The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said it is geared up for the upcoming general elections with the launch of its manifesto unlike the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The deputy general secretary of the party, Koku Anyidoho said the NDC is fully aware of how crucial this year’s election is and therefore not leaving any stone unturned in order to get Ghanaians to give it another term in office.

Speaking to journalists after picking nomination forms for President John Mahama to contest the 2016 elections, Anyidoho said the 2016 election is about the future of Ghanaians and also about the security and peace of the Ghanaian which can only be assured under a John Mahama administration.

“We want to signal to Ghanaians and the whole world that we are taking this election seriously and we are not being complacent at all,” Anyidoho stated.

He added: “The NDC is formidable, we are on the ground and we have a wonderful and solid flagbearer who is fully in charge. We are not like those whose flagbearer is not in town and nobody knows why, their manifesto not ready, there’s still an acting chairman and acting general secretary, we are not like that and we want to signal to the whole world that we are very ready for the elections. We are confident in our flagbearer, we have a solid candidate who is leading the charge for the battle ahead. But wait till you see us submitting our forms to the EC and see what will happen.”

Mr Anyidoho who picked the forms on behalf of the president Wednesday, September 14 said the NDC is also being mindful of the advice of the electoral commission that political parties pick their forms early to help them go about their work more speedily and effectively.

The Commission opened nominations for aspirants on Tuesday. Each presidential aspirant, for now, is expected to pay GH¢50,000 while parliamentary aspirants would pay GH¢10,000. Mr Anyidoho told journalists that the decision by the EC to charge those amounts as filing fees are administrative and in line with their mandate, without recourse to political parties.

He said the picking of the forms further attest to the fact that the NDC is united and ready for the task ahead.

Mr Anyidoho said president Mahama is fit for the task ahead and it was evident when the president stood for almost two and half hours in presenting the highlights of the party’s manifesto.

“He’s fit. Look at what happened yesterday [Tuesday]. Let other opposition leaders do same. Look at what happened. More importantly and beautifully just look at how his wife stood by him, the Veep when he finished delivering his speech and the umbrellas opened, everybody is happy. The media couldn’t hide their excitement and you could tell this is an organized party,” he noted.