President Akufo-Addo on Thursday, February 20, 2020 delivered his fourth State of the Nation Address in Parliament.

The session was boycotted by the NDC minority in Parliament.

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This follows the president’s State of the Nation Address on [Thursday] February 8, 2018, where he stated that the country’s economy had been projected by the World Bank and other international bodies to be the fastest growing in the world in 2018.

According to them, the upward trajectory of the economy is due to the solid foundation laid by the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.

[contextly_sidebar id=”kCCazVYPavnDpena0dIiSwsFNoCWaLmb”]Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, who addressed the press today [Friday], February 9, 2018, said contrary to the President’s projection, Ghana may not exit the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program by the end of this year as suggested by the president.

The IMF program which started in 2015, was to end in 2017, but the IMF upon concluding its fourth review of Ghana’s programme in August 2017, extended the programme by one year and approved a $94.2 million disbursement.

Haruna Iddrisu says Ghana can only exit the IMF program “if [Ghana] meets the benchmark of fiscal consolidation” adding that by the President’s assessment, Ghana is nowhere near exiting from the program.

“One of it is fundamental debt management and superior debt management strategy and its sustainability and to avoid moving the country into a debt distress country especially when they are issuing bonds. So as a Minority we are mindful and concerned about his early announcement and how that can affect the international financial market and even the Ghanaian economy as they continue to issue bonds. We have not met all the requirements and we are not likely to meet all the requirements,” headed.

According to Haruna Iddrisu, the Akufo-Addo government is only hiding behind refusal to clear arrears owed contractors, to suggest that fiscal discipline has been achieved.

“…The fact that you are accumulating arrears and not paying contractors does not mean you are disciplined fiscally and prudent, no. Yesterday [Thursday], he [President], was talking about the eastern corridor road, Bolgatanga-Bawku road, the contractor is virtually packing out of site for non-payment. Since he got some releases from the NDC to commence work, he has not had any substantial inflow from the government of Nana Addo Dankwa, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the Finance Minister in order to be able to continue work.”

“They [NPP Government] are compelling many contractors to do what you can call a raiser cut…that does not respect the sanctity of contracts. Internationally, we are making the country a laughing stock because out of fear of political intimidation, many of them are giving in to what they should not including local contractors. We expect the government to stop those by force raiser cuts they are giving international contractual arrangements and others,” the Minority Leader noted.

On the claim that about 745,000 employment avenues were created under the Planting for Food and Jobs program, Haruna Iddrisu called for an independent assessment and full publication of the names of those employed under the program.

“All agricultural experts in this world and the country must interrogate the figures of 745,000 persons employed under planting for food because even the committee chairman’s own constituency the numbers are not what they are reporting…someone independent, if you have the list, please  publish it for us because its important. So if you distrust government and the minority, let’s have an independent assessment,” he added.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey & Duke M. Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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This took place moments after Mr. Mahama together with other former Presidents including Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor, as well as former Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, observed the State of the Nation Address delivered by President Nana Akufo-Addo in Parliament.

Following the two-hour address, the former President was pictured with a spoon in a plate of rice with a number of the Minority MPs.

He was flanked by his former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah.  It is unclear what message the former President seeks to send across by this act.

Click below to watch the video:

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post John Mahama eats with Minority MPs [Video] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The President touted the achievements of the government in stabilizing the economy, implementing the Free SHS and clearing a huge chunk of debts owed by the National Health Insurance Scheme and contractors in the past one year.

He also reiterated the efforts and strategies underway to put the economy on a sound footing, improve agriculture, enhance road network, revive the country’s rail network, the health sector, as well as give real meaning to the fight against corruption.

Below is the full audio of the address.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Nana Addo’s 2018 State of the Nation address [Audio] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

President Akufo-Addo’s address will be in accordance with Article 67 of the constitution.

The Majority Chief Whip, Kwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh, confirmed the date when he read the business statement for next week, and indicated that all was set for the President’s sessional address for this year.

He urged his fellow legislators “to be punctual for the event”, and indicated that they were to be in the chamber “latest by 9:15 AM as it may not be courteous for members to enter or exit the chamber after the president has entered.”

The day before, Parliament will also adjourn early “to enable the planning committee for the State of the Nation Address get the chamber ready for the event before Thursday, February 8, 2018.”

2017 State of the Nation

Notable in his 2017 presentation, President Akufo-Addo accused the  Mahama administration of increasing the country’s debt stock to about GHc122 billion from GHc9.5 billion in 2009.

The President further noted that, he inherited a $2.4 billion highly indebted power sector from the previous government.

Nana Addo spoke on several other sectors of the economy in his maiden address.

Citifmonline.com compared what President Akufo-Addo said in his address as against what his predecessor, John Dramani Mahama said during his last two State of the Nation Addresses in February 2016 and January 2017.

