NDC to introduce pension salary for pensioners - Mahama

The next Government of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will introduce the 13th-month pension salary for pensioners in every December, Mr John Dramani Mahama, the Presidential Candidate has stated.

Addressing party supporters and sympathizers at a mini-rally in Damango, the Savannah Regional Capital, Mr Mahama said his next administration would introduce a new pension reform, under which every December, pensioners would be receiving double salaries for that month.

He noted that the introduction of the 13th-month salary would alleviate the plights of pensioners.

He said under the new pension reform to be introduced by his next Government any contributor who had lost his job would apply for part of his contributions to be paid to him until he gets a new job.

He intimated that the new pension reform would allow contributors with a minimum of 15 years contributions to use their contributions as collateral to apply for loans from banks for building a three-bedroom bungalow in their hometowns so that on their retirement, they would not suffer.

He noted that his next administration would implement a Free Primary HealthCare for all Ghanaians; “this, would complement the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), and that one would only require a Ghana Card to be able to access the Free Primary Healthcare without a fee.

He said the Free Primary HealthCare programme was a new initiative coming to supplement the NHIS.

"Because only 40 per cent of our people have access to the NHIS, and so the Free Primary Healthcare will cover the remaining 60 per cent. If you are part of the 60 per cent, the system we are bringing will cover you.

“From district hospital downward, if you go with your Ghana Card, if you are sick, you will be treated free of charge. You don't have to pay."

With regards to the free Senior High School (SHS) education, Mr Mahama said the free SHS was a good policy, which the NDC would maintain and improve upon it.

He assured Ghanaians that his administration would abolish the double-track system within one year of his assumption of office.

"Free SHS has come to stay. Nobody can cancel it. NDC will make it better. Because of the poor implementation that is what ended us in double track," he said.

"And your child will come and stay at home for three months and so you will have to get a teacher for your child to go and do extra classes. And the whole idea was that we will stop parents from paying any money for secondary education.

“But if you will have to take out money and pay for extra classes, then what is the purpose? Did we go or did we come?

He said the next NDC Government will compete all the 200 Community Day secondary schools it started during its first term, to enable more students to be enrolled into the free SHS.

Mr Mahama, who said the NDC was the Party that brings monumental development to the country, urged Ghanaians to vote massively for it to come back to continue its good works.

He also appealed to NDC supporters and sympathizers to desist from skirt and blouse voting.

He explained that when Ghanaians give him the mandate, he would need the Members of Parliament from his Party to make policies and to execute his development agenda for the country.

During the first day of the NDC Presidential Candidate's tour, he addressed rallies at Adaboya in the Daboya-Mankarigu Constituency; Busunu, Damango and Larabanga all in the Damango Constituency.

Mr Mahama paid a courtesy call on the Overlord of the Gonja Traditional Area, Yagbonwura, Tuntumba Boresa Sulemana Jakpa, at his Palace in Damango in the Savannah Region, to seek his blessings for victory in the December 7 polls.

Other chiefs he made similar courtesy calls on to seek their blessings include Wasepewura Mumuni Anyame, Chief of Daboya and Busunuwura Amadu Monasa Jonokpowu II, Chief of Busunu.

The NDC Presidential Candidate is being accompanied on the two-day campaign tour of the Savannah Region by leading figures of the Party such as Professor Joshua Alabi, the National Campaign Coordinator; Chief Osofo Azorka, NDC National Vice Chairman; Alhaji Imoro Seidu, the Savannah Regional Chairman of the NDC; Mr Julius Debrah, a former Chief of Staff at the Presidency; the Party's Members of Parliament and former Ministers of State.