By Ebi Kesiena
The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama has pledged to eliminate free fuel, utility bills, and other benefits for government officials if he becomes president.
Mahama made this announcement during a discussion with the European Union’s Ambassador to Ghana, outlining his plans to reduce government spending should he win the 2024 general election on Tuesday.
He noted that cutting these incentives is essential to prevent the government’s debt from escalating, particularly as austerity measures have been imposed on the populace due to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout.
As part of this cost-cutting initiative, Mahama stated that only vehicles used for official government duties would receive free fuel. He also announced that under his administration, the state would stop covering water and electricity bills, fuel, and DSTV subscriptions for government officials.
Mahama argued that forgoing these benefits is the least government officials can do to help alleviate the country’s financial challenges.
He therefore maintained that the funds saved from these measures would be redirected to support small businesses across the nation and provide tax incentives for small and medium-sized companies registered in Ghana.
Mahama’s Vision for a Cashless Ghana
In addition to his cost-cutting promises, Mahama revealed plans to transition Ghana to a cashless economy.
His proposed administration would focus on promoting mobile money services and other electronic payment systems for transactions in both the private and public sectors, aiming to achieve a cashless state by 2028.
At the 8th Ghana CEO Summit in Accra On Monday, Mahama urged multinational companies to remain in Ghana despite the current unfavorable business climate, attributing the economic challenges to the mismanagement by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
