"Middle Income Status in 10 Years is a Mirage'"

A LEADING member of the Central Committee of the Convention People's Party (C.P.P), Dr. Fredrick Akuffo, has stated that it would be impossible for the nation to become a middle-income earner in 10 years time as envisaged by the government.

He explained that, since most of the state-owned companies have been sold and being run by foreigners, they would continue to employ expatriates which is not the panacea of unemployment problem in Ghana.

According to Dr. Akuffo, the economy could be improved if the government maintained old companies and established companies to generate revenue and create jobs.

He said this during the CPP's Independence Day activities, organised by the Greater Accra regional branch of the party.

Dr. Akuffo explained further that, even if Ghanaians had the opportunity to work with those foreign managements they would not have the chance to be retrained to come apar with them. He declared his socialist stance by calling on the government to be the sole controller of the economy.

He urged members of the party to go and rekindle the CPP torch, which was lighted by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

A ranking member of the party, Mr. Bright Essiam, added that the present government fears to the workers' brigade initiative because they fought against it from the beginning. He explained that the government should have taken back Ghanaian industries sold to foreigners with the explanation that Ghanaians need them.

The chairman of the function, Dr. Adolf Lutterodt, noted that it is imperative for the party to pay tribute to Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and the ex-service men whose immense contribution set the pace for development of the nation. He mentioned schools, ports, hospitals, and industries, among other things.

Lutterodt observed that the ruling party is grappling with hard economic problems such as health, education and other social problems.

Turning to international support for the economy, he stressed that government should find an alternative for generating revenue rather than relying too much on foreign assistance.

In his short remarks, a leading member of the central committee of the party, Mr. Johnny Hanson, said that Africa has gone through a lot of political and economic transformation that should serve as a lesson for the leaders on the continent to focus on the visions of the Africa Union (AU), which Nkrumah foresaw in his time.

He cited a situation where America is asking Saddam Hussein to step down and described such action, as act of imperialism that should not be tolerated at this period of world civilization.

He appealed to the party members to mobilize themselves saying, "the struggle must continue to place the party on its rightful position at both local and international level".

Madam Diana Akubam, a member of the party expressed disappointment on how women are sideline in the decision- making of the party. She therefore appealed to the executives to include women in decision-making machinery so as to strengthen the party.