We are not just building infrastructure; we are building a transformational nation - Bawumia

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has said that the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Addo is focused on not only building infrastructure across the country, but it is also building an all-inclusive modern economy and a transformational nation.

Speaking at a sod-cutting ceremony at Burma Camp, Accra for the rehabilitation of inner roads in garrisons across the country, the Vice President said it is easy for any government to build infrastructure, but it requires a visionary president and government to build a transformational and all-inclusive nation, which encapsulates every aspect of the economy for the benefit of all.

The Vice President stressed that despite incontrovertible data proving the unmatched first-term record in infrastructure development, especially in the road sector, of the Akufo-Addo government in the 4th Republic, the government is also focused on transforming the nation and has made significant strides in the areas of industrialisation, education, health, agriculture, digitization among other.

"Even though the data show that there is no first-term government in the history of the 4th Republic that has built more infrastructure than the government of Nana Akufo-Addo, we know and we have always known that building infrastructure is not enough. We need to build a nation and the record that we have established between 2017 and 2019 is very, very clear," said Dr. Bawumia.

"Apart from roads, the government is busily implementing major pieces of infrastructure across the country in the education sector, health sector, water and sanitation, aviation, ports and harbours and so on."

"It is normally said that every government builds infrastructure; that is quite true. But it is not every government that has the vision and the ability to implement ground-breaking policies that will transform and modernise the nation."

"We are not just building roads and infrastructure, ladies and gentlemen, we are building a country. We are building an inclusive modern economy while at the same time reducing the suffering of our people."

The Vice President enumerated a number of government initiatives in different sectors such as education, industrialisation, agriculture, etc. to buttress his point of the Akufo-Addo government's broad transformational policies.

"We have restored macroeconomic stability; we have put this country on the road to self-sufficiency in agriculture, and we are industrialising this country. So you see the planting for food and jobs, one district one factory; so many factories have been built."

"Ashantigold has been revived, Ghana Post has been revived, Ghana Publishing Company has been revived, the textile industry is seeing a major boost and we are producing personal preventive equipment for our health service and other countries are now requesting to import from Ghana."

"We have seen the local production of sanitizers, one village one dam has been implemented, the Pawlugu Dam, almost a $1 billion dollar investment which will increase our irrigable land by fivefold."

The Vice President added that all these have been implemented by the Akufo-Addo government to ensure the creation of a resilient and self-reliant economy.

Education

In the area of education, the Vice President mentioned the opportunity provided every child through the free senior high school education regardless of the financial circumstances of their parents, the restoration of teacher and nursing trainee allowance, absorbing of fees for postgraduate medical training as some of the major interventions by the government.

Digitisation

Dr. Bawumia also stated that the government has focused on a digitisation drive to formalise the economy, reduce burdens on citizens and also help reduce corruption.

"Digitisation reduces the who you know type of society. So once we digitise, we automate and we reduce human intervention, we will reduce corruption," the Vice President said.

"And this is why we are issuing the national ID card and it will be a major accomplishment before the end of this year when that process is complete."

"We did the digital addresses, today if you're applying for a passport, you don't need to know anybody at the passport office, you do it online at the driver's licence application, we have digitised the motor insurance database. Today you can renew your national health insurance membership from your phone. You don't have to go there to bribe anybody."

The rehabilitation of inner roads of all garrisons across the country is a fulfillment of a promise by President Akufo-Addo following a request by the Armed Forces during a staff durbar.