{"id":39329,"date":"2024-12-10T20:34:17","date_gmt":"2024-12-11T01:34:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/more-jobs-and-no-nuisance-taxes\/10\/12\/2024\/"},"modified":"2024-12-10T20:34:17","modified_gmt":"2024-12-11T01:34:17","slug":"more-jobs-and-no-nuisance-taxes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/more-jobs-and-no-nuisance-taxes\/10\/12\/2024\/","title":{"rendered":"More jobs and no ‘nuisance taxes’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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[AFP]<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Ghana’s former President John Mahama will be under enormous pressure to meet the expectations of voters following his landslide victory in Saturday’s election.<\/p>\n
He swept back to power after eight years in opposition, running what political analyst Nansata Yakubu described as a “masterclass” in campaigning.<\/p>\n
He defeated Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia by 56.6% of votes to 41.6% to notch up the biggest margin of victory by a candidate in 24 years.<\/p>\n
But voter turnout was lower than in the 2020 election, especially in some of the heartlands of Bwaumia’s New Patriotic Party (NPP), suggesting people there – disillusioned with its performance in government – stayed at home rather than switch sides.<\/p>\n
As Mahama’s supporters celebrated his victory, Belinda Amuzu – a teacher in the northern city of Tamale, a stronghold of Mahama – summed up their hopes.<\/p>\n
“I’m expecting the new government to change the economy, so that the hardship will come down. He should also prosecute corrupt officials so that it will be a lesson to others,” she told the BBC.<\/p>\n
“The hardship” has become a common phrase in Ghana since the economy hit rock-bottom in 2022, causing a cost-of-living crisis that shredded Bawumia’s reputation as an “economic whizz-kid” – and led to his defeat at the hands of Mahama.<\/p>\n
Ghanaian economist Prof Godfred Bokpin told the BBC the challenges facing the next government were huge.<\/p>\n
“What Ghana needs right now is credible leadership, lean government and efficiency in public service delivery. Without that, there cannot be a future,” he said.<\/p>\n
Mahama has promised to bring down the size of the cabinet from more than 80 to around 60, but Prof Bokpin argued it should be smaller while political analyst Dr Kwame Asah-Asante stressed the need for appointments to be on merit rather than loyalty.<\/p>\n
Mahama will be flanked by former Education Minister Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, who is set to become Ghana’s first female vice-president when the new government takes office next month.<\/p>\n
Dr Yakubu said her appointment was not one of “tokenism” and she was not someone who could be “manipulated”.<\/p>\n