Members of the Council of State,

Hon Ministers,

Hon Members of Parliament,

Your Excellencies Member of the Diplomatic Corps,

Our Esteemed Traditional Rulers, 

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
 

Today, it is the turn of the Western Region to host the People’s Assembly which, significantly, is my last. I hope however that this event, which is a fine example of inclusive governance, will be institutionalized, to continue long after my tenure.

I am very happy to be here with my team of Ministers to answer questions and thereby give an account of this Government’s stewardship within the past 7 years. But let me begin by wishing you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

The theme for this year’s People’s Assembly is “Ghana After 50; Looking into the Future with Hope.” That the whole nation is still celebrating the Golden Jubilee of Independence is testimony enough that, in spite of the many difficulties encountered so far, Ghana remains together as one nation, for which, we should indeed be thankful to the Almighty.

The occasion of the jubilee has afforded the country the opportunity to reflect on its successes and failures over the years. At this point in time, it is clear that the adoption of the 4^th Republican Constitution is a confirmation of the national preference for democratic governance, over all others. Its processes, structures and systems that make for individual freedoms and liberties must therefore continue to be nurt6ured and sustained. They are so critical to unleashing the full potential of the citizenry, individually and collectively, for building a truly great nation which is the destiny of Ghana.

In the wake of this realization, the structures for accelerated economic growth have been identified and are now largely in place. However entrepreneurship which is central to these structures and also provides the main vehicle for empowering the people to capture the commanding heights of the economy is not being promoted vigorously enough by both the public and private sectors. Indeed, this was the rationale for setting up the Ministry for Private Sector Development, to excite the society in general to recognize the primacy of the Private Sector in the crucial partnership that must be achieved between it and the Public Sector for the accelerated growth of the nation’s socio-economy. This development will establish the needed sustained focus of the national vision of GHANA INCORPORATED and also ensure continued selection of committed leadership to galvanize all sections of the society to share and pursuer the common vision.

Government has advocated this vision all these past 7 years driven by a sharp awareness of the realities of globalization, especially its competitiveness. Significantly, this Government’s development model shows some originality in the sense that it is building concurrently, a stable and growing economy, as well as firmly establishing institutions for democratic governance and the rule of law. This is a sharp contrast with a number of instances in the emergent countries around the world where accelerated economic growth has tended to come at the expense of individual freedoms. But, perhaps this Government’s unique achievement in this regard should not be surprising since the motto of its Party is “Development in Freedom.”

Today Ghana’s economy is not only stable and registering steady growth, but also, It is enjoying international acceptance.

v Inflation and interest rates are both on a downward trend,

v The Cedi has remained relatively stable against major currencies,

v It has also been successfully redenominated, without incident.

Last year, for the first time ever, Government issued a Eurobond successfully on the London Stock Market to raise US$750 million for infrastructural development.

This bond was over-subscribed by over USD3billion, attesting to the high confidence of the international community in the country’s economy.

Recently, the International Financial Review listed Ghana as the best country in contracting a Bond in the capital market from among Emerging Market Economies in 2007.

About two weeks ago, the IFC listed Ghana as the best Reforming Nation in terms of Doing Business in Africa south of the Sahara and Among the first 10 in the world. These are some of the positive ratings of Ghana’s economy which should be a source of pride to all of us.

Ladies and Gentlemen, USD 90 million of the amount raised from the Eurobond has been earmarked for the rehabilitation of the Western and Eastern railway lines, to be constructed in partnership with the Private Sector. This should assure the mining companies in the Region, especially the manganese and bauxite mines of a reliable railway system to support the expansion of their operations. The COCOBOD, the Ports and Harbour Authority, the timber industry and indeed the Western Region, especially its twin cities of Sekondi-Takoradi which will direct beneficiaries of this historic renewal, must all be happy.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the richest Region in the country, yet somehow it has been ignored in the past. I am really happy that this government has taken the initiative to correct this. There are on-going road projects to open up very rich areas in this region which hithero have been inaccessible, in order to promote agriculture, business and commerce. Just yesterday, I had the pleasure to cut the sod for modern construction of the Enchi-Asankragwa road. It is a major step by the government in its policy to transform the region and integrate it into the nation’s social and economic development.

It may interest you to know that the Western Region alone, the length of paved roads covering the trunk, feeder and urban network has more than doubled from a total of 520 kilometres to 1,096 kilometres in 2005. When data for the period 2006-7 are finally collated, the figures will definitely go up much further.

The length of unpaved roads has also increased more than seven-fold from 826 kilometres in 2000 to 6,546 kiolmeters as at the end of 2006.

