We have kept faith and delivered on our promises - Kufuor

Sunyani (B/A), Jan. 16, GNA - The Government has kept faith with Ghanaians and delivered on promises it made to them, President John Agyekum Kufuor, declared in Sunyani on Tuesday.

The promises included arresting the decline in the economy; expansion of the level of infrastructural development; modernization of agriculture and the building of the capacity of the nation's institutions and citizens in order to mainstream them into globalization.

President Kufuor said true to its word, the Government had now fixed up the economy and put it on the path of fast recovery with all the indicators showing positive.

This, he said, has engendered increase investor confidence, as a result of which, remittances from Ghanaians living abroad hit an all time high of four billion dollars, last year.

He was addressing this year's People's Assembly dubbed "Jubilee People's Assembly" at the filled-to-capacity Christ the King Catholic Parish Hall in Sunyani.

The First Lady, Theresa; Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama; Members of the Council of State; high ranking Ministers of State including, the Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu; the Foreign Minister, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo; the Defence Minister, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor; the Education, Science and Sports Minister, Mr Papa Owusu-Ankomah; Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, the Interior Minister; Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Minister of Health; Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister of Women and Children's Affairs; Mr Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Information and National Orientation, and Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Fisheries, were among those present. Some Members of Parliament (MPs), District Chief Executives, Traditional Rulers and the Clergy were also present.

It was the second time the People's Assembly, an initiative of President Kufuor, meant to provide the citizens the opportunity to have face-to-face interaction with their elected leader on a question and answer basis, was held outside the national capital, Accra. Referring to infrastructure development and social services delivery, he said a lot had been achieved and that, its educational policies like the capitation grant, free-bussing and the school feeding programmes had led to an increase in enrolment in first cycle schools. "Increases have also been registered in second and tertiary level enrolment. The programme of expanding classrooms; lecture halls; laboratories; libraries as well as staff quarters is on-going in the educational sector."

Added to this, he said, has been a bold step to shift the paradigm of the salaries paid to teachers from very low levels to what would motivate staff across board.

"This is just the beginning; the Fair Wages Board is expected to rationalize salaries within the Public Sector to ensure fairness and the payment of equal salaries for work of equal value."

President Kufuor said progress was also being made in the health sector and pointed out that apart from the rehabilitation and expansion of hospitals and clinics, subscription to the National Health Insurance Scheme was also rising steadily in many districts.

Sunyani (B/A), Jan. 16, GNA - The Government has kept faith with Ghanaians and delivered on promises it made to them, President John Agyekum Kufuor, declared in Sunyani on Tuesday.

The promises included arresting the decline in the economy; expansion of the level of infrastructural development; modernization of agriculture and the building of the capacity of the nation's institutions and citizens in order to mainstream them into globalization.

President Kufuor said true to its word, the Government had now fixed up the economy and put it on the path of fast recovery with all the indicators showing positive.

This, he said, has engendered increase investor confidence, as a result of which, remittances from Ghanaians living abroad hit an all time high of four billion dollars, last year.

He was addressing this year's People's Assembly dubbed "Jubilee People's Assembly" at the filled-to-capacity Christ the King Catholic Parish Hall in Sunyani.

The First Lady, Theresa; Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama; Members of the Council of State; high ranking Ministers of State including, the Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu; the Foreign Minister, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo; the Defence Minister, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor; the Education, Science and Sports Minister, Mr Papa Owusu-Ankomah; Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, the Interior Minister; Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Minister of Health; Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister of Women and Children's Affairs; Mr Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Information and National Orientation, and Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Fisheries, were among those present. Some Members of Parliament (MPs), District Chief Executives, Traditional Rulers and the Clergy were also present.

It was the second time the People's Assembly, an initiative of President Kufuor, meant to provide the citizens the opportunity to have face-to-face interaction with their elected leader on a question and answer basis, was held outside the national capital, Accra. Referring to infrastructure development and social services delivery, he said a lot had been achieved and that, its educational policies like the capitation grant, free-bussing and the school feeding programmes had led to an increase in enrolment in first cycle schools. "Increases have also been registered in second and tertiary level enrolment. The programme of expanding classrooms; lecture halls; laboratories; libraries as well as staff quarters is on-going in the educational sector."

Added to this, he said, has been a bold step to shift the paradigm of the salaries paid to teachers from very low levels to what would motivate staff across board.

"This is just the beginning; the Fair Wages Board is expected to rationalize salaries within the Public Sector to ensure fairness and the payment of equal salaries for work of equal value."

President Kufuor said progress was also being made in the health sector and pointed out that apart from the rehabilitation and expansion of hospitals and clinics, subscription to the National Health Insurance Scheme was also rising steadily in many districts.