Mahama Spent More Money To Win The Presidency Than Obama Did In His Re-election

Following the 2012 Presidential and Parliamentary elections, numerous political debates were held on the controversial aspect of the elections, particularly when the opposition New Patriotic Party leaders refused to accept the electoral results. The aftermath of the December polls last year saw the NPP leaders; Nana Akufo Addo, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Jake Obetsebi Lamptey petition the Supreme Court to overturn the declaration by the Electoral Commission. The petitioners filed their case insisting that the legitimacy of President John Dramani Mahama should be revoked but the nine Judges ruled in favour of the President. Just when the chapter on the elections seemed to have been closed, the Former Member of Parliament for Asokwa constituency, Maxwell Kofi Jumah has jabbed the ruling government, accusing the NDC of running an expensive campaign. To him, during last year’s elections, the government spent enormous amount of money than the expenses which were made by President Barak Obama when he stood for a second term in office. This government, he noted, has been misappropriating the financial coffers of the State, hence running the nation into losses. “The reality is that this last election will go down in history as one of the most expensive elections in the history of Ghana. Indeed, this government spent more money to get elected than Obama in the United States,” he said on OmanFM. He explained that the Mahama government is the most 'extravagant' government but has got nothing significant to show for it in terms of developmental projects. He dared government to show to Ghanaians any project they have completed to boost the progress of the economy. “The government came to inherit the projects her predecessors have done but has not initiated any new policies,” he said. He revealed that though government has been indulging in profligate expenditure, the salaries of public sector workers in the country are just too measly. “The total amount of money the government has been paying in terms of salaries is less than 10% of GDP. So, the 90% is the money which is supposed to be used for development…no development is going to happen in this country. All that can be done is book keeping,” he said.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com