Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Flagbearer, has pledged to add 2,000 megawatts of solar power to the national grid if he is elected President in the December polls. 

He said 2,000 megawatts of solar power would reduce the cost of power for businesses given the high cost of electricity from other energy mixes.   

The NPP Flagbearer made the promise during an engagement with the Council of Indigenous Business Association (CIBA) in Accra, on Monday. 

The meeting formed part of Dr Bawumia’s engagements with key stakeholders to listen to their concerns and factor them into the NPP’s 2024 Election Manifesto. 

CIBA is the largest informal business group in Ghana, which contributes significantly to job creation and the country’s development. 

Dr Bawumia, thus, encouraged members of CIBA who were yet to register their businesses to do so to benefit from the many government initiatives intended to boost their businesses.  

During the interactions, the NPP flagbearer explained in detail his proposed tax reforms, including the business-friendly proposal for tax amnesty for businesses and individuals, as well as a flat tax rate, to support the growth of businesses, if he became President in 2025. 

He outlined the benefits of the Government’s digitalisation initiatives to businesses, noting that many in the country were already leveraging the digital platforms to improve services to their clients. 

Under his administration, Ghanaians would witness stress-free passport acquisition as individuals could apply for it online using the Ghana Card, he said. 

Dr Bawumia assured the Ghana National Association of Traditional Healers that once the Food and Drugs Authority certified medicines produced by the group, he would make sure the products were registered under the National Health Insurance Scheme. 

The NPP presidential candidate supported a proposal by the National Refrigerators and Air Condition Workshop Owners Association for the establishment of a refrigerator manufacturing plant in Ghana. 

He promised to peg the country’s import duty at par with Togo or even lower to make the diversion of cargo through neighbouring countries’ ports unattractive. 

Dr Bawumia appealed to Ghanaians to give him the chance to become President, saying; “I am currently a Vice-President, someone was President, I have not been President before so give me the chance and you will notice the work I will do.” 

 “I know I will come to you again after you’ve given me the chance in this year’s elections, and so, I will work very hard to justify the mandate…” 

Mr John Nimoh, the Executive Secretary of the Group, said it would sign a social contract with the NPP flagbearer and make sure they held him into account if he became President. 

He said the CIBA, in partnership with Waltergate Limited, was restructuring its activities through a data system and members would be registered and issued identity cards with payment solution benefits.