Further, under the Cocoa Roads Improvement Project (CRIP), government has provided an amount of US $100m for the implementation of a programme to tar or surface-dress some selected roads in six selected cocoa growing regions of the country.

Out of this, an amount of US $19m has been allocated to the Western Region, by far the biggest cocoa producing region, for the upgrading of 223 kilometres of gravel roads to bituminous surface this year.

When all the figures are taken nation-wide, the addition which this government has made to the country’s road network is phenomenal, confirming that infrastructural development is, indeed, a priority.

The Tarkoradi Port has been undergoing modernisation and physical expansion to improve its capacity to handle larger volumes of local and foreign business especially, those from the neighbouring land-lock countries like Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

Other happy developments are coming together to make the Western Region an even more attractive destination for both local and foreign investors. One of them is the final completion of the West Africa Gas Pipeline Project which has a major terminal in Sekondi-Takoradi, which I will visit immediately after this Assembly.

Yet another development is the striking of oil in commercial quantities, initially estimated around 3billion barrels while prospecting still continues. This find should increase commercial activities in this in Region and give a boost to the national economy.

Immediately, government is setting up a planning and regulatory authority to fashion out the necessary policies and measures that must be in place prior to the pumping of the oil two or three years from now. Great Britain is also consulting at the highest levels with Norway and the oil industry. These steps are being taken to ensure that Ghana avoids some of the problems that have befallen countries that struck oil in commercial quantities, and also to make the discovery beneficial to the entire society.

For the communities in the immediate vicinity of the oil, plans are afoot to open up the area with roads, electricity and other social infrastructure.

Ladies and Gentlemen, in the course of the energy crisis which afflicted the nation for more than six months of last year, government announced short to medium and long-term measures, involving a mix of thermal and hydro-energy to end the perennial energy crisis one and for all.

The short-to-medium term measures which are being implemented in partnership with the Private Sector have proved successful and have brought the problem under control.

The construction of the Bui Dam has commenced as part of the long-term strategy. Further, government has engaged consultants to work on the government of mini-dams on the Ankobra, Tano and Prah rivers to augment energy supplies while the search of other sources of energy continues.

With all these development, ladies and gentlemen, the future is bright, and the Western Region should soon come into its own again. Government will be very pleased to see Sekondi-Takoradi, Axim Prestea, Tarkwa, Abooso, Asankragwa, Enchi Bibiani, Wiawso, Awaso and other towns and villages of this Region restored to their previous status as busy hives of the economy and melting pots of ideas, as I believe was the case at Independence 50 years ago which some individuals in this gathering can recall.

Indeed, Ladies and Gentlemen, currently opportunities are coming up not only in the Western Region, but all over the country which are potential sources of employment generation and job creation.

Sadly, many in this country think of employment only in terms of being on government payroll, working from 8am to 5pm. However, as a matter of fact, part-time work, apprenticeships and internships, small scale self-employment are also forms of employment. In this regard, it must be generally admitted that this country has never seen construction works on as massive a scale as taking place now on our roads and real estates development sites, all of which engage Ghanaian labour.

In addition, the National Youth Employment Programme continues to place many more of our youth in agriculture, teaching, nursing and other areas of the economy. There will be more opportunities still for employment when the Private Sector blossoms full, as it must, under the prevailing favourable economic conditions.

Government has also initiated various loan schemes, including the Micro and Small Loans Scheme (MASLOC) and the Venture Capital Fund to assist individuals and businesses with start-up capital and funds for expansion. Happily, the financial sector generally is awash with affordable credit schemes for which it is generally competing for customers.

Today, every objective assessment acknowledges that this government has touched the lives of the people of this country as never before in many positive ways. The evidence can be seen across the length and breadth of the nation.

Ladies and Gentlemen, with the improvements of the socio-economy and the expectation of further growth and investments, government has launched the New Educational Reform Programme since last September, and earlier, the National Health Insurance Scheme as the first steps in its Human Resource Development Programme. This is one of the three priority policies of this government. Improved human resource is to enhance productivity and accelerate the launch of the country into a middle income status.

The Reform seeks to create equal opportunities for the nation’s children from the tender age of 4 to 15, by the introduction of 2 years of pre-school education. A Capitation Grant and School Feeding and Bussing Programmes have been introduced in a number of basic public schools, to encourage pupils to stay at school. In time these benefits are expected to be available to all pupils in basic public schools.

Extending into the Senior High School, the Reform focuses on Science, Mathematics and ICT to promote a culture of Science and Technology within the society. To this end, 15 of the nation’s 38 Teacher Training Colleges have been designated as Specialist Institutions to emphasise science education to teachers. For background, all the 38 colleges are being retooled and upgraded.

