A Group of Assembly Members have welcomed the promise by Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama to pay stipends to Assembly Members if he is elected President in the December elections.
In a meeting with the flagbearer of the NDC in the Bono East Region, the Concerned Assembly Members Association said their group was formed to canvass support for the victory of Mr. Mahama following his promise to pay them allowances if he wins the General Elections. They therefore assured the former president of their resolve to campaign vigorously to ensure that he wins the elections.
In an address to welcome the former president at the meeting, the Bono East Regional Coordinator of the association, Mr. Atindogo noted that the former president and his party have a proven record of meeting the demands of members of the local government hence they are confident that he will fulfil his promise to them should he win the elections.
“We have seen it and we are very sure and certain because he has done it before. If you remember, it was in the tenure of the late president Mills when he was the vice president that they introduced the motorbikes to the assembly members and that has been a very good precedent and for that matter we receive and welcome this particular promise,” he stated
“Before this dream of ours shall come to pass, he must be the president of Ghana and we want to assure him that we will not also sit. We will do our best, we will work hard, we will not sleep, we will move from house to house throughout our electoral areas and we will not leave any stone unturned to make sure that victory is yours come December 7,” the regional coordinator assured.
Mr. Atindogo stated that assembly members in the country have been advocating for remuneration, as a result, the NDC’s promise came as a boost to their campaign of getting rewarded for their immense contribution to the development of the country over the years.
The NDC’s flagbearer made the promise to pay assembly members, should he be given the mandate to rule the country in the December polls, during a meeting with the Ghana Association of Assembly Members.
While some assembly members have welcomed his promise, others doubt the ability of the former president to fulfil the promise.
The Greater Accra Association of Assembly Members at a press conference a month ago expressed doubt about the former president’s promise arguing that he had promised to pay assembly members prior to the 2016 elections but failed to fulfil his pledge to them when he won the 2012 elections thus their apprehension of his latest pledge.
