NPP, NDC Begin ‘Throwbacks’ Campaigns

…On Billboards Ahead Of 2024 Election

The 2024 general election is about 11months away, but it appears activists of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) cannot wait for what is ahead.

The two parties, as usual, are at it each other’s throat, already publishing old comments and statements of President Akufo-Addo, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and former President John Mahama to outdo each other.

The initiative, first of its kind, was started by an alleged sympathizer of the opposition party, with account name, “Receipt Guy” on X, formerly Twitter.

He had published a number of posts by Dr. Mahamdu Bawumia from 2015 and 2016, which put heat on the then Mahama administration, which the publisher believes is coming back to haunt the now NPP flagbearer.

The “Receipt Guy” published the first post on a giant billboard around Danquah Circle, in Accra, sometime in November, this year, but it was clandestinely removed by some unknown persons.

The post by Dr. Bawumia, dated December 5, 2016, said “The vice president cannot respond to the 170 claims because the economy is in a total decline and the statistics don’t lie.”

The comment, found in the archives of Dr. Bawumia’s X account, was directed at his predecessor, Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, who is now deceased.

Receipt Guy later followed up with another billboard at Kwame Nkrumah Circle, drawing the attention of social media users.

The post criticized the piling up of taxes on businesses and Ghanaians by the then John Mahama government and suggested how an Akufo-Addo government will do things differently.

The post on the billboard reads, “NDC has resorted to increasing taxes under the economic difficulties they created. An NPP Government will do differently,” posted by Dr. Bawumia on December 2, 2015.

Another one, purportedly from President Akufo-Addo, tweeted on October 9, 2016, said, “There are a few people who have prospered under this government. Largely members of the President’s family and his inner circle.”

Receipt Guy did not end there, but went on to post a few others one from Dr. Bawumia, dated back to June 23, 2016 that said “The question this morning is- how do we deal with this unemployment issue?”

Then another one December 5, 2016 said “#GhanaDeservesBetter not reckless borrowing & reckless spending of the borrowed money.”

Rebuttal

This appears to have ruffled the feathers in the governing party, who have quickly countered the billboards contest in equal measure.

Last Thursday, many on X users woke up to several billboards said to be coming from pro-NPP supporters flooding them on vantage points on the national capital and sharing them on the internet, igniting serious discussion.

One of them sourced from Ghanaweb reads, “I am not a magician to put money in your pocket-Mahama.”

A story that was culled from an interview Mr. Mahama granted the state broadcaster GTV at the time.

Another one sourced from Starrfm on September 29, 2014 said, “Ghanaians complain too much-Mahama.”

“No chalk in public schools,” posted on peacefmonline on October 4, 2023 read.

“Mahama is gov’t official One in Airbus scandal-Special Prosecutor Amidu,” posted on November 3, among others.

Meanwhile, some stalwarts of both NPP and NDC have reacted to the billboards contests from the camp of their opponents.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ningo Prampram constituency, Sam Nartey George, who is very loud on X, expressed surprise at the counter campaign and asked if it was appropriate for government to use taxpayer’s money to finance such an adventure?

“@kaessuman, wow! You spend our taxpayer’s money to do billboards from blogs and websites of cronies on response to the failures and promises your Bosses made? This is not only pathetic but desperate. Y’all have lost the plot! Good graces!

The MP’s comment was a direct response to a presidential staffer and lawyer Kow Essuman who was one of the people who first shared some of the anti-Mahama headlines from online portals.

Mr. Essuman had tweeted “Ebi like @receiptsguy, you get competition oh, Knock, knock! @FelixKwakyeOfo1, please tell your boss that he has to give Receipts Guy more money oh.”

Felix Kwakye Ofosu, a former Deputy Minister of Communications, replied Mr.Essuman saying “Without public funds, can you do anything? You divert public funds to print Daily Guide level lies then you steal advertising space to mount them….Mtcheew. Don’t waste anyone’s time here.”

Mr.Essuman was also accused by a former Presidential Staffer and confidant of Mr. Mahama, Stan Dogbe, who tweeted and accused him of government being behind the counter billboards.

Stan tweeted “You now send people to ‘steal’ ad space and mount billboards, removing ads mounted for clients by the board owners, @kaessuman. Shame on you, Mr. Lawyer.”

But the lawyer will not allow the accusation to slide on unanswered. According to him, he had no idea who the poster of anti-Mahama billboards is contrary to what was being claimed.

“Shame on me? Funny! Like I said, I woke up to these photos, which I found funny and quite amusing. I still do. Lol. But Mr. Man, these are not from Government so please stop tickling yourself to think we (Government) sent people. Big bro, you know very well that when I execute projects, I get it right,” he countered with this tweet.

He had earlier shared one of the post, saying “Whoever thought of the billboard response idea was very strategic paaaa. Because this one is a real #ThrowbackThursday. #SameMahamaampa. @ahmustle if he DM you ah, make I know cos we get more receipts pass their stooge.”

Both parties are promising more throwback billboards next year, when the campaign will be in full gear.

Source: Anchorghana.com