My policies will help Ghana achieve UN SDGs – Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has reiterated the commitment of his government towards the industrial transformation of the Ghana’s economy.

He said the government in particular would diversify agriculture to ensure increase in agricultural productivity and also create of a strong social services sector in Ghana.

These, he said, represents Ghana’s path towards the realisation of the 2030 United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda.

Nana Akufo-Addo said this last Friday when he called on Mr Peter Thomson, President of the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly, at the UN building in New York, USA.

Ghana’s economy has largely been dependent on the production and export of raw materials for many years, which Nana Akufo-Addo observed, has resulted in the economy not being unable to create the necessary numbers of high-paying jobs that will enhance the living standards of the people.

He explained that the addition of significant value to Ghana’s primary products, through initiatives, in collaboration with the private sector, such as the 1-District-1-Factory, is a priority for his government.

The government, he said, has introduced a raft of policy measures aimed at creating an enabling environment for the private sector to flourish.

These measures, he added, will shift the focus of Ghana’s economy from taxation to production, and, hopefully, make Ghanaian businesses very competitive in West Africa, Africa and beyond.

On agriculture, Nana Akufo-Addo said initiatives such Planting for Food and Jobs, and the 1-Village-1-Dam project in the three Northern regions, will be the answers to the twin-problem of the migration of youth to city centres in search of non-existent jobs.

It will also end the disgraceful spectacle of Ghana importing food stuffs from neighbouring countries, he said.

President Akufo-Addo observed countries that have done well, even without natural resources, are those that have invested in education and skills training, which will empower and provide opportunities to the youth to drive development through the creation of jobs.

On health, President Akufo-Addo said his government is finding money to pay off the GHC1.2billion National Health Insurance Scheme debt he inherited from the previous administration. That, he said, would help revive the NHIS and take away the fear of getting sick from Ghanaians.

The implementation of these policies, President Akufo-Addo noted, will put Ghana on the firm path towards progress and prosperity, as well as meeting the 15 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

As co-chair of the UN SDGs Advocates Group of Eminent Personalities, President Akufo-Addo stressed that he, together with all other members of the Advocates Group, will mobilise political support for the realisation of the goals, and promote global development that leaves no one behind.

President Akufo-Addo commended Mr Thomson for his leadership of the Assembly in ensuring a seamless and smooth transition at the United Nations when António Guterres replaced Ban Ki Moon as the new UN Secretary General.

Vision of “Ghana Beyond Aid” laudable On his part

Mr. Thompson, congratulated President Akufo-Addo for his decisive victory in the December 2016 elections, and the concrete measures he is putting in place to ensure the realisation of the vision of a “Ghana Beyond Aid” This vision, he added, is a laudable one, which must be emulated by leaders of developing countries in Africa and across the world.

Mr. Thompson also congratulated President Akufo-Addo on his appointment by UN Secretary General, António Gutteres, as co-Chair of the SDGs Advocates Group, and was confident that hewould be successful in mobilising political support for the implementation of the 15 goals, pledging the support of the UN to this end.