The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has urged Ghanaians not to fall prey to the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) litany of “phantom” and “broken promises” ahead of the 2024 general election. 

He said as an incumbent government that was approaching the end of its second term in office, the expectation would have been for it to make the re-election bid based on its current performance and record of accomplishments.

“Instead, we see the NPP making very grandiose promises to Ghanaians of what they would do if re-elected while staying silent on how their abysmal current performance, an indicator of how well they will do if re-elected,” he said. 

Speaking at separate durbars in the Central Region, he described the 2016, 2020 and the yet-to-be-announced 2024 manifesto of the NPP as “promises made, promises broken and promises repeated.” 

Recognising the call by the NDC National Chairman for the people of the Central Region to take ownership of the party and elevate its status as one of the regional strongholds, especially considering the notable presence of several party stalwarts in leadership positions, he cited the influential roles played by past leaders such as the late Kow Nkensen Arkaah and Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur, both former Vice Presidents, along with late Prof John Evans Atta Mills, former President, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, a former Education Minister, and late Ama Benyiwa Doe, former Central Regional Minister.

He emphasised that the region should reconsider its voting pattern.

Mr Nketia said it had become clear that Ghana needed a new precedent, which required the election of a new leader, who would leverage on his credibility with the people to lift the country to greater development heights. 

“Election 2024 is very critical in the country’s history with greater emphasis on a leader who will be the preference of the majority of Ghanaians and not just a leader of a political party,” he said. 

Allaying the fears of Mr Nketia, Prof Richard Kofi Asiedu, the Central Regional Chairman of the NDC, said in the 2020 election, the party won 13 of the 23 parliamentary seats and secured 45.9 per cent of the presidential votes. 

However, the regional branch of the party remains resolute in its goal to boost presidential votes in the region, aiming to surpass the 45.9 per cent achieved in 2020 and reach over 60 per cent in the 2024 elections.

As part of their ambitious plans, the party aims to secure victory in at least 20 out of the 23 parliamentary seats and garner more than 60 per cent of the presidential votes.

With these objectives in mind, the party has set a target to elevate both its parliamentary seats from 13 to 20 and increase its presidential votes from 45.9 per cent to 60 per cent in the upcoming elections.