Volta NPP Chair, Makafui Woanyah touts Akufo-Addo government’s achievements

The Volta Region New Patriotic Party Chairman, Makafui Woanyah, has debunked claims that the Akufo-Addo-led-government has failed to deliver on its campaign promises.

According to him, the government has delivered on almost all promises contained in the party’s manifesto “aimed at helping the Ghanaian to have an improved livelihood and become self sufficient”.

He said these when speaking at a meeting with party communicators and serial callers in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region.

Mr Woanyah who touted achievements of the NPP government said “President Akufo-Addo is delivering on the numerous promises he made to Ghanaians during the 2016 electioneering. Do not be deceived by anybody that the government has failed to deliver, we are delivering and will continue to work for the good of the Ghanaian citizen”.

He added that a significant achievement of the current government is exiting the International Monitory Fund programme entered into by the erstwhile Mahama government in 2015.

“We have exhibited discipline in the management of the country’s finances and met all the conditions, hence exiting the deal. The development will give government the opportunity to create more jobs and employ more hands”, Mr Woanyah said.

He detailed the reduction of the budget deficit from 9.3% to about 6%, increase of GDP from 167 billion to 206 billion, increase of growth rate from 3.6 to 8, reduction of budget deficit from 9.3% to 6%, reduction of inflation rate from the inherited 15.4% to 9.6% as some indicators of a good management of the country’s economy, while several taxes have been abolished.

“The government also aims to broaden the tax net so it is implementing the tax stamp policy to generate more income to finance development of the country”, he added.

He touched on the implementation of the free Senior High policy, restoration of the teachers and nursing trainee allowances, infrastructure development in selected senior high schools as some achievements of the government in the education sector.

“Due to the implementation of the free SHS, parents can save money and increase capital of their businesses, the underprivileged child can have access to second cycle education and in schools previously reserved for children of elites in society”, he added.

He further indicated that the governing NPP is also undertaking major road infrastructure development across the country to facilitate commerce to enhance socioeconomic growth, while monies owed contractors by the previous administration had been cleared.

Mr Woanyah mentioned construction of the Pokuase interchange, PTC interchange in Takoradi, Tema Motorway roundabout, Tamale interchange, 99 ultramodern bridges across the country, upgrading of road networks in Kumasi, Eastern and Western regions and the expansion of the country’s road infrastructure under the Sinohydro Bauxite agreement, revamping of the Tema-Accra railway as some of the projects ongoing in the road sector.

In the health sector, he touched on the settlement of the GhC1.2 billion National Health Insurance arreas, introduction of mobile renewal of NHIS cards, construction of an 80 bed hospital in Buipe and 5 district hospitals in the Western Region, procurement of 243 ambulances, completion of 10 poly clinics in the Central Region and the launch of the ‘fly-to-save-life’ program where medical drones will be used to deliver bloods to health facilities.

“The introduction of the interoperability in the banking and mobile payment system, paperless port system, implementation of National Digital Property Addressing system, digitisation of Register General’s Department and the operationalisation of the Accra Digital Centre are al credited to the Akufo-Addo, Dr Bawumia administration.”

He added the Akufo-Addo administration has also made some strides in the energy sector where “electricity tariffs had been reduced, 455 mw of power has been added to the national grid, 289 communities were connected to the national electricity grid, some 17,000 cylinders and other accessories were distributed under the Rural LPG Promotion Program and 52,191 solar lanterns were given to rural folks who reside in off-grid communities.”

Mr Woanyah detailed that the Akufo-Addo-led-government has so far created 1,960,404 jobs across the country and given approval for the employment of 24,033 health workers.

“9,572 teachers had been employed for the double track system and 100,000 unemployed graduates have been recruited under the Nation Builders Corps. So we [NPP] can’t be doing all these and you would say we have done nothing over the last 2 years. We are delivering effectively on the mandate given to us by Ghanaians”, he emphasized.

He detailed the 10 year Cashew Development Plan aimed at diversifying the country’s agricultural sector, construction of 570 small dams and dugouts in three regions up north and the construction of 50 1,000 metric tones warehouses across the country as some of the major projects ongoing in the agricultural sector.

He added that farmers are seeing an improved yield under the Akufo-Addo administration due to numerous policies and programs being implemented, adding 80,000 bags of cereals and legumes seeds, 36,000 vegetable seeds sachets, 2 million bags of fertilisers have been distributed to farmers under the Planting for Food and Jobs Program.

“2,700 agricultural extension officers have been recruited, 34,000 farmers electronically registered under the program and have been linked to institutional buyers so their farm produce would be purchased right after harvest.”

Mr Woanyah enumerated the construction of 320 3 and 2 bedroom apartments, 2,000 capacity hostel for Kayayei, a 1,000 housing estate at Oyokokrom and the earmarked construction of 10,000 housing units for police, which is part of the China Ghana bauxite barter trade, as some projects being undertaken aimed at reducing the country’s housing deficit.

He added government has deployed over 300 vehicles to the military and Ghana police Services, deployed 35 vehicles and special purpose motorbikes to the immigration service “to enhance their work delivery.”

He outlined that a 320 housing project is underway for the Ghana police Service, a 2,000 capacity prison camp at Ejura is being constructed, while 3,527 persons have been recruited into the security services, with 4,000 more to be recruited into the police service.

Mr Woanya explained President’s Akufo-Addo’s administration committed to deepening decentralization and governance delivered on a campaign promise thus creating additional 6 new regions, allocated vehicles to the new Regional Coordinating Councils and provided a new fleet of vehicles to all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

He said government in a bid to provide an environment for the teeming Ghanaian youth to unearth and nurture their sporting and other abilities, commenced construction of Youth Resource Centres in 10 regions in the country.

He listed the fight against galamsey, establishment of the office of the special prosecutor, issuing of the National Identification cards and the construction of the national cathedral as significant achievements of the NPP adding “the things the government is doing are numerous, if I want to list all, we won’t leave here today.”

“The NPP is a property owing democrat party, which aimed at enriching the lives of Ghanaians. So we are committed to providing opportunities to enable the citizens improve their livelihoods”, Mr Wonyah said.

He further stated that “I am very optimistic no political party can match up with what the NPP has done so far. These are the things you should be saying to enlighten the Ghanaian on achievements of President Akufo-Addo’s government”, he told the party’s communication wing in the Ketu North Municipality.

In fulfillment of his campaign promise to equip the party’s communication wing across the Volta Region, Mr Woanyah presented 16 mobile phones to serial callers and two tablets to the constituency secretary and communications director.