John Mahama makes substantial progress in fulfilling his 120-day social contract

President John Mahama has made substantial progress in fulfilling his 120-day social contract with Ghanaians, achieving 72 per cent of his 25 key pledges within the self-imposed timeframe.

A detailed assessment by the Daily Graphic reveals that 18 of those promises have been fully implemented, while the remaining seven are ongoing processes or awaiting legislation.

These achievements have been celebrated within government circles as repayment of the faith reposed in President Mahama by the electorate in December last year.

Broadcast

And as the government, through a live broadcast across various platforms last night, highlighted its performance in relation to the 120-day social contract, it hinted of a sense of satisfaction, and also a sense of humility in admitting to yet-to-be-fully-achieved targets.

The President’s voice on the broadcast was a familiar tone of soberness, a clear conviction of purpose, but also a humble recognition of holding the fate of thousands of youth in particular in his hands.

It was a motion picture of events that summed up the 120 days of President Mahama’s current tenure, featuring the events of particular relevance to his pledge to reset the country from a path of decline to a stage of fulfilment, including the signing of the Bills that abolished the Electronic Transaction Levy and betting tax into law, the launch of initiatives intended to enhance job opportunities for the youth, among others.

It also featured testimonies from people from the streets who shared their own views about his personality, vision, compassion for the average person and sense of duty to his role as President.

Actions

As he accounted for his 120 days in office, President John Dramani Mahama yesterday assured the nation of his commitment to deliver tangible results to drive the nation from gloom to bloom, make corruption unattractive, and punish those that steal from the public purse.

He revealed, for instance, that the financial commitments of the stalled National Cathedral were being audited by international audit firm, Deloitte and Touche, while various personalities of interest have been interviewed in ongoing investigations into the African Games expenses.

He further stated that audit and investigations were also ongoing into recruitment into the security services, while unresolved violent incidents and murders had been opened to bring justice to victims.

President Mahama said accounting to the citizenry as his government reached the 120-day mark, was not merely to tick boxes but a shift to a more serious outlook about how responsible governance should be.

Achievements

Among the earliest achievements of the President was the abolition of several unpopular taxes, including the Electronic Transaction Levy, commonly called E-levy, and the 10 per cent tax on betting wins, delivering immediate relief to businesses and individuals.

The government also convened a National Economic Dialogue to craft a sustainable fiscal strategy, and held the National Education Forum in Ho where experts and stakeholders shared ideas about how to improve and sustain a development-oriented policy for the sector.

In a move to strengthen accountability, the administration has finalised a stringent Code of Conduct for public officials, unveiled at the Presidency only this week.

That code came with a directive that banned all government appointees from buying state assets such as land, vehicles and shares, marking a significant step towards curbing corruption.

Social welfare advances

True to his word, President Mahama has implemented a tuition-free policy for first-year students in public tertiary institutions and extended free tertiary education to persons with disabilities.

The distribution of free sanitary pads to schoolgirls nationwide is also underway, addressing a critical barrier to education for young girls.

Job creation

The newly established Accelerated Export Development Council is poised to enhance Ghana’s export sector, with its advisory committee sworn in last Monday.

Job creation initiatives such as “Adwumawura” and the National Youth Employment Programme have also taken off, providing opportunities for thousands of young Ghanaians.

Several key initiatives also remain in progress, including a review of vehicle import taxes to support agriculture and industry, as well as amendments to the Customs Act to lift restrictions on salvaged vehicles.

Compensation for victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage is being processed, with initial payments expected shortly.

In the realm of security, efforts to eliminate vigilante influence within state agencies are advancing, while long-dormant cases, including the murder of journalist Ahmed Suale, have been reopened for fresh investigation.

The government is, however, challenged by the enormity of the fight against illegal mining, with the sophistocated network of actors in the environmental crime proving a handful in the last four months.

This is in spite of the government enforcing a strict ban on illegal mining in forest reserves and introducing the “Tree for Life” and “Blue Water Initiative” to promote environmental sustainability as counter-activities to reverse the incidence of illegal mining.

The “Black Star Experience”, a flagship tourism project, was successfully launched at the Black Star Square on May 1, signalling a renewed push to showcase Ghana’s cultural heritage.