The Vice President and presidential candidate of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has relaid what his plans for the Ga State if elected president.
He says the national capital has many challenges as a result of hosting many people from other parts of the country, which his government has devised measures to address if elected in December 2024.
As part of his campaign activities, Dr. Bawumia on Thursday November 28, 2024, paid a courtesy on the Ga Mantse and the Ga Traditional Council at the Ga Mantse’s Palace in Accra.
Outlining his vision and policies which he will implement as President to the Council, Dr. Bawumia said, the Ga State, by virtue of hosting the capital of Ghana, is disadvantaged in many ways, and he proposed solutions to these problems.
He highlighted the inaccessibility of land in the capital by indigenes due to the high demand for it in the capital, adding that jobs for the youth in the area is also another challenge his administration will cater for.
The Vice President, giving out his solutions to these challenges did not leave out the need to teach the Ga language in schools to protect it.
“The Ga State hosts the capital of Ghana. Because of that the rest of Ghana is here which has implications for the Ga State, which we have to take account of in our policy,” Dr. Bawumia said.
“Because of that, demand for land here is much higher than anywhere in the country. This means that indigenes do not have access to affordable land. That is a major issue we have to deal with. Secondly, educational opportunities. Jobs is another issue for the youth. Because everybody is here, the schools have limited places for the people and limited jobs too.
“The language is another problem. Most of us who are here can survive without speaking Ga. So that leads to a decline in the language. We have to make sure that Ga is taught in our schools to protect the language. Otherwise it is going to be very costly.”
On the issues of land, which Dr. Bawumia said the Ga state has with with government, he assured that as President, he will seek collaboration with the Ga Mantse to address the challenges.
Responding to Dr. Bawumia’s remarks, the Ga Mantse agreed with the Vice President, and thanked him for thinking about their problems and proposing solutions.
“As the occupant of the Ga Paramount stool, the custodian of Ga culture and tradition, I want to say, and just like you rightly said, that hosting the capital has not been easy so we thank you that you have thought about solutions,” said the Ga Mantse.
“I always say that Accra has serious problems and needs serious people to solve these problems.
“We are in line and in link with your solutions. Let’s get them by. Come December 7, if Ghanaians give you the nod, we want a social contract with the Ga people. We want that,” he added.
The Ga Mantse also urged Dr. Bawumia to consider appointing Ga indigenes into his government, so that they help preserve the Ga culture.
“We also want you to place in prime position Ga and Dangme indigenes within your government so that they can effectively serve their purpose and promote our Ga culture and who we are.
“We believe that our ethnicity is dying, our language is almost erased like you said. Solutions to enforce these by-laws that Ga and Dangme is taught in this locality is on you. You have promised it and if you get the mandate we want to see,” the king stated.
On the 2024 election, the Ga Mantse said it is the responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure peace, and thus appealed to all to ensure a peaceful process before, during and after the elections for Ghana to be the winner.
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