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An economist has questioned the updating of the manifestos of the ruling New Patriotic Party (PNP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) should they win the next elections.
Professor Godfred Bokpin in an interview on Joy FM Main Story On Tuesday, he noted that the economy has been severely affected by the current Covid-19 crisis, so raising resources and funds to achieve the many promises listed by both parties will be difficult.
“The manifestos did not acknowledge to Covid-19 that these are unusual times when we are talking about the Ghanaian economy, where the recovery will now go beyond three years. We are not talking about post-Covid-19 growth and all that.
“So I see a big disconnect between the reality on the ground right now and the medium-term outlook and the manifestos that we are considering now,” he said.
His comments come after NDC flag bearer John Mahama, along with his running mate Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang and some senior NDC officials, outlined their policies and initiatives should they win the December election.
In the 143-page document entitled ‘The People’s Manifesto’, the NDC promised at least 18 free items in all sectors.
Free primary health care, tertiary education for people with disabilities, seedlings for cocoa trees in agriculture, among others, were mentioned.
But commenting on the NDC’s ‘Big Push’ agenda of investing $ 10 billion in infrastructure, education and agriculture, Professor Bokpin said the country’s debt will increase.
This, he argued, will set back the growth of the economy after Covid-19.
“When the entire manifesto is reviewed and there is very little effort to show how the money will accumulate to finance this without increasing the stock of public debt.”
“The NDC needs to be clear and demonstrated considering the challenges we have now and the prospects for the next three to four years and how these promises lie within this. Until then, I think we have nothing to discuss, ”he said.
But responding to the economist, NDC Parliamentary Candidate for Abura Asebu Kwamankese, Felix Kwakye Ofosu said that Mahama is committed to using internal means to generate revenue for Big Push’s $ 10 billion agenda.
“I don’t think the impression should be created that simply because we have Covid-19, we are going to stop collecting revenue, or we are no longer going to benefit from oil revenues as a country.
“What will happen is that the government will realign its priorities and reduce non-critical expenditures related to consumption.”
