You’ve Lost The Trust of Zongo Communities Because Of Your Deceit – NDC Slammed

The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) says the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has lost hold of its previous fortress which is the Zongo community.

The party says the NDC is no longer the favorite of the Zongos due to their deceit and lip service which is majorly led by their leader, former President John Mahama.

At an interaction with the media on Thursday to launch a forum dubbed “Gaskiya Forum (Truth Forum)” by the Bawumia For President 2024 National Zongo Campaign, the NPP accused the NDC and Mahama of not developing the Zongo communities despite their enormous support for the opposition party.

Presidential Coordinator for Zongo Development and Chairman of the Bawumia For President Zongo Campaign, Alhaji Ben Abdallah Banda, addressing the media, said since the late President Rawlings agreed to the request of Zongo stakeholders for national holidays for Eid, the NDC has provided no tangible development for the Zongos.

“In the 4th Republic since 1992, only two parties, the NDC and the NPP, under five different Presidents have had the opportunity to lead the country. The return to democratic rule in 1993, after 11 years of military rule, saw a rise in support for the NDC in the Zongos. Election after election, the Zongo community voted massively for the NDC leading to the election of three different NDC regimes; the Rawlings, Mills and Mahama regimes.”

“The People of Zongo in spite of the overwhelming support it continues to offer the NDC post have had nothing to show by the NDC. In other words, Zongos cannot boast of any deliberate attempt by the NDC to cause make positive impacts on their lives”, Ben Abdallah said.

Record Of Mahama And NDC’s Unfulfilled Promises

The Gaskiya Forum presented an extensive record of what it called NDC’s vague promises, narrowing it down to the NDC regimes of 2009 to 2016 in which former President Mahama served as Vice President and President concurrently.

“Prior to the 2008 elections, the NDC promised to adopt an ‘upgrading-in-place’ approach consisting of improving existing infrastructure and facilities up to satisfactory standards. This was the only promise of the NDC to the people of Zongo. As to what exactly they meant by that promise, no one could tell.”

Also, during the forum, it was noted that the NDC rather dealt “cruelly” with the Zongos, cancelling allowances for Arabic instructors which was introduced by President Kufuor.

“Indeed the only action they were committed to undertaking was the cruel cancellation of the Makaranta teachers or Arabic instructors allowance.”

“While still in power in 2012 and contesting for re-election, having served the unfinished term of the late President Mills, President John Mahama abandoned the NDC’s vague 2008 promise and made new promises in his 2012 Manifesto titled ‘Advancing the Better Ghana Agenda’.”

President Mahama promised the “expansion of equitable access to technical and vocational education and training (TVET) by locating such institutions in the Zongos and underserved areas of urban communities and increasing the participation of disadvantaged groups through a bursary scheme for disadvantaged students with special focus on female students and the provision of stipends for identified apprentices” but this promise was also not fulfilled.

“After not fulfilling its campaign promise to the people of Zongo as President, Mr. Mahama and the NDC returned again with yet another promise for the 2016 elections. The NDC and then President Mahama again abandoned their unfulfilled 2012 promises and moved to another one which stated that the NDC will continue to consolidate and expand the interventions that have been implemented over the last four years and introduce additional social protection initiatives to sustain the livelihood of the vulnerable and lift others out of poverty.”

“The question one would ask is what was specifically done for the people of the Zango by Mr. John Mahama and the NDC that they would have consolidated and built upon? Under which policy?…It was nothing but another vague promise aimed at hoodwinking the people of the Zongos. Thankfully, the people of Zongo, after committing to supporting the NDC for years saw the endless deceit and decided enough was enough.”

“This culminated in the overwhelming rejection of the NDC across the nation and many Zongos in 2016 leading to the renaissance of the NPP in the Zongos due to the party’s respect for diversity, clarity of policies and commitment to Zongo Development.”

On the contrary, the NPP has demonstrated honestyand true commitment to the development of the Zongos.

Ben Abdallah cited the introduction of Arabic Instructors allowance (Makaranta teachers), the historic introduction of the Zongo Development Fund which has ensured several projects as well as the election of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the nation’s first ever Muslim to lead a major political party to an election.

Source: Ghmessenger.com