Ghana according to the Minister of Transport, Fifi Kwetey, was a hub of cocaine trade during the erstwhile New Patriotic Party (NPP), administration, under former President Kufuor.
According to him, the then NPP government had a lot of revenue from cocaine, yet could not transform the country.
Fifi Kwetey made the claim when he addressed the media at a forum dubbed “Setting the records straight,” in response to claims made by the NPP that government has been incompetent particularly in its handling of the economy.
“It should be noted that; we tried not to even make reference to the fact that the NDC period was a period when the economy of Ghana was not inundated with massive cocaine cash as was experienced during the eight years of the NPP, when the floodgates of cocaine were opened and Ghana became a virtual cocaine hub,” Kwetey said.
Former President Kufuor led Ghana from 2001 to 2008.
The NPP had accused the current NDC administration led by President John Mahama of having enough revenue from foreign loans and oil, yet has not been able to improve the lives of Ghanaians.
The party also chastised the NDC for ballooning the country’s debt stock to frightening levels.
We’re investing in projects not piling debts
But Fifi Kwetey said the NDC government should be commended because the loans it contracted are being invested in profitable infrastructure.
“For us in the NDC, foreign loans are meant for investment. Most likely, because the NPP was so wasteful with foreign loans, the party wrongly assumes the NDC has the same defect. No! We in the NDC have a great track record of using foreign debts to invest in solid investments,” he added.
We’ve managed economy better than NPP
Mr. Kwetey also said on the record, the NDC has managed Ghana’s economy better than the NPP.
“From 2001 to 2008, the NPP accumulated a total debt stock 56.9billion cedis, taking it from 9.7billion cedis in 2008. NPP therefore had access to 4.3 times more loan financing than NDC 1 under Jerry Rawlings. In spite of this, the NDC 1 overshadows the NPP in virtually all critical development infrastructure.”
“NDC built 3 regional hospitals against zero by the non-performing NPP. NDC within that period, can also boast of a couple of public universities against zero by the NPP,” he added.
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin