Former President John Dramani Mahama has cautioned the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) against attacking businesses owned by Ghanaians on the basis that they do not belong to the NPP.

He said the Akufo-Addo-led government must not collapse existing businesses if it does not have the capacity to create more jobs for the people.

"It is the duty of every government to provide jobs for the people...[so] we won't collapse businesses of Ghanaians on the basis that they do not belong to the NDC party. Because, if you are a Ghanaian and you own a business, you certainly will employ Ghanaians," he said.

He was speaking at the NDC's townhall meeting where he lamented the decline in Ghanaian owned businesses in the country as a result of attacks on them by the NPP government.

According to him, the Akufo-Addo-led government has deliberately ensured the collapse of businesses owned by Ghanaians who are not affiliated to the NPP, and this, he says has affected the Ghanaian economy.

"In the past four years, you realise that a lot of businesses owned by Ghanaians have collapsed, especially construction companies who worked for government in 2016.

"When the new government took over, it has for the past four years refused to pay the contractors," he said.

However, he noted that government must be used as a tool to ensure development and promote the businesses of citizens so they can reap the benefits of the economy, not otherwise.

He further lamented the collapse of some financial institutions as a result of the banking sector clean-up, stating that, the incident has left many in absolute poverty.

"Some of these persons have suffered a stroke, others have been rendered jobless, and some even dead," he said.

He, therefore, has assured that his new administration will address the issue, and ensure that jobs owned by Ghanaians are protected.