-Addo introduced mobile money interoperability to facilitate mobile payments across networks and practically give almost every Ghanaian a bank account either through mobile money or traditional bank account.
    
39. John Mahama presided over a collapsing NHIS with over 12 months arrears to NHIS service providers. Nana Akufo-Addo has rescued the NHIS and reduced the arrears to the normal 3 months.
    
40. John Mahama presided over a system where people had to queue and wait for days to renew their NHIS membership. Nana Akufo-Addo has made it easier for the renewal of NHIS membership through mobile phones
    
41. John Mahama presided over a manual process of clearing goods at the ports. Nana Akufo-Addo has introduced a paperless process at the ports and reduced clearing time.
    
42. John Mahama did not get the Right to Information bill passed into law. Nana Akufo-Addo has with the support of Parliament, passed the Right to Information Act.
    
43. John Mahama starved the anti-corruption institutions of resources. Nana Akufo-Addo has significantly increased the resources to the anti-corruption institutions like CHRAJ, EOCO, Auditor General, etc.
    
44. John Mahama had no policy to address the needs of Zongo and Inner city communities. Nana Akufo-Addo has established the Zongo Development Fund and the Ministry for Inner City and Zongo Development which are addressing the needs of Zongo and inner-city communities.
    
45. John Mahama largely ignored the infrastructure needs of rural and deprived communities across the country. Nana Akufo-Addo’s government has invested massively in infrastructure for rural and deprived communities as well as urban communities.
    
46. John Mahama could not resolve the long-standing chieftaincy dispute in Dagbon. Nana Akufo-Addo’s government promised to and has resolved the dispute and brought peace to Dagbon.
    
47. John Mahama promised but failed to create new regions. Nana Akufo-Addo promised to and created six new regions to deepen decentralization.
    
48. John Mahama could not implement Free TVET. Nana Akufo-Addo has implemented Free TVET.
    
49. John Mahama could not implement Free SHS. Nana Akufo-Addo promised to and has implemented Free SHS. 1.2 million children have benefited, many girls and boys have been taken off the street, parents have been relieved of the burden of school fees.
    
50. John Mahama presided over a mismanaged and collapsing financial system. 82 licensed financial institutions (listed below) collapsed under JM’s watch (were they deliberately collapsed by his government?) and the depositors were not paid. Nana Akufo-Addo on the other hand has rescued the financial system and spent GHC 21 billion to save the deposits of 4.6 million depositors who would otherwise have lost their savings. DKM depositors will also be paid.

LIST OF FAILED MFIs BETWEEN 2009 AND 2016

AGAPET MICROFINANCE LIMITED
ANTCAVE MICROFINANCE LIMITED
APEX MICROFINANCE LIMITED
ATWIMAN MICROFINANCE COMPANY LIMITED
BEES MICROFINANCE LIMITED
CEDAR HOUSE MICROFINANCE SERVICES LIMITED
CENTRAL CAPITAL MICROFINANCE LIMITED
CHARLES NOBLE MICROFINANCE LIMITED
CITIVILLE MICROFINANCE LIMITED
CITY TRUST MICROFINANCE LIMITED
COASTAL LINK MICROFINANCE LIMITED
DIAMOND WINNERS MICROFINANCE LIMITED
DKM DIAMOND MICROFINANCE LIMITED
DUAPA TRUST MICROFINANCE LIMITED
EGO VISION MICROFINANCE LIMITED
EZI ACCESS MICROFINANCE LIMITED
F.H. & C MICROFINANCE LIMITED
FAST MONEY MICROFINANCE LIMITED
FIRST UNITY MICROFINANCE LIMITED
GANYO MICROFINANCE LIMITED
GENESIS SEED MICROFINANCE LIMITED
GLOBAL STANDARD MICROFINANCE LIMITED
GLOW MICROFINANCE LIMITED
GOLDEN LIFE MICROFINANCE LIMITED
GROWTH CHAMPIONS MICROFINANCE LIMITED
GROWTH POLE MONEY LENDING LIMITED
IDEAL WAY MICROFINANCE SERVICES LIMITED
IMAGES MICROFINANCE LIMITED
JASTAR MONEY LENDING SERVICES LIMITED
J'COBS MICROFINANCE LIMITED
JUBILEE MICROFINANCE LIMITED
KAB MICROFINANCE LIMITED
KB STAR MICROFINANCE COMPANY LIMITED
KWABEF MICROFINANCE LIMITED
LOOK-AHEAD MICROFINANCE LIMITED
MAGNET MICROFINANCE LIMITED
MCKEOWN MICROFINANCE LIMITED
MEDAL CREDIT MICROFINANCE LIMITED
MEDLORM MICROFINANCE LIMITED
MONEY HOME MICROFINANCE LIMITED
MONEY LINK MICROFINANCE LIMITED
MOTHERS' MICROFINANCE LIMITED
MY HOPE MICROFINANCE LIMITED
NEW DAWN MICROFINANCE LIMITED
OPPORTUNITY GLOBAL LINKS MICROFINANCE LIMITED
ORION MONEY LENDING LIMITED
PAXMAN MICROFINANCE LIMITED
PENDY-GLO MICROFINANCE LIMITED
PROMISE MICROFINANCE LIMITED
PROTEGE MICROFINANCE LIMITED
PRYME HEDGE MICROFINANCE LIMITED
QUICK LOANS MICROFINANCE LIMITED
REACH MICROFINANCE LIMITED
REEMALEX MICROFINACE SERVICES LIMITED
REJOICE MICROFINANCE LIMITED
RIMDA MICROFINANCE LIMITED
ROYAL KINGDOM MICROFINANCE LTD
SAB TRUST MICROFINANCE LIMITED
SAFE CREDIT MICROFINANCE LIMITED
SEAB MICROFINANCE LIMITED
SHARP VISION MICROFINANCE LIMITED
SHINE CREDIT MICROFINANCE LIMITED
SIKA DWA MICROFINANCE LIMITED
SILISON MICROFINANCE LIMITED
SILVER MICROFINANCE LIMITED
SKII CREDIT MICROFINANCE LIMITED
SOFTBIZ MICROFINANCE LIMITED
SP MICROFINANCE LIMITED
SPARK TRUST MICROFINANCE LIMITED
SUFFICIENCY MICROFINANCE LIMITED
SWIFT TRUST MICROFINANCE LIMITED
SYNTHESIS MICROFINANCE LIMITED
THE LORD IS PEACE MICROFINANCE LIMITED
TIME-FIRST MICROFINANCE LIMITED
TOPNET MICROFINANCE LIMITED
TRUST JESUS MICROFINANCE LIMITED
TTS MICROFINANCE SERVICES LIMITED
ULTIMATE FOCUS MICROFINANCE LIMITED
UNI CASH MICROFINANCE LIMITED
VANLIZ MICROFINANCE SERVICES LIMITED
WESTERN MICROFINANCE LIMITED
XPRESS LINK MICROFINANCE COMPANY LIMITED

On the basis of the performance record, the leadership of this country by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has resulted in much better outcomes than the disastrous outcomes under the leadership of John Mahama. Going forward, we can continue to trust and rely on Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s strong and compassionate leadership in the next four years.

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Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is the Vice President of Ghana.