May we not become like the Akufo-Addo led government—Ato Forson prays

Leader of the NDC caucus in Parliament, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson has prayed the incoming government not to become like the one Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo led.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament on December 16, Ato Forson said “To our cherished NDC political party and in-coming government, may we never become like the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government”.

To him, the current government must take deep lessons from the current government and be different.

“We have to be different. We cannot be like this NPP government. May we be guided by the principles of integrity, probity, and accountability,” he said.

Ato Forson indicated that it is imperative that the government focuses on people-centered policies and programmes to better the lives of the Ghanaian people.

“The time has come for us to do right by the people of Ghana at all times and to champion people-centred policies that genuinely benefit the voter, not the political class and their cronies.”

Read His Statement Below

REMARKS BY THE MAJORITY LEADER, HON. CASSIEL ATO FORSON, (Ph.D) AT THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE SEVENTH MEETING OF THE FOURTH SESSION OF THE EIGHTH PARLIAMENT OF THE FOURTH REPUBLIC, DELIVERED IN PARLIAMENT
MONDAY, 16TH DECEMBER, 2024

1. Rt. Hon. Speaker, I am grateful for the opportunity to make a statement to welcome your good self, Leadership and all Honourable Members of Parliament back to this august House.
2. I would like to congratulate all Members who were re-elected in the just-ended parliamentary elections.
3. To our colleagues who, unfortunatley, will not be part of the next Parliament, I wish them well in their future endeavours.
4. Mr Speaker, I would like to profoundly thank the people of Ghana for their empahtic decision in the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections.
5. At this point though, “it is finished”.
6. I would like to thank the people of Ghana for electing His Excellency John Dramani Mahama as the next president of the republic of Ghana.
7. The people of Ghana have once again shown that they can rise to the occasion when it matters the most.
8. May I at this point acknowledge the hardwork of our present 137 NDC Members of Parliament for their dedication to duty which has resulted in this unprecedented number of Members of Parliament-elect for the NDC.
9. Mr Speaker, I am proud to announce that we snatched over 50 parliamentary seats from our colleagues on the other side of the divide.
10. We took more than 50 seats from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
11. Mr Speaker, we have clearly shown that it is possible to reduce the NPP Majority to “nkokor nkiti nkiti”.
12. Indeed, “nkokor nkiti nkiti” is possible!
13. Rt. Hon. Speaker, the Nineth (9th) Parliament would be unique and interesting. It would be a contest of ideas between a super NDC Majority and an NPP mini-micro Minority.
14. Mr Speaker, what happened at the polls on December 7 was a revolution, the people’s revolution!
15. It was a revolt against a government that is obstinate, insensitive, high-handed and dismissive of public opinion.
16. It was a revolt against a government that called people with dissenting views names such as detractors, cynics, naysayers, Sanbalat and Tobias.
17. Ghanaians have clearly shown that they cannot be taken for granted and that when it matters the most, they will either reward those in government or punish them for their sins.
18. Mr Speaker, it is obvious that the NPP has been punished for its poor governance, economic mismismanagement, obstinacy, greed, state capture, corruption, arrogance of power, impunity, disrespect, lawlessness and persecution of its political opponents.
19. Mr Speaker, the lesson in what has happened to the NPP and the outgoing government is that the political class cannot take the people of Ghana for granted.
20. This calls for introspection on the part of the political class.
21. It also calls for deep soul-searching on the part of all those in leadership whose voices ought to be heard when government engages in acts of impunity, lawlessness and destruction.
22. To our cherished NDC political party and in-coming government, may we never become like the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government.
23. We have to be different. We cannot be like this NPP government. May we be guided by the principles of integrity, probity and accountability.
24. The time has come for us to do right by the people of Ghana at all times and to champion people-centred policies that genuinely benefit the voter, not the political class and their cronies.
25. Mr Speaker, I thank you.