The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) claims that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has lost its stronghold in the Zongo community.
According to the NPP, the NDC is no longer favored by the Zongo people, attributing this shift to their deceitful actions and empty promises, largely driven by their leader, former President John Mahama.
During a media interaction on Thursday to launch the “Gaskiya Forum (Truth Forum)” by the Bawumia For President 2024 National Zongo Campaign, the NPP accused the NDC and former President Mahama of failing to develop Zongo communities, despite receiving significant support from them.
Alhaji Ben Abdallah Banda, the Presidential Coordinator for Zongo Development and Chairman of the Bawumia For President Zongo Campaign, addressed the media, stating that since the late President Rawlings granted Zongo stakeholders the request for national holidays for Eid, the NDC has not delivered any substantial development for the Zongo communities.
In the 4th Republic since 1992, only two parties, the NDC and the NPP, under five different Presidents have had the opportunity to lead the country. The return to democratic rule in 1993, after 11 years of military rule, saw a rise in support for the NDC in the Zongos. Election after election, the Zongo community voted massively for the NDC leading to the election of three different NDC regimes; the Rawlings, Mills and Mahama regimes
The People of Zongo in spite of the overwhelming support it continues to offer the NDC post have had nothing to show by the NDC. In other words, Zongos cannot boast of any deliberate attempt by the NDC to cause make positive impacts on their lives
The Gaskiya Forum presented a detailed account of what it described as the NDC’s vague promises, specifically focusing on the NDC administrations from 2009 to 2016, during which former President Mahama held both the Vice Presidency and the Presidency.
Prior to the 2008 elections, the NDC promised to adopt an ‘upgrading-in-place’ approach consisting of improving existing infrastructure and facilities up to satisfactory standards. This was the only promise of the NDC to the people of Zongo. As to what exactly they meant by that promise, no one could tell.
Additionally, during the forum, it was highlighted that the NDC treated the Zongos “cruelly” by canceling allowances for Arabic instructors that had been introduced by President Kufuor.
Indeed the only action they were committed to undertaking was the cruel cancellation of the Makaranta teachers or Arabic instructors allowance
While still in power in 2012 and contesting for re-election, having served the unfinished term of the late President Mills, President John Mahama abandoned the NDC’s vague 2008 promise and made new promises in his 2012 Manifesto titled ‘Advancing the Better Ghana Agenda
President Mahama promised to “expand equitable access to technical and vocational education and training (TVET) by establishing institutions in the Zongos and underserved urban areas, as well as increasing participation among disadvantaged groups through a bursary scheme focused on female students and providing stipends for identified apprentices.” However, this promise also went unfulfilled.
After not fulfilling its campaign promise to the people of Zongo as President, Mr. Mahama and the NDC returned again with yet another promise for the 2016 elections. The NDC and then President Mahama again abandoned their unfulfilled 2012 promises and moved to another one which stated that the NDC will continue to consolidate and expand the interventions that have been implemented over the last four years and introduce additional social protection initiatives to sustain the livelihood of the vulnerable and lift others out of poverty
The question one would ask is what was specifically done for the people of the Zango by Mr. John Mahama and the NDC that they would have consolidated and built upon? Under which policy?…It was nothing but another vague promise aimed at hoodwinking the people of the Zongos. Thankfully, the people of Zongo, after committing to supporting the NDC for years saw the endless deceit and decided enough was enough
This culminated in the overwhelming rejection of the NDC across the nation and many Zongos in 2016 leading to the renaissance of the NPP in the Zongos due to the party’s respect for diversity, clarity of policies and commitment to Zongo Development
In contrast, the NPP has shown genuine commitment and honesty in developing the Zongos.
Ben Abdallah highlighted the introduction of allowances for Arabic instructors (Makaranta teachers), the historic establishment of the Zongo Development Fund, which has facilitated numerous projects, and the election of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the first Muslim to lead a major political party in a national election.
