President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
Five Regional Ministers have commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for what they say is his sterling leadership skills in steering the affairs of the country.
According to the Ministers, the Akufo-Addo government has made unprecedented strides in the area of education, infrastructure, jobs and agriculture, which have helped to revive the country’s hitherto ailing economy.
The five Regional Ministers from the Western, Central, Northern, Volta and the Bono regions were addressing the fifth edition of the Nation Building Updates in Accra yesterday on the theme “Rebuilding the Ghanaian Economy”.
Western Region
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, stated that equal opportunities have been created for all in his region. He said through government’s Ghana Beyond Aid programme, the Western Region has seen 1.8 per cent growth rate as a result of the heavy investment in the areas of agriculture, oil and gas and mining.
He said against the background of the 2014 to 2016 low GDP growth rate, the policies and strategies introduced by the NPP Government resulted in significant growth of 8.1 per cent in 2017 and 6.9 per cent in 2019, “only for COVID-19 to draw back on our growth tangent”.
“For Western Region’s significant contribution to National GDP, investing to rebuild its economy directly translates into rebuilding Ghana’s economy and this, Government has not failed in doing since 2017,” he stated.
He noted that Government has initiated series of entrepreneurial programmes to build the capacity of graduate youth in the region to position them to contribute their quota to the agricultural and manufacturing sectors of the country.
He also touted government’s achievements in building George Grant University of Mines and Energy at Tarkwa, improving the facilities of Takoradi Technical University and expanding the railway network in the region.
Bono Region
The Bono Regional Minister, Evelyn Ama Kumi-Richardson, also commended the President for the construction of Youth Development Centre in Dormaa, noting that plans are far advanced to construct another in Sunyani.
In the area of agriculture, she emphasised that through the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ), farmers in her region have benefited from improved and subsidised seeds, which have increased yields in the region.
“As at the end of September, 2020, a total of 467.47 metric tons of improved and subsidized seeds have been received and supplied to the farmers. In all a total of 16,387.37 hectares has been cultivated using seeds distributed to the farmers. Update of beneficiaries under the PFJ stands at 90,249 made up of 61,375 males and 28,874 females,” she said.
Central Region
The Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan, also noted that his region has benefited from numerous government interventions, including jobs created from the construction of the Ekumfi Fruit Juice Processing and the Casa De Ropa Potato factories built under the 1D1F initiative.
He added that Central Region has seen increased yields in cocoa production as a result of government implementation of the Cocoa Productivity Enhancement Programmes for 2019 and 2020.
Northern Region
The Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, emphasized the resolution of the long-term dispute in the region, saying it has helped bring about development and created a peaceful atmosphere in the area.
He said the region has also benefited immensely from Government initiatives, particularly in the area of agriculture. He said through programmes like Planting for Food and Jobs, Northern Region is able to contribute significant amount of food items to feed other parts of the country.
Volta Region
The Volta Regional Minister, Archibald Letsa, also commended the government for restoring the peaceful atmosphere in the region. He noted that apart from bringing back the peace, the Akufo-Addo administration has created substantial amount of jobs, constructed roads, built schools and improved the standard of people living in the region.
The National Building Update is a weekly event organised by government to provide accounts of its projects, policies and interventions since assuming office in 2017.
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