My opponents have no message – Akufo Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured Ghanaians that he would fulfill all the campaign promises he made prior to the 2016 elections before the end of his first four-year term.

He said that by the end of his first term in office (in 2020), his political opponents would have no campaign message going into the elections, as he would have fulfilled the promises he made to the Ghanaian people.

According to President Akufo-Addo, the same people who have accused his administration of doing nothing over the last 16 months are the same persons who, prior to the 2016 elections, stated that Free SHS was not possible.

“One-by-one we are keeping our promises. Free SHS is now a reality. In September this year, the Free SHS policy will cover new entrants, in addition to those who will then be in SHS 2. By September 2019, it will cover all students in senior high schools across the country. Teacher and nursing trainees are also receiving their allowances. We have also retired a large chunk of the NHIS debt left by my predecessor, and the NHIS is working,” he articulated.

The president continued, “To those who say they are still not seeing anything, they should wait and watch me. By the end of the four years, they will have nothing to say. They will acknowledge that we came to work for the development of Ghana.”

President Akufo-Addo gave the assurance on Saturday when he visited the Asutifi South, Asutifi North, Asunafo North and South Constituencies during his Brong-Ahafo Regional tour.

As part of his tour, he cut the sod for the construction of an administrative block for the Asunafo South District Assembly and inspected the newly constructed bridge at Asumura in the Asunafo North Constituency.

He has commissioned a district administrative complex at Tuobodom in the Techiman North District.

President Akufo-Addo also cut the sod for the construction of a district hospital at Nkoranza North as part of his first day visit to the region.

He also commissioned a divisional police headquarters for the people of Techiman.

“When we promise they say we cannot do it. I was chastised; they say I am a liar, I cannot do it. But I want to tell you all that we will fulfil all promises I made to you to shame my opponents who said we could not do it. The debt they left at the National Health Insurance Authority, we have been able to pay more than 90 percent. We thank God our finances are improving. By the end of the four years they will see what we have done,” he emphasised.

He asked the people to take advantage of the ‘Planting for food and jobs’ programme as 15 percent of resources going into the programme have been channelled to the Brong-Ahafo Region.

The president disclosed that 5,000 farmers are going to be engaged for the programme this year, as against last year’s 2,000.

He asked the people to embrace agriculture which is profitable.

President Nana Akufo-Addo earlier told the people that his tour of the region was first of all to thank them for voting him and the New Patriotic Party into government.

He said he wanted to see what his appointees were doing in the region and the district.

Accounting for his stewardship, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Techiman North, Peter Mensah, said he had extended electricity to some communities, provided mechanized boreholes and regraded 30 percent of feeder roads in the district.

On the ‘Planting for food and jobs’ programme, he said 3,016 farmers had been registered in the district.

Touching on the ‘One District, One factory’ policy, the DCE said that three factories had been approved.

These, he claimed, include pepper and tomato factory, fruits factory and another.

Mr Peter Mensah complained of glut of tomatoes on the market in the area but instead of the traders buying the produce from Tuobodom, they travel to Burkina Faso to purchase them.

He appealed to the government to raise import duties on tomatoes to discourage traders from going outside the country to buy them.

The Chief of Busunya, Okufrobour Nyarko II, appealed to the government to improve the road network, market and post a medical doctor to the area.

“I believe you will endorse the creation of Bono East Region for us,” he suggested.