|
| Only hard work will keep us in power – President Kufuor |
1/7/2007 |
|
President J.A. Kufuor has told delegates to the New Patriotic Party’s national conference in Koforidua to work hard to ensure the party retained power in 2008.
He told the delegates that as the party prepared to present itself alongside other parties to seek yet another renewal of its mandate in less than 24 months, it would take the hard work of none other than the party and its followers to convince the electorate to renew the mandate.
“Currently, the ball is not only in our court as the NPP Government, but also in our hands. It is up to us to work hard to keep it. The adage is that, we must hold what we have, we already have the power and we must work to hold it.”
President Kufuor urged the delegates to emerge from the conference as a more united family, and prayed that the nation will see the best of times as it celebrates the Golden Jubilee of independence.
“I pray that the year be peaceful, prosperous and more productive for the entire nation. Indeed this should be the prayer of all Ghanaians.”
The three-day conference is under the theme, “moving forward in unity.”
The President said every objective observer would concede that various polices of the Government had taken the nation very far. “HIPIC resulted in the US$4 billion in debt forgiveness from our bilateral donors thus enabling expansion in the provision of social services for all Ghanaians.
“This year, inflows from our multilateral donors would be over US$317million as a result of the 100 percent debt forgiveness the country enjoyed last year.
“The economy is stabilizing; inflation has come down so low and is verging on single digits. The value of the cedi has remained stable against major currencies so much so that we can launch the redenomination project this year. From 1st July, one cedi at current value will be at par with one United States dollar and something.”
He said credit and other facilities were more readily available from the banks at lower interest rates than ever before, and other facilities like the Venture Capital Fund and the Medium and Small Scale Loans and Credit Schemes were all available to empower enterprising grassroots people.
“My friends, this is really putting money into the pockets of the people. For the First time in decades, the National Reserve has exceeded US$2 billion.”
He said the National Health Insurance Scheme, “which is more humane than the Cash & Carry” was on course, as well as the Capitation Grant, School Feeding Programme and free bussing of school children had led to increased enrollment in all schools in the country.
The President said the completion of several inter-city trunk roads and on going construction of feeder roads, coupled with hospitals and clinics, schools, potable water, electricity supply and communications network were evidence that the government was delivering on its promises.
“The Millennium Challenge Account is about to make the heaviest impact on agriculture and the rural economy in terms of production, value addition and marketing.”
He said the National Youth Employment Programme was already making a difference in the lives of the youth in every district of the country.
“Indeed it can be claimed that it is the renewal and the spirit of the nation, the buoyant and confident spirit of our country today, that is currently driving our national soccer team on the world scene. The Black Star and its masterful exploits in the world is adding to the image of Ghana very positively. Just yesterday, our soccer wonder maestro Essien was voted by the BBC as the Best African Player of the Year 2006. Truly, Ghana of today is the best place for any body especially the youth to be and we should be glad.”
President Kufuor said in pursuit of the party’s policy of good governance, the government had put in place measures to check corruption and also ensure transparency and fairness in the public administration system.
“Together these measures have provided a firm foundation for our economy and positioned the country for accelerated take off which will enable it to achieve its vision of more than $1000 per capita income by the year 2015.”
President Kufuor said since 2001, the Government had worked around the clock to retrieve the economy from stagnation and had now succeeded restoring it to the path of development and stability.
More so, he said, the Government had given a deeper meaning to individual freedom and the centrality of the rule of law in a democracy.
“We should also not forget where we have come from. Governance involves more than material things. For us in this party there is also freedom which is invaluable. We refuse to choose between material development and freedom when we can have both. The records show quite clearly that this party with its Government has offered the nation both; i.e. freedom and material development. We have come this far without compromising the national constitution or trampling upon any one human right and we should be proud of ourselves. This credit belongs entirely to this party whose tradition, belief, vision and method of work guide the Government.”
President Kufuor told the delegates that for all this, the country continued to receive high commendation by the international community and development partners and it was also attracting credible investors into the country.
The nation’s prestige, he said, was also ensuring that a good number of Heads of State and other important dignitaries were honouring the country by gracing the Ghana@50 celebrations.
He said however, that the private sector was yet to fully recover from the economic stagnation of the country’s not too distant past and was as a result too slow to take advantage of opportunities for expansion and to create more jobs.
President Kufuor assured that the Government would this year continue to pursue to measures to empower Ghanaians in all fields, especially the private sector. “We have faith in the capabilities and enterprise of the Ghanaian.”
He said the Government’s opponents were taking undue advantage of the nation’s economic situation, in spite of the Government’s positive rating, and singing “There is no money in our pocket”, disregarding the fact that full economic recovery could not occur overnight.
“They do so in hope to detract the focus and support the people of Ghana should give to the quality service being rendered by your Government for the entire nation. Sadly, and somehow, some of the rank and file of our party have also joined in this chorus. But the truth of the matter is that the Capitation Grant, the School Feeding and Bussing Programme represent serious savings to all parents in the country.
“All who have started to benefit from the National Health Insurance Scheme must admit that we are also making savings. Also the dramatic drop in inflation and the equally dramatic stabilization of the currency all contribute to leaving some balance in people’s pockets. And this is genuine, legitimate and good money, not 419 or “kalabule” money at the expense of the State.”
President Kufuor said in a neighbourhood where socio-economic structures had been shattered, Ghana’s dramatic achievement in turning around her almost collapsed economy within the short space of five years was the toast of the international community.
He urged the party’s members to trust in themselves and not to give comfort to their opponents with their negative propaganda.
He said any party member, who chose not to appreciate the phenomenal transformation of the country but rather allowed the negative propaganda to separate them from the government, would be inflicting unpardonable injury on themselves, the rest of the party, the nation and future generations.
President Kufuor said with the rehabilitation of the economy, there were existing opportunities to be accessed by each party member and every other Ghanaian who so desired to improve their lot.
“The entire membership of Government at both central and local level have been instructed to work with the principle of loving your neighbour as yourself, not more than yourself. Meaning, even as we serve our nation fairly as is humanly possible, we must never forget where our bread is buttered and I believe a word to the wise is enough.
“And here let me assure you that whatever actions this Government has taken, have been done with the best interest of the party in mind. There is too much history of sacrifice, perseverance, commitment and toil within our tradition over the past five decades for this Government to forget and I assure you we know our history. So the last thing all genuine party members want to do is to let self-doubt take control of them.”
“My friends, at the moment this party and your Government have everything going for us, I want to emphasise. Measure for measure, our record of governance, management of the economy, national security, and all is as good as the best if not even better than anything the country has ever had since independence.”
President Kufuor said the party owed it to the nation to continue to provide the quality service of development in freedom and cautioned that none of the about 20 people in the party who aspired to be elected to contest the 2008 presidential election, including ministers of state, would be allowed to jeopardize the chances of the party in the election by neglecting their duties.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
