More youth groups root for John Mahama
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh
As the December 7 titanic elections approache, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, appears to have found favour with the youth, who are rooting for him. The latest to join the craze is ‘Youth for Effective Leadership (YOFEL), which has over 2,000 members across the length and breadth of Ghana.
YOFEL is a youth group and voluntary organisation of young professionals of various academic backgrounds, with the ultimate aim of contributing immensely to national development.
At a press conference held in Accra to announce their support for the president, a member of the Communication Team of YOFEL, Abubakari Abdul-Wakil, stated that “YOFEL support for President Mahama is guided by our critical examination of the socio-political environment of the country, and considering the track record, personal attributes, and commitment of the NDC flagbearer.”
He added that with all these above-mentioned qualities, they strongly believed that President John Mahama and the NDC government ought to be given an overwhelming endorsement in the December polls.
Mr. Abdul-Wakil told journalists that this year’s elections was about track records and achievable campaign pledges, and that they had examined the NDC manifesto carefully, and concluded that the current government was best positioned to lead the country.
Explaining further, he noted: “In the first four years of prudent economic management, the NDC has achieved a sustained single-digit inflation for more than 24 months, which is the lowest annual figure since 1970.”
Mr. Abdul-Wakil was quick to add that the Mills/Mahama-led government reduced the country’s mountainous fiscal deficit of 14.5% in 2008 to 6.1% in 2011.
Also, the YOFEL’s communication member indicated that the government chalked an unprecedented Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 14.4% in 2011, up from 8.4% in 2008.
“When elected into office, President Mahama pledged to execute the following in 2013 and beyond – maintain an average GDP growth of at least 8%; maintain single-digit inflation and an overall budget deficit equivalent to 5% of GDP,” Mr. Abdul-Wakil stated.
Wakil also noted: “The NDC government has given meaning to the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE), by ensuring that 80% of children of school going age are in schools.”
The outspoken Abdul-Wakil emphasised that the government had recruited 24,000 trained and untrained teachers as a stop-gap measure for the shortage of teachers in deprived communities across the country.
On the health sector, he said the achievements of the current government, with respect to healthcare delivery, was overwhelming due to the seriousness and resources allocated to the sector, mentioning that 1,300 Community Health Improvement Planning Service Compounds (CHIPS), 12 district hospitals, and 10 polyclinics, had been established by the government within the last three and half years.
Touching on poverty reduction, Mr. Abdul-Wakil noted that since the establishment of the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) by the government, it had supported farmers in the three regions of the north with tractor services to increase food production.
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