Flagbearer of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has announced that the Akufo-Addo administration has surpassed all previous governments in job creation, despite facing a global economic downturn.
Dr. Bawumia highlighted that from 2017 to 2022, the government has successfully generated 2.1 million jobs, with the public sector contributing to 1.2 million of these positions and the private sector adding another 975,000, as verified by SSNIT data.
The recruitment drive included significant increases in the number of health workers and teachers, each by 100,000, and a doubling in the recruitment of fire service personnel.
Addressing the nation at the UPSA auditorium in Accra, Dr. Bawumia expressed pride in the government’s ability to navigate the nation through challenging economic times without succumbing to disaster.
He pointed out that, despite the inherited economic difficulties and the subsequent global financial turmoil, Ghana has shown remarkable resilience, especially in areas such as GDP growth, agricultural and industrial development, trade balance, and gross international reserves, alongside robust job creation figures.
“When we assumed office in 2017, we were confronted with an economy with declining economic growth along with several problems and challenges. A graphic description of the state of the economy at the time was provided by the former president who announced to the nation that the meat was finished and the economy was left with bones, notwithstanding the difficult economy we inherited. We had to get on with it and start to fix the problems.”
He also mentioned that the NPP is preparing to launch a “Performance Tracker”, a comprehensive account detailing the government’s achievements across all sectors and districts within Ghana.
This move, according to him, aims to provide a transparent and detailed view of the administration’s accomplishments throughout the country.
Regarding agricultural development, Dr. Bawumia stated that the government has achieved significant progress in this sector, albeit acknowledging that work remains to be accomplished.
He emphasized Ghana’s ambitious target to evolve into a net exporter of rice by the year 2028.
“Rice imports for example have declined by 45% from 805,000 metric tanks to 440,000 between 2021 and 2023. The goal is to be the net exporter of rice by 2028. It is clear that some of our policy interventions such as planting for food and jobs have borne fruits.”
Meanwhile, former President John Agyekum Kufuor has commended Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, portraying him as a man destined for greatness.
Mr. Kufuor expressed confidence in Bawumia’s ability to effectively guide the country, urging Ghanaians to rally behind and support him in his leadership role.
The former president also indicated that the country needed a visionary leader.
He stressed “If anybody aspires to be a leader without command of new technologies like digitalization, and also without a deep grasp of geopolitics, I tell you, he may be a good man in terms of mastering some of the old disciplines, like, say, economics, politics and all that. But I tell you, very likely he may be found wanting sooner than later. This young man here seems to have these instruments under his belt.”
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Source: Anthony Sasu Ayisadu/ATLFMNEWS
