John Dramani Mahama, flag bearer of the National Democratic (NDC) has revealed that his next administration will discontinue the payment of utility bills for his appointees as part of their conditions of service.
He says the discontinuance will include Directors of State-owned organisations.
Mr. Mahama was speaking with the European Union ambassador and the European Union Chamber of Commerce Tuesday, May 28, 2024, when he said every government appointee must take up their own utilities irrespective like every Ghanaian.
The only time, according to the former President, that the state would cater for a utility for a government official would be when that officer is using a state vehicle for a state assignment.
“We’ll discontinue the payment of utility bills, fuel, DSTV, et cetera, as conditions of service for top government officials, directors in the political class.
“We believe that people should take up paying their own electricity bills and water, like every other Ghanaian does. And unless you’re using a government vehicle on a government assignment, you should buy your own fuel if you’re using your own car. And so we’re going to discontinue that,” he stated.
John Mahama also disclosed his intentions to give priority to Ghanaian-registered businesses in terms of procurement. He said since those businesses are registered in Ghana, they pay taxes and should benefit when it comes to procurement and government spending.
“We will give priority to Ghanaian-registered businesses. I didn’t say Ghanaian businesses. I said Ghanaian-registered businesses. And so any business that is registered in Ghana pays taxes in Ghana, would be given a priority in terms of government procurement and in terms of government spending. And so Ghanaian-registered businesses would benefit,” he said.
He also lamented about the NPP government’s performance in the oil and gas sector since Akufo-Addo took over. He noted the government has not added anything substantial to the sector stating that the administration’s tenure has been 8 years of wastage.
“The last eight years have been wasted years when it comes to the oil and gas industry. This government has done absolutely nothing to bring any more gas or oil in. There are blocks that have been discovered that have potential for doubling Ghana’s oil production, but because of greed, this has not happened,” he reiterated after saying same at the 8th Ghana CEO Summit the previous day.
‘8 wasted years’: How Mahama described Ghana’s upstream petroleum sector under Akufo-Addo
