NDC TO FULFIL PROMISE — MAHAMA (PAGE 16)

The government of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has so far achieved 28 per cent out of the total 40 per cent target of appointments for women as promised in the party’s manifesto for the 2008 general election, Mr John Mahama, the Vice-President, has disclosed.
He, therefore, gave the assurance that in subsequent official appointments, the government would focus on women to meet the maximum set target of 40 per cent that the NDC promised.
“I want to encourage women to offer themselves up for such appointments when the time comes because they are known to be less corrupt than men and hardworking too when given the opportunity,” Mr Mahama said.
The Vice-President made the disclosure when he addressed a durbar of the chiefs and people of the Ahafo area in the Asutifi District in honour of Alhaji Collins Dauda, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, at Acherensua in the Brong Ahafo Region.
The ceremony, which was in recognition of Alhaji Dauda’s “Selfless and unalloyed commitment to the development of the district over the years,” was also attended by members of the Council of State, ministers of state, district chief executives, the clergy and religious groups, assembly members, supporters and students.
Mr Mahama described as propaganda, assertions by some opposition members that the NDC had failed to honour the promises made during the electioneering for the 2008 general election.
He declared, “Just within five months some people have started the propaganda that the NDC has not been able to fulfil its promises to the people that when voted into power, it will make Ghana a better place to live in. But I can assure you that in four years Ghana will be a better place than we came to meet it”.
“We have assessed the economy to be in a bad shape and we are trying to bring it back on track through pragmatic policies. We are fixing the economy and in four years I can assure you that it will be buoyant and appealing to you to vote us back again,” Mr Mahama assured.
The Vice-President pointed out that in assessing the general economic situation, the government had realised that debts owed contractors total several billions of cedis, while the accumulated Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and Volta River Authority (VRA) debts are also in trillions of cedis.
He said it was in this connection that the government had decided to reduce its expenditure, including a 30 per cent cut in fuel consumption, which he noted was a source of high government expenditure, in order to increase revenue and reserve to clear those debts.
Again, Mr Mahama indicated that it was to cut down cost drastically that the President is travelling — less, since several travels also amounted to increase in government expenditure.
The Vice-President further intimated that the government was arranging with local banks to refinance TOR while contacts were also being made with international financing institutions to assist the government’s budget.
Mr Mahama noted with satisfaction the falling rate of inflation and the stabilisation of the cedi, saying “We are indeed fixing the economy which has been in a bad state.”
The Vice-President announced a number of projects and programmes for the agricultural sector, including a forest plantation, block farming, agro-processing and accelerated infrastructure development, and explained that all those programmes would be carried out in a non-discriminatory manner.
He pointed out that the previous NDC government had been a development-oriented system and so was the current administration, adding, “We have a track record which we are vigorously going to follow, especially in the interest of the youth”.
Touching on the invitations by officials of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to operatives of the previous administration, the Vice-President stressed that the government had no ulterior motive to punish any officer but explained that the BNI was doing its legitimate job.
He pointed out that if any officer of the previous administration had not engaged in wrongdoing, there was no cause to be afraid but “If any office holder is found to have misconducted himself, President Mills will not hesitate to swiftly take the necessary action in accordance with the law.”
He gave the assurance that the government would continue to respect human rights and protect and maintain those rights, saying, “We shall not disappoint you as we promised and now that the elections are over let everybody put his or her hands to the wheel and in four years’ time we shall all see a better Ghana, which we promised”.
The Vice-President described Alhaji Dauda as a hardworking, vociferous and eloquent person in Parliament, especially on matters relating to land.
He said it was in that vein that President Mills had no difficulty in appointing him as a minister for that sector, even when there was a parliamentary election dispute pending before the court.
“I have absolutely no doubt that he will live up to expectation but he will need your prayers and support,” he said.
Alhaji Dauda, who is the Member of Parliament for Asutifi South, expressed his heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the chiefs and people in the Ahafo area for the honour done him and promised to serve his people without any political vindictiveness and acrimony.
“Let us all come together as one people to develop our area now that the political dust has settled. Let us stop the blame game and move ahead as one people with a common destiny,” he advised.
Agyewodin Prof. Adu Gyamfi Ampem, the Paramount Chief of Acherensua Traditional Area, on behalf of the chiefs and people, appealed to the government to establish an agricultural industry to process some of the food crops cultivated in the area.
He explained that agriculture employed about 82 per cent of the labour force, who are engaged in the cultivation of cocoa, plantain, cassava, cocoayam, citrus, pepper and a host of other crops but said market for most of the food crops was non-existent, resulting in gluts and rots, especially during the harvesting period.
Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, drew the attention of Nananom to the 50th anniversary celebration of the creation of the region and urged them to offer suggestions that would contribute towards the effective development of the area.
He noted that by the end of the celebration this year, many investors would have expressed their willingness to open jobs in the region for the youth to be gainfully employed.