The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has assured Ghanaians his first budget contains a well-thought through policies that will put what he termed Ghana’s ailing economy he inherited back on track.
“We are going to fix it. We have outlined a number of prudent policies and measures which are contained in our first budget to be read on the 2nd of March,” he told Ghanaians resident in Banjul on Saturday.
President Akufo-Addo said the Ghanaian people reposed confidence in him in the last elections because they believed he had what it takes to turn the dwindling fortunes of the country around.
Accordingly, he said it was incumbent on him to justify that trust, assuring the people that will not disappoint them in that regard.
The President said these while addressing members of the Ghanaian community after attending the inauguration of President Adama Barrow and the 52nd Independence Day celebration of The Gambia.
President Akufo-Addo said these policy initiatives and measures among others,would ensure that the private sector is strengthened and flourishes.
“It is only when the private sector flourishes that we can create the high numbers of jobs required by the teeming masses of Ghanaian youth. When the private sector flourishes, then we will be on the sure path towards progress and prosperity for all Ghanaians,” he stated.
Against this background, the President reiterated his government’s commitment at reviving the Ghanaian economy, saying “we are going to get our economy going again, and get enterprises in our country to be more competitive, so that they can begin to employ more and more people.”
He observed widespread unemployment in Ghana is a major social and economic problem hence will do something about it.
“I believe that we are going to do something about it, and you will see that through the measures we are going to put in place in our budget.”
Meanwhile, the president has appluaded Ghanaians in the Gambia for being “law abiding”, stating that all reports he had garnered on his short visit to The Gambia was indicative of the fact that the Ghanaian community, most often than not, did not fall foul of the law.
The President, thus, urged them to continue in that regard.
Touching on the concerns raised by the leadership of the Ghanaian community, especially on the issue of biometric passports and opening of a consulate in Banjul, President Akufo-Addo assured them the issues would be addressed soon by the Foreign Affairs Minister.
On the matter of high import duties levied on them at the ports in Tema and Takoradi, the President indicated the issue is one of grave concern and that taxes are being looked at by the Minister of Finance, and a number of tax cuts would be announced in the March 2 budget.
He ended his statement with a request for prayers for Ghana, himself and his government, saying “I need your prayers all the time for me to be able to succeed. I have put together a very solid team, and I assure you that we will work together with the same spirit – the spirit of wanting to serve our country.”
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