Former president John Dramani Mahama has vowed to introduce a new budget in April 2025 if he wins the upcoming election. The budget will aim to support and build small businesses and create more jobs in the country.
Mahama made this pledge in his New Year message to Ghanaians on Wednesday, January 3, 2024. According to a report by Ghana Web, he said his government would adjust taxes as an incentive for job creation and economic growth.
A 24-Hour Economy
Mahama also reiterated his vision to implement a 24-hour economy, an innovative policy that seeks to maximize productivity and efficiency by extending business hours and operations around the clock.
He said the 24-hour economy would create a more vibrant economy that would benefit both workers and businesses. He added that it would also enhance security, reduce traffic congestion, and improve public services.
A Tight Race
Mahama is the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the main opposition party in Ghana. He is challenging the incumbent president Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 presidential election.
The election is expected to be a tight race, as both candidates have strong support bases and track records. Mahama was president from 2012 to 2016, but lost to Akufo-Addo in 2016 by a margin of 9.45%. Akufo-Addo is seeking a second term after overseeing a stable economy, a free senior high school program, and a successful response to the pandemic.
Both candidates have been campaigning across the country, promising to deliver more development, infrastructure, and social services to the people. They have also been appealing to the youth, who make up more than half of the population and the electorate.
Ghana is widely regarded as one of the most stable and democratic countries in Africa. It has a history of peaceful and credible elections, a vibrant civil society, and a free press. It is also one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, with a rich endowment of natural resources, especially gold, cocoa, and oil.
As the nation prepares to go to the polls in December 2024, many Ghanaians are hopeful that the election will be fair, peaceful, and transparent, and that the next government will continue to work for the welfare and prosperity of the people.
