Michael Donyinah, the Executive Director of the Centre for Public Opinion and Awareness (CenPOA), has voiced his disappointment over the recent manifestos released by Ghana’s two major political parties—the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). He believes that neither party has offered effective plans to tackle Ghana’s ongoing challenges.
Donyinah reviewed the manifestos closely and found them lacking in strong, practical ideas that could address Ghana’s economic and social issues. “I feel really sad for Ghana,” he said. “Both manifestos fail to offer any hope or direction for the country. They don’t address the major problems we face, nor do they suggest any workable solutions.”
Donyinah criticized the NPP’s manifesto, which they called a “document of bold solutions,” for not living up to its name. He argues that true bold solutions would include actions like banning the importation of goods that Ghana can produce locally. He also mentioned other measures such as eliminating ex-gratia payments, addressing the monetization of politics, and making constitutional reforms to limit the president’s excessive powers.
“Real bold solutions require a commitment to significant changes,” Donyinah explained. “For example, appointing an independent Inspector General of Police would ensure that the police force operates without political influence. But the manifestos don’t offer these kinds of impactful changes.”
Donyinah also pointed out that both parties’ manifestos are filled with old, recycled promises that have yet to be fulfilled. “We are still going to face the same challenges,” he warned. “Inflation will continue to rise, and the cedi will keep losing value because neither party is addressing the core issues that need to be fixed.”
He expressed frustration that neither the NPP nor the NDC provided specific timelines for implementing their promises, suggesting that they might be taking the public for granted. “If you’re going to claim that you’re going to ‘reset’ Ghana, like the NDC says, then your main goal should be a constitutional review to address the problems holding the country back. Otherwise, it’s just more of the same, and Ghana will remain underdeveloped,” he argued.
Despite his criticism, Donyinah acknowledged that some promises in the manifestos are more realistic than others, though he did not specify which ones. He called on Ghanaians to hold their political leaders accountable. “We need to ask hard questions about whether these promises are achievable, based on the parties’ past performance. Ghanaians deserve answers, and it’s up to us to demand them,” he said.
CenPOA, the organization led by Donyinah, is dedicated to promoting public engagement and ensuring that citizens’ voices are heard in policy discussions. The organization aims to keep the public informed and involved in the political process, encouraging accountability from those in power.
Source: Ghana Web
