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We have kept faith and delivered on our promises -
President Kufuor
Sunyani (B/A), Jan. 16, GNA – The Government has kept faith
with Ghanaians and delivered on promises it made to them,
President John Agyekum Kufuor, declared in Sunyani on
Tuesday.
The promises included arresting the decline in the economy;
expansion of the level of infrastructural development;
modernization of agriculture and the building of the
capacity of the nation’s institutions and citizens in order
to mainstream them into globalization.
President Kufuor said true to its word, the Government had
now fixed up the economy and put it on the path of fast
recovery with all the indicators showing positive.
This, he said, has engendered increase investor confidence,
as a result of which, remittances from Ghanaians living
abroad hit an all time high of four billion dollars, last
year.
He was addressing this year’s People’s Assembly dubbed
“Jubilee People’s Assembly” at the filled-to-capacity Christ
the King Catholic Parish Hall in Sunyani.
The First Lady, Theresa; Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama;
Members of the Council of State; high ranking Ministers of
State including, the Finance and Economic Planning Minister,
Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu; the Foreign Minister, Nana Addo
Dankwah Akufo Addo; the Defence Minister, Dr Kwame
Addo-Kufuor; the Education, Science and Sports Minister, Mr
Papa Owusu-Ankomah; Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, the Interior
Minister; Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Minister of Health;
Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister of Women and Children’s
Affairs; Mr Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Information and
National Orientation, and Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of
Fisheries, were among those present.
Some Members of Parliament (MPs), District Chief Executives,
Traditional Rulers and the Clergy were also present.
It was the second time the People’s Assembly, an initiative
of President Kufuor, meant to provide the citizens the
opportunity to have face-to-face interaction with their
elected leader on a question and answer basis, was held
outside the national capital, Accra.
Referring to infrastructure development and social services
delivery, he said a lot had been achieved and that, its
educational policies like the capitation grant, free-bussing
and the school feeding programmes had led to an increase in
enrolment in first cycle schools.
“Increases have also been registered in second and tertiary
level enrolment. The programme of expanding classrooms;
lecture halls; laboratories; libraries as well as staff
quarters is on-going in the educational sector.”
Added to this, he said, has been a bold step to shift the
paradigm of the salaries paid to teachers from very low
levels to what would motivate staff across board.
“This is just the beginning; the Fair Wages Board is
expected to rationalize salaries within the Public Sector to
ensure fairness and the payment of equal salaries for work
of equal value.”
President Kufuor said progress was also being made in the
health sector and pointed out that apart from the
rehabilitation and expansion of hospitals and clinics,
subscription to the National Health Insurance Scheme was
also rising steadily in many districts.
GNA
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