More jobs and no ‘nuisance taxes’

Ghana’s former President John Mahama will probably be beneath monumental stress to satisfy the expectations of voters following his landslide victory in Saturday’s election.

He swept again to energy after eight years in opposition, working what political analyst Nansata Yakubu described as a “masterclass” in campaigning.

He defeated Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia by 56.6% of votes to 41.6% to notch up the most important margin of victory by a candidate in 24 years.

However voter turnout was decrease than within the 2020 election, particularly in a number of the heartlands of Bwaumia’s New Patriotic Occasion (NPP), suggesting some individuals there – disillusioned with its efficiency in authorities – stayed at dwelling.

As Mahama’s supporters celebrated his victory, Belinda Amuzu – a instructor within the northern metropolis of Tamale, a stronghold of Mahama – summed up their hopes.

“I am anticipating the brand new authorities to vary the economic system, in order that the hardship will come down. He also needs to prosecute corrupt officers in order that it will likely be a lesson to others,” she informed the BBC.

“The hardship” has turn out to be a standard phrase in Ghana because the economic system hit rock-bottom in 2022, inflicting a cost-of-living disaster that shredded Bawumia’s popularity as an “financial whizz-kid” – and led to his defeat by the hands of Mahama.

Ghanaian economist Prof Godfred Bokpin informed the BBC the challenges going through the subsequent authorities had been big.

“What Ghana wants proper now could be credible management, lean authorities and effectivity in public service supply. With out that, there can’t be a future,” he mentioned.

Mahama has promised to convey down the dimensions of the cupboard from greater than 80 to round 60, however Prof Bokpin argued it needs to be even smaller whereas political analyst Dr Kwame Asah-Asante careworn the necessity for appointments to be on advantage quite than loyalty.

Mahama will probably be flanked by former Schooling Minister Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who is about to turn out to be Ghana’s first feminine vice-president when the brand new authorities takes workplace subsequent month.

Dr Yakubu mentioned her appointment was not certainly one of “tokenism” and he or she was not somebody who may very well be “manipulated”.

“We have now a incredible first feminine vice-president in Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang,” she informed the BBC Concentrate on Africa podcast.

Mahama served his first four-year time period as president after successful in 2012, however misplaced his re-election bid in 2016 as Nana Akufo-Addo rose to energy with Bawumia as his running-mate.

Dr Yakubu mentioned Mahama contested the 2016 election on his observe file in constructing roads, faculties and hospitals however voters rejected him, as their mantra then was: “We do not eat infrastructure.”

However, she mentioned, throughout the Covid pandemic voters got here to understand the infrastructure his authorities had constructed, particularly hospitals.

This – together with the truth that the economic system had plunged right into a deep disaster beneath the present authorities, forcing it to hunt a $3bn (£2.4bn) bailout from the Worldwide Financial Fund (IMF) – led to Mahama being re-elected, Dr Yakubu added.

She informed the BBC that Mahama would now be anticipated to fulfil his marketing campaign promise to create jobs with the intention to convey down the unemployment charge of virtually 15%, and to ease the cost-of-living disaster by scrapping some taxes – or what Ghanaians name “nuisance taxes”.

Mahama has promised to make Ghana a “24-hour economic system” by means of the creation of night-time jobs in each the private and non-private sectors. He mentioned he would give companies tax incentives to remain open at evening and cut back electrical energy costs for them.

However his critics have doubts, declaring that Ghana plunged into its worst electrical energy disaster throughout his first time period and the facility cuts had been so dangerous that Mahama joked on the time that he was generally known as “Mr Dumsor” – “dum” means “off” and “sor” means “on” within the native Twi language.

He has pledged to abolish a number of taxes – together with the much-criticised digital levy on cellular transactions and the one on the carbon emissions produced by petrol or diesel-powered autos.

Prof Bokpin mentioned he doubted the Mahama administration would be capable to fulfil its guarantees.

“They haven’t completed the cost-benefit evaluation. There is not any budgetary house to translate these guarantees into actuals,” he mentioned.

However Mahama is assured he’ll show his critics flawed, saying he intends to renegotiate the situations of the IMF mortgage so cash is freed up for “social intervention programmes” in a rustic the place 7.3 million individuals stay in poverty.

In an interview forward of the election, Mahama informed the BBC the IMF wished “a sure stability” in authorities funds.

“Should you’re in a position to minimize expenditure, and also you’re in a position to enhance income and enhance non-tax income coming in, you’ll create a stability,” he mentioned.

Dr Asah-Asante mentioned Mahama’s expertise as former president would stand him in good stead to navigate Ghana by means of uneven waters.

“After all, he’s prone to encounter difficulties, however he has what it takes to show issues round,” the analyst added.

Aside from the economic system, corruption is without doubt one of the largest points going through Ghana however not everyone seems to be satisfied that Mahama will be capable to sort out the scourge.

Mahama’s earlier stint in authorities – as vice-president and president – was tormented by corruption allegations, though he has persistently denied any wrongdoing.

In 2020, a UK courtroom had discovered that aviation big Airbus had used bribes to safe contracts with Ghana for navy planes between 2009 and 2015.

An investigation was then began in Ghana, however the Workplace of the Particular Prosecutor, in a choice introduced simply months earlier than the election, concluded there was no proof that Mahama was concerned in any corrupt actions himself.

The outgoing authorities has additionally been dogged by corruption allegations, together with over the acquisition of ambulance spare components at a price of $34.9m and a controversial nationwide cathedral mission during which $58m has been spent with none progress in constructing it.

Mahama promised his authorities would sort out corruption, and be certain that officers had been prosecuted for wrongdoing.

“We’re interested by particular courts,” he informed the BBC.

Dr Asah-Asante mentioned Mahama ought to demand monetary accountability from the outgoing authorities throughout a handover section in order that “no matter has gone flawed, he’ll be capable to proper” as quickly as his authorities takes workplace subsequent month.

The analyst added that Mahama, who will probably be inaugurated subsequent month when President Akufo-Addo steps down after his two phrases in workplace, had no selection however to satisfy the expectations of Ghanaians – or else they might “punish his authorities the way in which they’ve punished the NPP”.

Mahama succinctly acknowledged this in his victory speech, saying: “Expectations of Ghanaians are very excessive, and we can not afford to disappoint them.

“Our greatest days usually are not behind us; our greatest days are forward of us. Ahead ever – backwards by no means.”

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