The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has outlined plans to reduce the high cost of living, improve standard of living and develop various sectors of the economy when the party is retained in power.
At a press conference addressed by various speakers at its Campaign Communication Office in Dzorwulu, Accra, last Wednesday, the party unveiled plans to improve the agriculture, transport, energy and housing sectors as captured in its manifesto for the 2024 elections.
Speaking on the energy sector, an energy expert and former NPP presidential aspirant, Kojo Poku, said a Dr Mahamudu Bawumia presidency would roll out a 200-megawatt (MW) solar power to provide electricity in areas without electricity connectivity, increase connectivity from 80 to 100 per cent and reduce electricity cost by 50 per cent.
He said the government would expand the Gold-For-Oil (G4O) scheme to help importers of fuel to negotiate “better ore competitive premiums with suppliers”; adding that the introduction of G4O helped to reduce premiums between US$180 and US$ 200 to US$70 per metric tonnes (MT) or less.
He added that Dr Bawumia’s presidency would incentivise solar power users through the metering system to enable households and other producers of solar power to get credits for the excess power they would send to the national grid against which they could use the grid power when not connected to the solar source.
For the transport sector, Madam Lawuratu Musah-Saaka said the next NPP government, if it won the election, would reduce the cost of transportation by facilitating private sector investment in Electric Vehicle (EV) and infrastructure, expand the G4O to continue to stabilise fuel price and the price of spare parts by implementing a “flat rate for all importers”.
She added that the NPP would work with and incentivise private sector platform developers to integrate the digital marketplace for spare parts and provide logistical support for onboarding participants in the marketplace.
Madam Musah-Saaka said the next NPP administration would reform the drivers’ licensing system for the extension of licence renewals from two to five years, with the licence validity pegged at 10 years.