The NPP says Ghana is at a cross-road where it needs a man of conviction and vision to steer it forward.
The governing party is therefore calling on the electorate to vote for President Akufo-Addo in the upcoming election to prevent a retrogression in the country’s development.
“This country is at a cross-roads. The COVID pandemic is still with us. Our first batch of Free SHS graduates are transitioning into university. All across the world, economies are still in transition. Ghana needs a stable and steady hand. It needs a man of conviction and vision. It needs a man of trust and credibility. It needs a man of empathy and compassion,” the party has stated.
Addressing the party’s weekly press conference yesterday, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, NPP Deputy National Campaign Manager, in charge of communications, said in the past three-and-half years, Ghanaians have seen and experienced a palpable advancement in the fortunes of the country, saying this is due to the sterling leadership by President Akufo-Addo.
Dr Hamid said the President’s leadership has moved the country’s annual growth rates of 3.6 per cent to 7.0 per cent; the average 1.6 per cent of annual GDP per capita growth to 4.7 per cent; 1.1 per cent average growth rate of exports to 14.9 per cent; inflation rates of 15.4 per cent in 2016 to meet the central bank’s inflation target range of 6-10 per cent in 2018 and 2019 and annual manufacturing value added growth rates of 2.1 per cent to the average 6.7 per cent.
He noted that the strong economy has created the fiscal space that has allowed for the implementation of Free SHS, ended dumsor, turned Ghana around from a net importer of food to a net exporter of food, with the country presently exporting food items such as cashew, plantain, yam, cassava, maize, banana, pineapple, soya beans, coffee, coconuts, palm oil, shea butter and palm oil to other ECOWAS countries.
He added that President Akufo-Addo’s vision and empathy for Ghanaians has also led to the institution of the drone service for delivering critical medical supplies to remote areas of the country to save lives.
Covid-19 leadership
He further stated that President Akufo-Addo’s leadership of conviction and boldness is also reflected in his handling of the novel coronavirus disease which has made Ghana the reference point for many countries to emulate.
“President Akufo-Addo’s management of the COVID pandemic has been exemplary. Today, we are almost beginning to forget that the pandemic exists. Indeed, in many parts of the world today, the pandemic still rages. When the President started to put in systematic and well-thought out measures to contain the pandemic, and when he said that ‘we shall defeat COVID-19 together’ many took it as political talk.
“But he knew what he was doing. From the partial imposition of a lockdown, to the easing of restrictions, to sending final year students to school, many Ghanaians were nervous and wanted us to copy other countries in the West Africa region who were hesitant to do same,” he stated.
Dr Hamid added: “Today, Nigeria has followed Ghana’s example in letting her final year students write their exams. A leadership of conviction is what it takes to steer a country out of troubled waters. While it is not yet uhuru, Ghanaians can see clearly, that there has been a leadership of purpose and conviction in the management of COVID-19.”
“In further empathy with the Ghanaian people, he gave us reliefs in respect of water and electricity. And because people are compelled to work from home, the President has offered us a reduction in the cost of internet services by reducing the Communication Service Tax from nine per cent to five per cent. There is no better display of compassion than this, which other people are describing as a reckless sharing of what they call ‘freebies.’ If giving out freebies is what it takes to show a leadership of compassion, so be it,” he added.
