Akufo-Addo: Ghana’s development agenda deeply rooted despite COVID-19 effects

The President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is hopeful Ghana will build back much more strongly as the country seeks to overcome the shocks left in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I acknowledge that life is still not as easy as it should be,” he observed, saying, the pandemic had temporarily derailed the nation’s progress.

“However, for one thing for which I have accepted is that, there are solid reasons to hope for a brighter tomorrow,” he assured.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, who was addressing the Ash-Town Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) Church, in Kumasi, on the occasion of the Church’s 100 years anniversary, said transforming the lives of the people positively was the main preoccupation of his Administration.

“I came to office with the goal of improving the living standards of the Ghanaian people.

“The policies and programmes being implemented by my government have taken roots. They are growing, and they are bearing fruits,” the President noted.

Some key initiatives taken under the Nana Akufo-Addo-led Administration in line with its promises to enhancing socio-economic growth, encompass the ‘Free Senior High School (SHS)’ policy, ‘One District, One Factory (1D1F)’ project, National Digital Property Addressing System, and focus of economic policy from taxation to production.

Additionally, the government prides itself of guiding Ghana to officially exit the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, restart of the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, introduction of a pension scheme for cocoa farmers, restoration of the nursing trainee allowance, and road infrastructure projects

Touching on the relevance of the ‘Free SHS’ policy, the President said it had brought enormous benefits to parents, especially those who could not afford to pay their wards’ school fees.

According to him, the government’s vision remained constant, that is, to build a ‘Ghana beyond aid’.

“That is, Ghana, that has discarded the mentality of dependence on aid, charity, and hand-outs.

“We can. We should be able to build a Ghana which looks to the use of our own resources and their proper management as the way to engineer socio-economic growth in our country,” President Nana Akufo-Addo stated.

He rallied the SDA Church to be supportive of the government’s development agenda to bring prosperity to the people.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, in a message delivered on his behalf, tasked Christians to uphold religious virtues and also spread the Gospel with resilience to salvage the society from evil deeds.

They should demonstrate patriotism and also be law-abiding for the nation’s sustainable development, the king advised.

Pastor Dr. Kwanin Boakye, President of the Northern Ghana Union Conference of the SDA Church, said the Church had over the years been worthy partners of the state in development.

This was visible in the numerous health and educational projects initiated by the leadership to enhance the welfare of the people, he said.