Government determined to fix ailing economy
Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot
Accra, June 11, Ghanadot - The
Vice President of Ghana, H.E John Dramani Mahama has stated
that the National Democratic Congress (NDC)-
led government would do everything possible to fix
the country's ailing economy.
He added that the government has
all the human resource to fix the ailing national economy.
However, in the meantime,
the need to dignose and and prescribe
the appropriate remedies
should be paramount.
The vice-president declared that the ruling NDC would
deliver on its campaign promises and deliver a socially
friendly economy and the nation to
its true socialist credentials.
Addressing jubilant party followers in Accra during a
lecture to mark the 17 years of the NDC, the vice president
appealed to Ghanaians to exercise patience for the
government to put the right macro economy programmes in
place to correct the current huge fiscal deficit inherited
from the previous government before rolling out social
democratic programmes to benefit the citizens.
His comments were in reaction to a call by the New Patriotic
Party 2008 presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo for
government to fix the challenged economy.
Mr. Mahama lamented the extent of debt inherited by the
present government which he said was impeding government's
smooth take off.
According to him, the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) debt had more
than tripled from, 3 trillion cedis in 2001 to 9.4 trillion
cedis in 2009, as a result of misapplication of the TOR
recovery levy collected by the previous government.
He noted the national debt stock as well as road sector
debts inherited by the NDC had increased in several folds
but assured “we will fix it and in four years time,
Ghanaians will have no choice than to retain the NDC in
government.
“We shall leave Ghana a much better form than we came to
meet it.”
Mr. Mahama disclosed that government will announce a huge
policy statement which will spell out the way forward for
the ailing economy.
On the raging fuel politics, the vice-president intimated
that the government could no longer subsidise fuel prices,
because of its rippling effects on the economy.
He said monies that would otherwise have gone into
productive development ventures have had to be diverted into
subsidizing fuel, which he said is not in the interest of
the country.
He cautioned functionaries of government to eschew
arrogance, dishonesty and corruption and see their
appointment as a privilege and not a right.
The lecture was chaired by wife of former president
Rawlings, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings and in attendance
was Mr.Loius Ayala, Secretary General of the Socialist
International and leading members of government, as well as
some bigwigs of the NDC party.
Ghanadot
