After laying his proposal bare and calling on government to consider them, John Dramani Mahama has become the hero overnight after his successor seemingly considered one of his proposals and included it in the coronavirus cushion packages for Ghanaians.
The former president, unlike other days, is being heavily praised on social media for his thoughtful proposals concerning the fight against the coronavirus in Ghana.
Mr Mahama earlier in the week charged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to include the provision of free electricity after free water was announced to serve as a relief following the imposition of a lockdown in parts of the country.
Through a statement by the Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, the former president is quoted to have proposed; “…that government must adopt to enhance our mitigation efforts against the socio-economic impact of the pandemic. President Mahama has proposed that Government provides Ghanaians with free electricity, as has been done by the Government of Togo.”
After several controversies and uncertainties about John Mahama’s proposals, President Akufo-Addo in his 6th address announced his government’s plan to absorb 50 per cent of electricity bills of some vulnerable Ghanaians in this period. This would be for a period of three months.
The president said; “government will fully absorb electricity bills for the poorest of the poor, i.e. for all lifeline consumers, that is free electricity for persons who consume zero to 50 kilowatt-hours a month for this period. In addition, for all other consumers, residential and commercial, Government will absorb, again, fifty per cent of your electricity bill for this period, using your March 2020 bill as your benchmark.”
Akufo-Addo explained: “if your electricity bill was GH¢100, you will pay only GH¢50, with government absorbing the remaining GH¢50. This is being done to support industry, enterprises and the service sector in these difficult times, and to provide some relief to households for lost income.”
But unlike the aftermath of previous addresses where the former president becomes the subject of social media trolls, John Mahama is now the unsung hero this time as several Twitter users have pushed #ThankYou JM to top trends.
Some tweets read; “Ghanaians are saying #ThankYouJM because even in the Power Sector his footprints are being felt in these hard times” …
“Mahama is indeed visionary...#ThankYouJM”
… “JM advocated for a subsidy in electricity to households. He was abused but today same people have embraced it. #ThankYouJM…”
Below are more reactions from Twitter:
Former President, John Dramani Mahama