Election 2016 is just about 88 days away and as the days draw closer, the political atmosphere also heats up. Presidential candidates of the two leading parties, the governing National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party are racing against time.

They are all selling a message they wish will be bought by the electorates, and are busy creating an industry of promises to the people.

A community day school

On Monday, President Mahama during the inaugration of the 10th Community Schools at Agona Abodom in the Central Region took a jab at flagbearer of the NPP who has promised free education.

The president believes that it is impossible to have this done if the appropriate infrastructure is not put in place. He said one can only promise a fruit if they have planted a tree.

Well, the NPP and NDC are not the only parties making promises. Presidential candidate of the United Front Party, Akwasi Addai, popularly known as ‘Odike’ promised that if he is voted for in December, he will pay public sector workers weekly, not monthly.

According to him, the one month period is too long for workers who have been forced to consistently borrow money to supplement their expenses.

Away from politics, a journalist was arrested by the Tesano Police for taking a photograph of an officer of the MTTD who was allegedly taking money from a driver.

While the police officer took the 5 cedis bribe from the driver who was obviously flouting road traffic rules, the journalist was taking shots and this did not go down well with the officer.

The most disturbing news came later in the day. An inmate at the Ankaful prison in the Central region chopped off the penis of his fellow inmate.

The assaulted inmate had refused a request to be sodomsied by the perpetrator. But for a thin layer of flesh, the inmate's penis would have completely fallen off.

President Mahama on Tuesday made an interesting revelation. After promising to build 200 community day schools across the country before the end of his tenure, he admitted that he cannot fulfil the promise.

He however promised to complete the project if he is voted into power during the December polls.

Director of Public Relations and External Affairs of the PURC, Nana Yaa Jantuah

The confusion between staff of the power distributor ECG continues, the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC) and MiDA does not appear to be ending any time soon with the PURC vowing to sanction workers of ECG.

In an effort to prevent government from privatizing the company, members of the Public Utility Workers Union have embarked on a number of demonstrations and sit down strikes to register their displeasure about the development.

A promise of ‘one house, one meter’ for residents in Abura of the Cape Coast North constituency by President Mahama received rousing cheers .

Mr Mahama said 1,500 meters have already been procured for distribution to the households.

Many described the promise as unrealistic, but the NDC’s campaign coordinator, Kofi Adams disagrees. He says his boss can and will execute the promise without a drop of sweat.

But of course, the NPP was not going to go to bed after that. On Wednesday, the party’s Member of Parliament for Obuasi West, Kwaku Kwarteng laughed off the pledge.

He said the president is taking over the job of the Electricity Company of Ghana.

And as the war against the proposed sale of the ECG rages, the Attorney General might have to go to court to answer why she intends to offer the power distributor to a private company.

The plaintiff, Saaka Salia of Kotobabi, Accra, wants the court to compel the authorities to suspend the process because of what he calls fraud and breaches of some laws.

The upcoming general election has a higher potential for violence, this is according to the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission.

In an expression of fear for Ghana’s peace, Charlotte Osei indicated that the proliferation of arms, rising levels of alcoholism and unemployment are the most serious threats that haunts the country’s peace.

On Thursday, the Ghana Prisons Service made a u-turn from a privilege it afforded inmates.

The service announced that it will no longer be able to allow conjugal visits for married inmates, citing the lack of facilities and resources as reason for the change of mind.

An announcement about the increase in filing fees for Presidential aspirants in this year’s election by five folds has angered some political parties.

According to the EC, presidential candidates are now required to pay Ȼ50,000 as filing fee. Parliamentary candidates on the other hand will be required to pay Ȼ10,000.

But the Progressive People’s Party and the Democratic People’s Party believe the fee is outrageous and have vehemently opposed it.

An increase in filling fees was not the NPP’s main focus. Led by its vice-presidential candidate, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia the party organized a press conference to highlight the weaknesses of the governing  NDC.

Dr Bawumia accused the governing NDC of mismanaging the economy. He described the increase in the country’s debt stock since the NDC took office in four years as reckless.

He said from a debt stock of GH¢9.5 billion since independence to 2008, the NDC has “ballooned” Ghana’s debt stock to GH¢105 billion as at May 2016,

He also said the Mahama-led administration has been reckless in the $39 billion borrowed by the NDC.

But IMANI Ghana has disputed that claim. According to the policy think tank, the debt stock alleged to have been added to Ghana's debt by President Mahama is inaccurate.

Managing Director of IMANI Ghana, Franklin Cudjoe said after careful computation of the monies borrowed by the President using the exchange rate of the dollar in 2012 and the current rate, they can say that Bawumia's figure was inaccurate.

Of course government was not going to let Bawumia and the NPP go scot free after the press conference.

Deputy Finance Minister Ato Forson in reacting to the press conference, said the NPP press conference was full of propaganda.

Cassiel Ato Baah Forson said he wished the former deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana compared the average economic performance of both governments, instead of picking and choosing data.

There is no doubt that the NDC is readying itself to provide an appropriate response for the NPP in the coming week, and Myjoyonline.com will be bringing it all to you as it unfolds.