Another objective of the Reform is to enhance agricultural, technical and vocational training for a diversified economy. The innovative feature of the Reform is a one-year government sponsored apprenticeship programme for students who end their education at the junior high school level.

Ladies and Gentlemen, adequate arrangements have been made during the last couple of years to increase the number of classrooms, lecture halls, laboratories and libraries, dormitories, stall accommodation and logistics in general throughout the country. Meanwhile, various programmes are on-going to upgrade teachers through distance education and improved conditions of service.

Obviously, a programme of this magnitude is bound to encounter teething problems, I urge all to exercise patience, bring suggestions as well as constructive criticisms, and bear with government, even as solutions are being sought.

Ladies and Gentlemen, last year, the Western Region was one of those which got flooded. The whole nation was worried about this disaster, which we believe is a manifestation of Global Climate Change. On behalf of the government and people of Ghana, let me once again express sympathy to the victims of this tragedy. Global Climate Change demands global action. But in our respective ways, we can contribute to help stem the menacing tide of the phenomenon, for example, through environmental awareness and protection and by adhering to municipal bye-laws including regulations for building and sanitation.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I have just come back from Kenya where as chair of the African Union, I joined others in an attempt to find an acceptable arrangement to bring peace between contestants in the recent elections in that country. The destruction and mayhem that have been visited upon that beautiful country in just a week is incredible and extremely sad, to say the least.

Ghana has gone through four elections, registering progressive improveemnt in the conduct of each successive election. There is therfore no legitimate cause to expect any negative developments during the forthcoming December elections. What is important is for the entire society to be alert to ensure that due process is adhered to at all times, in all the processes leading to and through the election, to make the results credible and acceptable to all. The “doom mongers” must therefore pipe down.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Our society is sadly, being drawn deeper into conflicts by chieftaincy and land issues. The unacceptable aspect is that, often parties involved refuse to use ledgally laid down due process to seek justice and fair-play. Violence tends to beget violence and in the end, the nation has to use scarce resource not on development programmes, but rather on destructive and wasteful conflicts. My appeal to all is that in such situations, the parties involved should be made to submit to due process, which is simply, the rule of law. I am asking the Minister for Chieftaincy and Culture to consult with the National House of Chiefs and other bodies to fashion out additional ways of encouraging factions engaged in chieftaincy and land issues to seek justice without taking the law into their own hands.

Perhaps I must use this platform to reiterate my commitement to fighting corruption within the Ghanaian society. In 2001 when I assumed office, I made a promise to ensure “zero-tolerance of corruption.”

Globally, the fight against corruption has been fought primarily through the establishment of new institutions like the SFO, the police, the CHRAG and the courts are all being progressively improved and strengthened. New legislation such as the Public Procurement Act, the Whistle Blowers Act, the establishment of the Revenue Agencies Board and the repeal of the criminal libel law among others, have been enacted. The media have free rein while independent NGO’s which deal with corruption function freely without fear from any quarter.

But it is crucial that allegation of corruption must be backed by proof to make it meaningful. I must therefore urge individuals to boldly put forward information about corruption to enable the institutions concerned to investigate the case and prosecute the culprits, wherever possible.

I have not hesitated to deal with any acts of corruption within my administration when it has come to my notice. But without proof, pursuit of unsubstantiated allegations would lead to instant justice, which must be discouraged. We all must therefore join hands to deal with corruption, but within the frame work of the rule of law.

Ladies and Gentlemen, on Sunday, I opened the newly-built Sekondi Sports stadium at Essipon, which is one of the four stadia to host the up-coming Tournament. Three stadia in Accra, Kumasi and the one at the Essipong have been opened. God willing, the Tamale Stadium will be opened on Friday. This is to signal the long-awaited soccer fiesta, “Ghana CAN 2008” which will start a week from now.

Sekondi-Takoradi’s contribution to football over the years is well known. This state-of– the–art stadium is therefore a fitting tribute to the region. I urge you to look upon it with pride and look after it well.

As I have said, the policy is to establish a state-of-the –art stadium in the each regional capital of the country. Cape-Coast is next in lie to benefit and work starts this year.

I will also encourage the whole nation, particulary the 4 host metropolises and regions, to receive the many vistiors that the Tournament will attract, in a matter that will let them want to come again.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let now conclude by saying how privileged I felt these last few year as I interacted with a cross section of the society at the People’s Assembly. This has gone a long way in enriching the nation’s democracy. I congratulate all those who have participated in previous Assemblies and those who are here today. Together, we are playing our respective roles in ensuring that Ghana is governed in an atmosphere of true freedom as befits citizens of an independent nation. I trust that you will cherish and guard the people’s Assembly long after my tenure in office.

Thank you and may God bless us all.

• Email this page
• Printer friendly version