President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has taken a swipe at his critics who have suggested that he has worsen the plight of Ghanaians.
He described such claims as narrow political propaganda by his opponents.
According to him, the economy is currently recovering from the shocks of the Covid-19 outbreak.
He said the year 2021 has been a tough year but he had put in place measures to address these challenges.
He made the remarks in his Christmas message to Ghanaians.
He said “Fellow Ghanaians, I know these are difficult times for us. Undoubtedly, 2021 has proven to be a tough year not only for us, but also for everyone on the planet. COVID-19 has affected every sector of the global economy and our national life; nothing, in its path, has been spared its ravages.
Our economy, which was growing at an average of 7% in 2017, in 2018 and in 2019, grew by 0.4% in 2020, because growth in industry, services, tourism and manufacturing sectors, which drive the economy and provide jobs for many Ghanaians, contracted dramatically in 2020, as a result of the sudden disruption in the global supply chain and the steep decline in the global economy, which sent the global economy into recession.
This is the stark reality of the situation, not an excuse. Indeed, but for the bold and timely measures put in place by Government to cushion Ghanaians against the worst effects of the pandemic, our situation would have been more precarious.
For the purposes of propaganda and narrow partisan and parochial interests, some would have you believe that the difficulties we are facing are purely Ghanaian phenomena, made by the NPP government under my leadership. Pay no heed to such persons.
They know the truth, but cannot speak it. The significant fact for me is my determination to pull us out of this situation. Government has designed a solid programme for the recovery and revitilisation of the economy, which is the one hundred-billion-cedi Ghana CARES ‘Obaatampa’ Programme. We have completed the implementation of the Stabilisation Phase in 2021, which saw the economy grow at 6.6% in the 3 rd quarter of 2021, with a projected overall growth of 4.4% for 2021. 2022 and 2023 will be the years of Recovery and Revitilisation and faster economic growth.”
He added “Already, there are clear signs that the economy is bouncing back strongly, just as there are welcome indications that the global economy is also recovering. The work undertaken by my government, over the last five (5) years, in education, healthcare delivery, agricultural and industrial transformation, infrastructural enhancement, especially in the road sector, the empowerment of the security services, and the development of the digital economy, amongst others, is evident. I appeal to you to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with my government in these trying times.
You have stood with me most of my adult life; you gave me a resounding victory in 2016, and you returned me to office again, with the help of God, with another decisive victory in 2020, because I fulfilled, largely, the commitments I made to you in 2016. United in our democracy, we will emerge from this difficult patch stronger and even more resilient. Let us not see the economic difficulties of today as the blueprint for tomorrow. I am a firm, passionate believer in our national potential. We have it in us to r up and revive our fortunes. There are brighter days ahead for Mother Ghana.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
