Akufo-Addo government will continue to invest in people – Minister

Akufo Addo government will continue to invest in people – Minister Business Development Minister, Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, has touted government’s achievements in empowering the youth and young entrepreneurs.

The Minister listed a number of policies and initiatives undertaken by the government in its first year in office as evidence of the commitment to improving the lives of people.

“In our first year in office, within three months, we were able to assemble the most competent team to manage this economy. Just two days ago, we were able to launch the Free SHS programme. There's nothing more important in this world than investing in people, particularly young people.”

Ibrahim Awal revealed that in the next ten years, close to 1.5 million people would have benefitted from the government's flagship programme.

He explained that “With the Free SHS programme, 130,000 people who never had admission to SHS because of financial difficulties will now have access to education” quizzing, “what’s more important than investing in people?”

The Free SHS policy was launched in Accra on Tuesday, 12 September by the President with a call on Ghanaians to support the policy and to contribute ideas to make it sustainable.

Delivering an address at the launch of the programme, the President said, among other things, that his government is open to accept inputs from all quarters to make the programme long lasting and successful.

Under the policy, government would foot all bills including feeding fees, tuition fees and all other charges.

Over 420,000 eligible students would enjoy the program when it kicks off. The Director General made the statement in Ho at the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary School last week.

Ibrahim Awal while speaking at the Forty under Forty awards ceremony where young business men and achievers under the age of 40 were celebrated emphasized that, “as a government, we are making choices, and we decided that we will invest in young people, make them highly competitive and make them assets to this economy”.