Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has described 2023 as a year of pain and challenging times inflicted on Ghanaians by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

In his 2024 New Year message at his residence in Tamale, said that 2023 had been nothing but a continuation of years of hardship and economic difficulties for Ghanaians.

“We have all lived painfully through the challenges the failed Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration has inflicted on us through their reckless mismanagement of the economy, poor governance, bare-faced corruption, and profligate expenditure at the expense of socio-economic and infrastructural development. 2023 had been nothing but a continuation of the years of hardship, the high cost of living, and worsening poverty for the Ghanaian people.”

He added that as it was the belief of many that the 2024 budget would at least have brought some respite, it turned out to be a raft of taxes slapped on Ghanaians by the government.

“The 2024 budget provides no hope for an improvement in our circumstances. A raft of new tax measures have been slapped on us to raise an additional GH¢11 billion from the already overburdened taxpayers. In that same budget, while they sort to squeeze the last blood from Ghanaians through increased taxes, they have increased the money allocated to the Office of the President from GH¢1.4 billion to over GH¢2 billion.”

He, therefore, proposed that the NDC will introduce a new budget in April 2025 if elected, that will contain incentives for the business community to create job opportunities for unemployed youth.

“The National Democratic Congress [NDC] has developed a comprehensive plan which will be shared with businesses, academia, civil society, and the youth to create jobs and opportunities for all our young people. It will also encourage business ownership and entrepreneurship among them.”

“In April 2025, the new NDC government shall introduce a new budget to support and build more businesses and adjust taxes that will serve as an incentive for job creation.”