“GOV’T FULLY COMMITTED TO WELFARE OF ARMED FORCES” – PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO.
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,
says Government is fully committed to the well-being and welfare of the men and
women of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Speaking at the end-of-year Wassa of the Ghana Armed Forces,
at Burma Camp, on Thursday, 21st March, 2019, President Akufo-Addo stated that
“we will continue to stay true to the pledges we made in the 2016 manifesto
that brought my party, the New Patriotic Party, and I, into office.”
Outlining some of the measures put in place to improve the
welfare and well-being of the Ghana Armed Forces, the President stated that his
Government, upon assumption of office, increased the United Nations
Peacekeeping Troops contribution allowances from $30 to $35 per soldier per
day.
“We cleared the outstanding arrears of $13 million for all
peacekeeping personnel, we are now paying your allowances at the place of
operations, as you wished, we have also settled the 11.1% of arrears due to the
civilian employees, and effected a 10% upward salary review for all personnel,”
he added.
President Akufo-Addo indicated further that the completion
of the 3rd Phase of the 37 Military Hospital is on course, and Government is
also completing the 500-bed Military Hospital in the Ashanti Region, and will
begin the third phase of this project soon.
“’Work is on-going on the barracks regeneration projects,
with the four blocks of 16 flats each between 60 to 75% complete. Nearly a
month ago, in fulfillment of an October 2018 pledge, I presented 50 ANKAI
Buses, 40 Toyota Landcruiser Hardbody Vehicles, and 50 Toyota Hilux Pickups,
which form part of the first tranche of 138 staff and operational vehicles of
various categories, to the Armed Forces,” he added.
He continued, “During the year, we will provide the Army
with 30 Otokar Armored Personnel Carriers (APC), and 6 fast patrol boats for
the Navy. We are also making systematic efforts to protect our offshore
hydrocarbon assets, now of great value, by establishing a Forward Operating
Base at Enzulebu, in the Western Region, for their protection. Construction of
the base will begin this year.”
With respect to the Air Force, The President stated that two
of the M.I 17 helicopters were sent for overhauling and have returned to the
jurisdiction, and funds have been released to extend the flying hours for the
third helicopter.
“Similarly, when we took office, all three of the CASA C295
transport aircrafts had broken down. We have fixed one of them, and the
remaining two have been sent out of the country for overhauling. One is due
back in the country next month, and the other in October,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo reassured that Government will not
relent in its efforts at transforming the Ghana Armed Forces into a formidable
force, and will continue to help enhance the capacity and capabilities of the
Armed Forces towards the development of our nation.
WE WILL MAINTAIN FISCAL DISCIPLINE, POST IMF PROGRAMME” – PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,
says his Government will continue to maintain fiscal discipline in the
aftermath of the exit of the IMF programme.
After having obtained successful ratings from the
International monetary Fund about the country’s economic performance, and given
a clean bill of health, President Akufo-Addo noted that there is a lesson that
must be drawn from the 16th IMF programme, entered into by the erstwhile Mahama
administration.
“It is about a fundamental and basic matter all of us as
Ghanaians have to bear in mind, and that is discipline in the management of our
public finances. It’s not easy to say that you have to live within your means
but if you want to be able to do big things, you don’t spend money that you
don’t have, that is always the road to chaos,” he said.
The President continued, “We have to learn that discipline
in the management of our public finances has now to be the basic element for
the building of our economy, and that’s the lesson that the latest bailout
program from the IMF should impress upon all of us.”
President Akufo-Addo made this known on Monday, 25th March,
2019, when he interacted with members of the Ghanaian community resident in
Valletta, Malta, as part of his official visit to that country.
Since assuming office in January 2017, President Akufo-Addo
noted that his Government has now finally been able to bring the fiscal deficit
under control, which hovered around 7.3% at the end of 2016, to under 3.9%.
“It is my intention that we keep it there. We keep it there
because it is the signal to investors, it is the signal to those who look at
the fundamentals of your economy, that the basic elements of that economy are
in a good state,” he added.
The efforts of his government at managing the economy, the
President said, has meant that “we are attracting companies like Volkswagen and
Nissan, Synotruck, Renault, Suzuki. All of these are taking a big interest in
Ghana. The tech giant, Google, is taking steps to start establishing an
artificial intelligence centre in Ghana. All of this is because they consent
that there’s a discipline and systemic management in our national economy and
its public finances.”
Fiscal discipline, according to President Akufo-Addo, has to
be Ghana’s credo going forward, adding that “if we are able to project that
discipline, the benefits to us are going to be very rapid and very dramatic,
and that transformation of our national economic structure, which all of us are
waiting for, will be very soon around the corner.”
With Ghana projected to be one of the fastest growing
economies in Africa this year, President Akufo-Addo stated that “we have to
stay that way and stay focused on the programme, and on the way that we have
taken things. I am trying to project the reality which is there’s a lot of hope
for our country.”
To the “professional Jeremiahs” whose only interest is to
rundown the nation, the President stated that “I am not daunted. I don’t really
pay too much attention to what they say. I know what I am doing, and I believe
what I am doing has the support of our people.”
Leave Your Comment