By Bright Philip Donkor
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has outlined its ambitious economic vision for Ghana, describing its 2024 Manifesto as a detailed roadmap for economic stability and sustainable growth.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday at the party’s headquarters in Accra, Mr. Richard Ahiagbah, the NPP’s Director of Communications, emphasised that the NPP’s strategies, dubbed “Bold Solutions,” would effectively transform Ghana’s economy and enhance living standards.
Mr. Ahiagbah said the weight of the economic policies in the NPP manifesto surpassed the opposition NDC’s plans. He underscored the party’s commitment to leveraging digital technologies to drive economic competitiveness and job creation. “The NPP’s 2024 Manifesto offers Bold Solutions for jobs and business. Its ideas are forward-looking, aiming to stabilize and grow the economy, leveraging the digital revolution to make Ghana competitive,” he stated.
Economic proposals
The party’s economic plans, Mr. Ahiagbah noted, had received positive assessments from economic experts who described them as practical and capable of sustaining economic recovery. He credited the steady economic rebound to policies implemented under President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration, maintaining that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the NPP’s presidential candidate, would accelerate this progress.
Mr. Ahiagbah cited key achievements and projections, stating that Ghana’s economic performance had exceeded expectations. “The average growth of the first two quarters of 2024 is 5.8 percent and 6.9 percent, respectively. The IMF projected 4 percent real GDP growth for 2024, but at this rate, the economy is on track to surpass that figure,” he stated.
He revealed that Dr. Bawumia had planned to sustain and boost economic growth through strategic investments in agriculture, mining, digital hubs, sports, tourism and creative industries.
Major tax reforms
Mr. Ahiagbah detailed sweeping tax reforms Dr Bawumia intended to implement,if elected. One of the flagship initiatives is a one-time tax amnesty for individuals and businesses, which would wipe away penalties and interest from past tax arrears, offering a fresh start to taxpayers. The plan also proposes a simplified flat rate tax system similar to Estonia’s, merging VAT levies into a single, streamlined structure to eliminate cascading tax effects.
Other tax measures include reducing withholding tax on small-scale gold exports to curb smuggling, abolishing betting taxes, offering investment tax credits to strategic start-ups, and digitizing tax administration to prevent revenue leaks. He also mentioned aligning port charges with those in regional hubs like Togo to make Ghana’s ports more competitive.
Call for support
The NPP’s Director of Communications urged Ghanaians to prioritize economic policy when voting on December 7, arguing that the NPP had a proven track record and effective plans to build a prosperous future. “We should vote for Dr. Bawumia and the NPP to implement these widely accepted policy ideas to stabilize and grow the economy. The economy is everything to vote for on December 7,” he stressed.
Mr. Richard Ahiagbah, NPP Director of Communication
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