NPP Manifesto: False and misleading claims on digitalization and financial sector

In its 2024 manifesto, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) highlighted its achievements in digitalization across many sectors over the past 8 years.

Fact-Check Ghana has verified these achievement claims on health, Finance and aviation sectors and the findings are presented below.

Claim 1: “Implemented an E-Pharmacy platform with all pharmacies in Ghana onboarded, the first in Africa and one of a few in the world.”

Verdict: Completely False

Explanation: Kenya was one of the earliest adopters of the e-pharmacy model with the launch of MyDawa in 2017. This platform allows consumers to purchase medicine and healthcare products online, ensuring quality control and convenient access, particularly for underserved communities. Two years later, Kenya’s MYDAWA, according to reports became the first online pharmacy in Africa to earn the LegitScript certification, a globally recognized mark that verifies internet-operated pharmacies as safe, credible, and trustworthy. This certification positions MYDAWA among the top 4% of online pharmacies worldwide, assuring compliance with international laws and regulations. At the time, Ghana had not yet implemented its e-pharmacy system, which only launched later in 2022. The LegitScript certification is a critical validation for online healthcare providers, ensuring their operations are legally sound and trustworthy.

South Africa has also seen the emergence of online pharmacies, particularly driven by private sector initiatives as formulated by the government in 2019 in a comprehensive plan called the “National Digital Health Strategy for South Africa 2019 – 2024,” making healthcare products more accessible to the public digitally.

Nigeria followed closely in 2021 with platforms like HealthPlus, which integrated a digital platform into its existing retail operations. This development marked the beginning of Nigeria’s journey into online pharmacy services.

The Ghana National Electronic Pharmacy Platform (NEPP) initiative was launched in July 2022, aiming to enhance patient access to quality pharmaceutical services across the country. Even though it is functioning, Fact-Check Ghana found no evidence that all pharmacies in the country are on the platform as pharmacies in some parts of the country do not know about its existence.

From the above, it is clear that Ghana is not the first to implement a national e-pharmacy platform as countries such as Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa are forebears in digital health access. Practically, Fact-Check Ghana did not also find any evidence to indicate that all pharmacies in Ghana are on its E-pharmacy platform.

Claim 2: “introduced Mobile Money Interoperability (MMI)…”

Verdict: False

Explanation: The claim that the NPP introduced Mobile Money Interoperability (MMI) popped up in multiple conversations mainly led by the party’s flagbearer Dr Bawumia. Fact-Check Ghana in its earlier report indicated that it is not entirely accurate that the NPP introduced the MMI. This is because the initiative to establish MMI actually began prior to 2017, during the tenure of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.

A contract was awarded to Sibton Switch Systems Limited (SSSL) to implement the system. However, after the NPP assumed power in 2017, the Bank of Ghana (BoG) under new management terminated the SSSL contract, citing impropriety.

Following the termination, the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GHIPSS) took over the project, leading to the eventual launch and execution of the current MMI service under the NPP administration.

Therefore, the claim that the NPP government introduced MMI, which the manifesto said resulted in 100% financial inclusion, is false. While the NPP government later launched the project after it assumed office in 2018, the groundwork for MMI and other key functions of the project was initiated under the previous NDC administration.

Claim 3: Introduction of Mobile Money Interoperability (MMI) “has led to Ghana achieving 100% financial inclusion”

Verdict: Inconsistent

Explanation: The NPP’s manifesto claimed that the introduction of Mobile Money Interoperability (MMI) under its administration has resulted in 100% financial inclusion in Ghana. This contradicts the mid-year budget statement presented by the Finance Minister, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, on July 23, 2024—less than a month before the manifesto was launched.

According to the budget statement presented on the floor of parliament, the introduction of MMI has led to Ghana achieving 95% financial inclusion, not 100%.

Additionally, the Ghana Demand Side Survey, commissioned by the Ministry of Finance (MoF), says it offers a credible benchmark for financial inclusion, guiding targeted strategies with empirical evidence.

The latest report, released in December 2022, indicated that 95% of the adult population (15 years and older) had access to financial services and products, largely driven by mobile money.

This data highlights an inconsistency between the government’s sources, as the exact percentage of financial inclusion remains at 95%, not the 100% claimed in the manifesto.