TAX, EDUCATION
The manifesto also highlights a tax amnesty programme designed to encourage businesses to comply with tax regulations without facing penalties.
This, “will bring more businesses into the formal economy, increase government revenue, and ultimately, create more jobs”, said Bawumia.
Bawumia also promised to expand access to education and improve infrastructure.
“We will ensure that every child, no matter where they come from, has access to quality education. This is not just a promise – it is a commitment we will fulfil.”
Some observers, however, remain sceptical.
For Joshua Jebuntie Zaato, a political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, party manifestos are “shopping lists” that often go unfulfilled.
“Political parties tend to promise the moon during campaigns, but the reality of governance often limits what can actually be delivered,” he told AFP.
The NPP is seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term in office, but faces a formidable challenge from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), led by former president John Mahama.
Mahama is determined to reclaim power. Both Bawumia and Mahama hail from northern Ghana, adding a regional dimension to the contest.
Ghana, one of West Africa’s stable democracies, faces significant economic challenges, including a US$3 billion loan agreement with the International Monetary Fund after an economic downturn in 2022 resulted in record-high 54-percent inflation.
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