General News of 2013-02-22

Don't despair in confronting challenges – Mahama tells Ghanaians

President John Dramani Mahama yesterday asked Ghanaians not to despair, in spite of the challenges, since the government would take measures to address the situation and make life more bearable for them.

Delivering his maiden State of the Nation address to the sixth Parliament of the Fourth Republic, President Mahama said, "We may be confronted with many challenges as a nation but our collective resolve is far greater than those challenges.”

"Our momentary difficulties must only serve in strengthening this collective resolve towards a future of limitless possibilities. Despair is not an option and we shall not make excuses," he said to cheers of “Yea yea” from the Majority in Parliament.

"As a developing middle-income country, there is still a lot more to be done to further reduce poverty, expand infrastructure and provide more social services for our people. These challenges are enormous, but they are surmountable," he said.

The address, which focused on four thematic areas — putting the people first, a strong and resilient economy, expanding infrastructure and transparent and accountable governance — was titled, "Advancing the Better Ghana — Opportunities for Growth".

The Minority in Parliament boycotted the address, leaving the Chamber as soon as it was signalled that the President was entering the House.

President Mahama said he knew that he was leading a nation of great people who were desirous of establishing a fair and just society of opportunities for all and gave an assurance that he would dedicate his efforts to achieving that.

"The future is here; the future is ours; the youth, women and men, and especially the children of our Motherland, Ghana, expect noticeable improvement in their lives. I know we will not fail our country and I know the Good Lord will not fail us either,” he said.

President Mahama said he was fully conscious of the expectations of the people and pledged to work with a sense of urgency and remain sincere and truthful at all times.

"As I stated on January 7 when I took the oath of office, I will work hard to place Ghana on the right path and I will lead us over the hurdles and obstacles that may threaten to keep us from meeting our goals," he said.

President Mahama expressed gratitude to all Ghanaians for the trust and confidence reposed in him.

He said he entered public service "out of a genuine desire to help make a difference in the lives of our people”.

"My vision for this country is to create a conducive national environment in which our children grow happily into responsible adults, where workers are proud to work and defend our national values, where improved maternal health reduces the hazards of childbearing, where teachers use their influence to positively mould the next generation; a Ghana in which we all create and share in the benefits," he said.

The President said Ghana had witnessed impressive socio-economic development in the last two decades, saying there had been improvement in roads and social infrastructure across the length and breadth of the country, while health and educational facilities had been expanded.

He said Ghana had witnessed many positive changes in many respects, for which all must be proud, but indicated that real challenges remained even as the country made those advances.

The President gave an assurance that the government would pursue rapid economic development with a sense of urgency in order to create new jobs, particularly for the youth.

He said the thrust of the government's social policy and human development programme revolved around education, health care, social security and protection for the vulnerable – women, children, the aged and people with disabilities.

He said the government would focus on and emphasise the productive and reproductive capabilities of those social groupings, while ensuring at the same time that the most vulnerable in society were effectively protected.

The President said job creation and gainful employment would be at the core of his priorities and expressed his determination to create opportunities for all.

In that regard, he said he had directed the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations to work with the Ghana Statistical Service to produce quarterly labour surveys to inform policy and planning.

The surveys would create an accurate database of unemployment among all categories of Ghanaian society, track the situation on a quarterly basis and ensure that new jobs were accurately recorded and tracked, while making it possible to coordinate the various job-creation and employment initiatives, he said.

On Ghana's democracy, the President said the country was a different place now from what it was when the nation began the journey towards democratic governance.

He said the country had come a long way since 1993 when the first President of the Fourth Republic, Jerry John Rawlings, delivered the first State of the Nation Address under the 4th Republican Constitution.

President Mahama said the recent presidential and parliamentary elections had been adjudged by both domestic and international observers as by far the freest, fairest, most credible and most transparent since 1992.