Africa Centre for Entrepreneurship and Youth Empowerment urges political parties to commit to transparency

The Africa Centre for Entrepreneurship and Youth Empowerment (ACEYE) is calling on Ghana’s two main political parties, the NDC and NPP, to commit to transparency in their manifestos ahead of the upcoming elections.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Friday (22 November), ACEYE’s CEO, Emmanuel Acquah, criticised the manifestos as lacking clarity and practicality. A survey conducted by ACEYE revealed that the unclear promises in these manifestos have left many voters undecided.

In assessing the NDC’s manifesto, the survey highlighted critical gaps in infrastructure policies, scoring 47.1% in significance and 50.5% in efficiency. Acquaye stated, “Challenges in deploying resources effectively may lead to delays or suboptimal results.”

Health and education policies fared worse, with a value score of 45.7% and inclusiveness at 28.6%. “These policies may not adequately address the diverse needs of the population, particularly marginalised groups,” he explained. Sustainability scored 64.4%, but financial and logistical limitations raised concerns.

ACEYE proposed reforms, including simplified manifestos, “We are asking the political parties to come up with abridged versions of their manifestos, written in plain language for easy comprehension by all citizens, regardless of their educational background.”

To improve accountability, ACEYE recommended the establishment of feedback mechanisms to allow citizens to assess and influence policies based on their outcomes

He added that participatory democracy requires room for citizen engagement and contributions to policy-making, urging the parties to define measurable objectives.

Emmanuel also stressed equitable resource distribution, saying, “The regional disparities are wide, but the manifestos don’t look at that. Prioritise equitable distribution of resources to reduce regional and social inequalities.”

“The manifestos should define measurable objectives for each policy with specific indicators for success,” Acquaye stated, adding the need for robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks with periodic reviews.

With elections approaching, ACEYE believes these recommendations will enhance manifesto credibility: “Instead of just short-term political gains, we also need to focus on long-term impacts with strategies for continuity across administrations.”

He concluded by emphasising the need for practical policies. “Ensure policies are practical, realistic, and supported by reasonable budgets and timelines. That is the only way manifestos can inspire trust and confidence among Ghanaians,” he said.

Reporting by Gloria Saah, Asaase Newsroom, Accra

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