Accra, Nov.18, GNA – A coalition of university lecturers and researchers across Ghana has announced a nationwide campaign to encourage citizens to vote for John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the upcoming general elections.
The campaign, organized by a group known as Progressive Intellectuals (PI), is set to launch on November 23, 2024.
In a statement issued and signed by Professor Yunus Dumbe, President of PI, the coalition expressed serious concerns over the state of the economy and governance under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
The group outlined the reasons for their support of Mr. Mahama, citing what they describe as the NPP’s government’s failure in key areas of governance, economic management, and social welfare.
“We believe that in a democracy, the electorate should vote for people to govern them based on their track record of performance in critical areas such as citizenship engagement, accountability and transparency, independence of state institutions, the rule of law, and citizens’ quality of life.
“Observably, the regime of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia through the New Patriotic Party has grossly underperformed in all these areas,” the statement said.
The coalition criticized the current government for what they termed as widespread corruption, nepotism, and policies that have destabilized the economy and weakened state institutions.
They highlighted issues such as the controversial Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP), which forced pensioners to sacrifice their livelihoods, and the allocation of funds from a contingency vault to finance a failed national cathedral project.
The nationwide campaign, set for November 23, will focus on sensitizing voters across all regions of the country.
The initiative aims to mobilize intellectuals and progressive forces to advocate for a change in leadership and to rally support for Mahama and the NDC, which the group believes offers a more promising alternative for the country’s future.
“We urge all intellectuals and concerned citizens who believe in social democratic values to join us in this campaign,” the statement said.
The campaign will include rallies, public discussions, and other outreach activities designed to engage the electorate and encourage them to vote for change in the upcoming elections.
GNA