By Yussif Ibrahim
Kumasi, Nov. 27, GNA – The next government of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) remains committed to regularising the work of commercial motor bicycle riders, Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, National Chairman of the party, has reaffirmed.
The NDC in 2020 promised to streamline activities of the riders popular known as “Okada” who also provide valuable services to the public if they won the elections.
Speaking at Amanfrom in the Bantama Constituency as part of the third phase of his retail campaign in the Ashanti Region, Mr. Nketia said the party had not changed its position on the issue.
Retail politics is a type of political campaigning in which politicians directly talk to and interact with their supporters.
Examples of retail politics include in-person campaign events, rallies, and direct mail. More recent examples of such campaigning have included candidates’ appearances on podcasts.
Mr Nketiah said providing training and licensing the teeming youth in the business was the way to go to protect their livelihoods, adding that, pushing them out of work would only worsen the unemployment situation in the country.
The National Chairman chided Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who is also the presidential candidate for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2024 general elections, for deceiving the riders with a promise of providing them taxis to replace their motorcycles.
“I want to know from those of you, in the Okada business, whether the Vice President has given you the taxis he promised you,” he asked the gathering.
Mr. Nketia said the NPP had carved a niche for themselves as experts in
spreading falsehood in their quest to retain power and urged Ghanaians not to fall for their desperate attempt to hoodwink voters.
Mr. Kwadwo Addai Dapaah, the NDC Parliamentary Candidate for Bantama, criticised the incumbent MP, Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, for prioritising the construction of an Agenda 111 hospital in the constituency, when access to health facilities was not a problem in the constituency.
He said the MP had lost touch with the electorate and promised to build a factory on the land allocated for the hospital project to create jobs for young people when given the nod.
GNA