People’s Redemption Movement (PRM), a mass organisation which is dedicated to the struggle for a just, equitable, democratic, peaceful and resourceful society was launched in Accra on 21st August 2023. Prior to the launch, the movement which prefers to be known by its acronym PEREMO had obtained a provisional licence from the Electoral Commission to start organising as a political party in the country.
During the press launch, Rev. David Ampofo, the Interim Director of Elections of PEREMO indicated that a trifold leaflet crafted in the name of the party contains a summary of its policy statement.
He further stated that Ghana is now ailing economically and the disorder is caused by corruption and profligacy in government expenditure. PEREMO will therefore in accordance with its policies pursue sweeping Constitutional reforms to sanitise and inject discipline into Ghana’s governance system to ensure that the principles of rule of law and checks and balances are strictly adhered to.
During an interview after the press launch with Daily Democrat, Rev David Ampofo asserted that a PEREMO government shall implement effective policies to put Ghana on the path to recovery. The abridged form of the said PEREMO policy statement is as follows:
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
1. JUSTICE DELIVERY: To ensure expeditious, transparent and effective justice delivery the Office of the Attorney General, Auditor General and Inspector General of Police shall be independent of the government.
2. EXECUTIVE:
(a) A person shall not qualify to contest as President unless he has a minimum of first degree or an equivalent professional qualification.
(b) A person shall not qualify to contest as a President if he has attained 70 years of age or above unless he is already in office when he attains the said age.
(c) With the exception of his own Ministers the President shall have no power to make any appointment.
(d) There shall be a seal to Ministerial appointments. For the avoidance of doubt the number of Ministers and their deputies together shall not exceed 34:
The recognised Ministries shall be (1) Agriculture (2) Education and Sports (3) Foreign Affairs (4) Finance (5) Justice (6) Defence (7) Trade & Tourism (8) Lands & Natural Resources (9) Works & Housing (10) Transport (11) Environment Science & Technology (12) Energy (13) Health (14) Interior (15) Information (16) Rural Development (17) Presidential Affairs.
3. INTERNATIONAL TRAVELS: There shall be a seal on Presidential and Ministerial travels to avoid waste. All Ministers and state officials including Directors and Chief Executives shall travel by economy class. None of such officials shall be entitled to the use of state vehicles.
4. OFFICES AND BENEFITS TO BE SCRAPPED: (a) Office of the Special Prosecutor (b) Council of State (c) Metropolitan Municipal & District Chief Executives (d) Chief of Staff (e) Ex Gratia payments
5. NATIONAL HOUSE OF CHIEFS: The National House of Chiefs shall perform the functions of the Council of State in addition to their current mandate. The functions of the Judicial Committees of the various Houses of Chiefs shall be suspended.
Chiefs shall have the right to play politics in Ghana.
6. LEGISLATURE: (a) There shall be a seal to the number of members of the Legislature which shall not exceed 200. Minimum educational qualification shall be a Diploma Certificate. (b) A Member of Parliament shall not qualify to be a Minister in the Executive arm of government. (c) A person can be a member of Parliament for 2 terms only.
7. ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER: Ghana’s Electoral Commissioner shall be a Court of Appeal judge elected by members of the Judiciary.
8. DISTRICT AND OTHER ASSEMBLIES: Members shall be elected on partisan basis during national elections.
9. CORRUPTION: Having discovered that official corruption has been the bane of our development, we shall ensure that state officials found guilty on charges of corruption would be given harsh punishments, including death.
10.TRADE: (a) There shall be a ban on import of all food items. (b) Retail business shall be reserved for Ghanaians only (c) instead of imports we shall make foreign companies establish wholesale and manufacturing lines in Ghana to reduce reliance on foreign currency.
11. INDUSTRIALISATION: Ghana’s factories and state enterprises established in the 1st Republic shall be revived. As much as possible the state shall build a very strong manufacturing base.
12. ROAD NETWORK: Roads, Highways and Railroads shall be given a major priority in national development.
13. AGRICULTURE: PEREMO shall launch an agricultural revolution to back the industrial drive of the country and to ensure that exports shall always exceedimports. Indeed agric and agribusiness must be able to employ more than 60% of the Ghanaian youth. State of the art mechanised farms shall be introduced in every district of the country.
14. EDUCATION: (a) 4-year secondary education where first year would be a preparatory ground for choosing courses in the subsequent year. Government shall grant free education to only the poor and needy students (b) There shall be no special grades for any course at the University provided the candidate obtains the minimum qualification (c) University fees shall be subsidized by government selfguaranteed loans.
15. SPORTS: To enhance dedication professional sportsmen shall be on government payroll.
16. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: (a) State development plan shall be formulated and endorsed by Parliament as a national policy to be followed by all successive governments (b) Our flagship programme “AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION” shall be backed by a world class Agricultural Science university to be built in Sekondi Takoradi.
17. UNEMPLOYMENT STIPEND: All unemployed persons shall be paid a monthly stipend not below GHC 600 for a period not exceeding 3 years within which the state shall ensure their engagement in meaningful employment based on their acquired skills.
18. HEALTH: A PEREMO government shall restore and replenish all the existing health facilities to acceptable standards. Doctors and other health workers shall have a pay rise to 300% of what is being received currently. Ghana shall train a large number of health professionals and export them at a reasonable benefit to the state.
19. ENERGY: All existing petroleum related contracts with foreign entities shall be reviewed to reflect Ghana’s interest and to bring down prices of petroleum products.
20. TRANSPORT: There shall be national carriers for both sea and air such as the Black Star Line and the Ghana Airways Corporation.
21. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: There shall be Regional Development Corporations to enhance each region’s pace of development.
22. SPECIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME: There shall be a special development programme for the Western Region and other marginalised areas of the country.
23. EQUITY: Ministerial and other state appointments and entry into the security services ie Army, Police etc. shall be based on regional quota.
Rev. David Ampofo concluded by saying that should the above-stated measures be meticulously and efficiently implemented, in its expanded form there is no doubt that Ghana shall be counted among the first world nations in less than ten years.
