Read Mahama’s passionate letter to his countrymen and women about his 2020 return

The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has revealed that his decision to take another bite at the presidency, was not taken lightly, but was made “out of a sense of urgency”.

In an emotional letter to his fellow countrymen and women, ahead of his party’s manifesto launch today, Monday, August 7, 2020, ex-President John Dramani Mahama, insists “no country can aspire to become developed; no society can be truly resilient in the face of crisis and adversity without a solid economic and social infrastructure”.

“In all honesty, I didn’t take the decision to run for a second term as President neither easily, nor quickly. I didn’t jump into it. I did it out of a sense of urgency, after I began to contemplate more and more thoroughly about our vulnerabilities as a nation”.

The launch of the NDC’s “Peoples’ Manifesto” is billed to come off at 6pm today, and will be aired live on all major TV, radio and online platforms from the University of Professional Studies Accra.

A statement from James Agyenim-Boateng, Campaign Spokesperson issued yesterday announced that after months of wide consultations with various interest groups and individuals across the country, all was set for the launch of the NDC manifesto.

The document he said “represents the vision and programmes of the John Mahama-Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang ticket for the 2020 elections”, and “addresses the felt needs of people”.

Ahead of the launch, both Mr Mahama and his running mate, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, have been talking about the manifesto.

On a campaign tour to Kwasiadukrom in the Bodi Constituency of the Western North Region, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, said it was high time the will of the people was brought to mainstream governance, hence the NDC’s People’s Manifesto.

She intimated that the times when leaders sat in Accra and drafted manifestos for the people, are long gone.

“We must make sure the exact cry of the people are incorporated into policy documents to ensure the people benefit directly”.

She pointed out that, ‘The Big Push’ agenda in the manifesto, for instance, when implemented will ensure job creation for many people, adding the youth will be given hands-on skills training and projects started by the NDC government, which have been abandoned by the current government, will be completed.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, specifically called on women to rally behind the John and Jane ticket, especially as issues affecting women and children are on top of the NDC’s agenda, adding “This is our time as women and we must take advantage of the opportunity”.

With a very passionate tone, Mr Mahama addressed his “brothers and sisters”, saying “you offered me the humbling chance to serve you from the highest offices in Ghana – first as Vice-President, for four years, and then as President for another four years. For this, I will forever be grateful, and I will fight for your wellbeing, for your hopes and for your rights with all my strength for the rest of my life”, adding “but since I have already been there, why run again? I know many of you ask this question – sometimes openly, sometimes in silence. Why run again? It is a fair question, and it deserves a fair, personal answer”.

“To create sustainable and ever-growing prosperity – something we all deserve – it requires building a robust social and economic infrastructure, one that supports creativity, innovation and the production of high value-added products and services”.

“This is precisely why, during my Presidency, I took aggressive steps to develop and consolidate our healthcare infrastructure, our educational infrastructure, our transport infrastructure and our digital infrastructure. This is the only way to build a resilient nation. Without creating and consolidating a developed infrastructure, no nation can resist global shocks” he explained.

“Unfortunately, this current government has refused to continue on this path and therefore failed to make our nation less vulnerable and more resilient”, the ex-President noted.

“I know how to do it, part of it I’ve already accomplished, and since I know how to do it and the current government doesn’t, I feel I have the moral duty to ask for a second term. This is not about me, it’s about Ghana and Ghanaians, adding “This is what today’s manifesto is about”.

Below is what Mr Mahama wrote ….

My brothers and sisters,

On Monday, we will launch our manifesto for 2020.

Let me take this opportunity to offer some personal reflections on the political substance of this manifesto.

You offered me the humbling chance to serve you from the highest offices in Ghana – first as Vice-President, for four years, and then as President for another four years. For this, I will forever be grateful, and I will fight for your wellbeing, for your hopes and for your rights with all my strength for the rest of my life.

But since I have already been there, why run again? I know many of you ask this question – sometimes openly, sometimes in silence. Why run again? It is a fair question, and it deserves a fair, personal answer.

In a sense, our manifesto will provide the answer, but it will be a collective answer, coming from all the fabulous NDC members and supporters, men and women, who participated in its formulation.

In all honesty, I didn’t take the decision to run for a second term as President neither easily, nor quickly. I didn’t jump into it. I did it out of a sense of urgency, after I began to contemplate more and more thoroughly about our vulnerabilities as a nation.

No country can aspire to become developed; no society can be truly resilient in the face of crisis and adversity without a solid economic and social infrastructure.

To create sustainable and ever-growing prosperity – something we all deserve – it requires building a robust social and economic infrastructure, one that supports creativity, innovation and the production of high value-added products and services.

This is precisely why, during my Presidency, I took aggressive steps to develop and consolidate our healthcare infrastructure, our educational infrastructure, our transport infrastructure and our digital infrastructure. This is the only way to build a resilient nation. Without creating and consolidating a developed infrastructure, no nation can resist global shocks.

Unfortunately, this current government has refused to continue on this path and therefore failed to make our nation less vulnerable and more resilient.

Let me give you just one example: access to electricity. In 2012, 69.2% of Ghanaians had access to electricity. In 2016, when I left office after my first term as President, 79.3% of Ghanaians had access to electricity. A 10 percentage points increase in 4 years. When I left the office, I was confident that a new government will deliver 90%, if not 100% access to electricity in the next four years.

However, the NPP government increased overall access to electricity from 79.3% to only 82.3%, a mere 3 percentage points increase.

It is our sacred mission to turn Ghana into an advanced nation as soon as possible! It is our moral obligation to be bold and to aim for greatness!

“Good enough” is no longer good enough! To prosper and thrive, we need fundamental change! We need to set our standards and expectations far higher than “good enough”! If we settle for “good enough”, we settle for a slow death of our very soul and of our pride.

I run for President because I want to leave a legacy: a solid infrastructure, with 100% access for all. With this legacy, we will build a truly developed Ghana, on a par with the advanced nations.

I know how to do it, part of it I’ve already accomplished, and since I know how to do it and the current government doesn’t, I feel I have the moral duty to ask for a second term. This is not about me, it’s about Ghana and Ghanaians.

This is what Monday’s manifesto is about.

This is why I encourage all of you to watch the launch ceremony.

God bless Ghana! God bless each and every one of you!