President Nana Akufo-Addo has said, Ghanaians will reward the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) with another resounding victory in the 2020 elections following the achievements of the party within the past three years in government.
According to the President, the NPP government had achieved a significant milestone in the midst of difficulties and deserved another term in office.
Opening the maiden Results Fair in Accra yesterday, he said, with their achievements in three years, they need more years to do more.
“Having achieved this significant milestone even in the midst of the difficulties that we met, I am hopeful that the Ghanaian people would reward my party with another resounding victory in 2020,” he stated.
“We would not be complacent and we would work hard for victory regardless of the fact that one good term deserves another. We need four more years to do more especially four more for Nana Addo,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo said, government was committed to transforming the country’s economy for the better and would do more if voted into power in 2020.
Highlighting government’s achievements over the three years, he said, “as you know, the micro economic situation that government inherited in the beginning of 2017 was a dire one. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 3.6 per cent at the end of 2016, was the lowest in over two decades. The 2016 fiscal deficit was 9.3 per cent and inflation stood at 15.4 per cent. Our external reserve position at the end of 2016 was weak despite having become an oil exporting country,” he stated.
He added that, the banking sector was down as well as the agriculture and industrial activities with unemployment especially of the youth widespread against the background of low incomes and high pricing.
“These among several others were the distressing state of the economy that awaited us in 2017. The challenges were enough nonetheless we were convinced that the programmes we were about to undertake would revive the economy, improve the wellbeing of citizens and help put Ghana onto the path of progress and prosperity,” he stressed.
Indeed he said, many doubted the policies but government implemented the flagship programmes and began to see the impact throughout the country in a bid to move Ghana beyond aid.
“We were determined to use our resources to build a robust economy that would propel us develop as a country. We are on course to solve our nation’s dependency on imported rice and by 2022; our country would be self sufficient in the production of rice. We also had two bumper years of produce and last year we did not import unlike the previous years, a single grain of rice,” he stated.
The One District One Factory policy he said, has taken off and 181 factories were being constructed and at different stages of construction across the country.
“Currently 58 factories under the scheme are functioning and another 26 are under construction with another 26 pipeline projects set for implementation. The Free Senior High School policy has been successfully implemented with over one million students benefitting from the programme,” the President added.
He commended the Minister for Monitoring and Evaluation, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, for putting together the first-of-its-kind Results Fair adding that, it should be the first of many such fairs to be held in Ghana.
The three-day fair under the theme, “Delivering Results for Our Citizens: A Work in Progress,” was aimed at providing the various ministries the platform to exhibit and highlight their achievements over the three-year period in office.
“This fair is yet another example of the commitment government attaches to expanding the space for inclusivity and accountability. Not only would the result of the fair serve as a medium for open engagement and interaction between ministries and the Ghanaian people but would also provide an avenue for the receipt of first hand information and feedback from beneficiaries about the success or otherwise of our programmes including the achievements of government since we assumed office three years ago,” the President stated.
Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Monitoring and Evaluation, Kwabena Agyei Boakyi said the fair would have discussions on the economy, education, infrastructure as well as transacting business on the Ghana card.
“This would strengthen accountability as Ministries and we hope to sustain the Results Fair for the benefit of the Ghanaian public,” he stated.
Ministry of Finance, Ministry for Railway Development, Ministry of Education, the Ghana Revenue Authority, Ministry for Inner City and Zongo Development and Ministry of Youth and Sports were in attendance to interact with the public on their achievements.
BY MICHAEL D. ABAYATEYE