President Akufo-Addo held that, Ghana’s economy was in a dire state, revealing that, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government, had left office with the country’s GDP rate of 3.6%, which was the lowest the country had recorded in the past 23 years.

Among some of the key targets met, the Akufo-Addo administration was able to roll out the Free Senior High School policy, restored both teacher and nurse trainee allowances and ensured the review of electricity tariffs.

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By: Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Nana Addo to deliver State of the Nation address on Feb. 8 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The first meeting of the second session of Parliament is being chaired by the First Deputy Speaker, Joe Osei Owusu, because the Speaker, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, is currently serving as acting President due to the absence of both the President and the Vice President.

[contextly_sidebar id=”cLpvYuCeT9tHdLtGMbisXgmJo5fp9dWn”]The House was recalled for an emergency session earlier in January after the Minority wrote to the Speaker urging him to call for the sitting to consider their motion on the alleged ‘cash for seat’ scandal.

MPs returned to the House again on Sunday, as Prof Oquaye was sworn in as Acting President by Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo.

However, this is the first normal sitting of the House since they went on recess for the Christmas holidays.

Citi News‘ Parliamentary correspondent, Duke Mensah Opoku, reported that the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu in his statement, called on Parliament to summon the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, to answer questions on the recent jailbreak at Kwabenya which resulted in the death of one policeman.

He added that the Police Command, led by the Inspector General Commander (IGP), was currently locked in a meeting with the Interior and Defence Committee of Parliament over that issue “and other related matters with regards to security in general in the country.”

The Tamale South MP also demanded that government gives clear indications on whether or not they would extend the stay of the former Guantanamo Bay detainees.

President Akufo-Addo had indicated at last week’s Media Encounter that the two former Gitmo detainees would learn their fate when the House reconvenes.

Duke Mensah Opoku also reported that, the vetting of Special Prosecutor-nominee Martin Amidu “is part of the programme of activities that will be laid out in this session of the House” along with a report from the Committee considering a motion for rescission of the AMERI deal.

“Later on, in this session of the House, we’re expecting that President [Nana Akufo-Addo] will come and deliver his State of The Nation address to the people’s representatives. With regards to the exact time that these programmes will be held, we aren’t quite sure, but we know it will be in this session of Parliament,” Duke added.

‘Meet the deadline’

The bi-partisan Committee probing the alleged extortion of expatriates during the 2017 Ghana Expatriate Business Awards, is also expected to present its report on Wednesday, which was the deadline set by Parliament when the Committee was formed.

The acting Speaker, Joe Osei-Owusu, asked the ad-hoc Committee to ensure that they meet the deadline and submit their report accordingly.

“As you know, our mandate of scrutinizing government business and holding public officials to account gained a lot of public interest till the ad-hoc committee was setup to investigate the alleged collection of various sums of monies from expatriates business during the Expatriates Business Awards in Accra. I suppose that substantial work has been done by the Committee to meet the deadline given by Mr. Speaker to enable the House consider the report during this week,” he added.

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The President while speaking in Parliament during his first State of the Nation Address on Tuesday, further noted that, he inherited a $2.4 billion highly indebted power sector from the previous government.

Nana Addo spoke on several other sectors of the economy in his maiden address.

Citifmonline.com takes a look at some things said by the President in his address as against what his predecessor, John Dramani Mahama said during his last two State of the Nation Address in February 2016 and January, 2017.

Below is an infographic summarizing the views of the two– Akufo-Addo and John Mahama.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post #SOTNGhana: Nana Addo vs. John Mahama [Infographic] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He touched on all sectors of the Ghanaian economy including the power sector. According to him, the power sector was heavily indebted by the erstwhile John Mahama administration.

The President said he inherited a $2.4 billion debt from the previous administration, adding that about $800 million was also owed local banks in the country.

“We have inherited a heavily indebted energy sector, with the net debt reaching 2.4 billion US dollars as at December 2016. I have to point out the alarming fact that 800 million US dollars of this debt is owed to local banks, which threatens their stability and that of the whole financial sector. Indeed, the huge indebtedness of the energy sector constitutes the single major hurdle to Ghanaians enjoying reliable and affordable electricity supply,” he added.

Check below for an Infographic on what the President said about the power sector during the address.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post #SOTNGhana: What Akufo-Addo said about power sector [Infographic] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

President Akufo-Addo, in his first State of the Nation address, said his administration did not inherit a stable economy from the erstwhile Mahama-led government.

The President revealed that government missed all the targets set for the country under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme due to fiscal indiscipline in the management of public funds.

But speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Ablakwa watered down these claims, saying President Akufo-Addo would not have introduced policies such as the Free SHS programme and Nurses trainee allowance if the economy was indeed broke.

“If you read the full State of the Nation Address, you will come to the conclusion that this economy cannot be a broke economy. This is the same economy that President Akufo Addo is saying that he is able to provide allowances to teacher trainees and nursing trainees. He is able to begin his free SHS programme and we should look forward to the Minister of Finance presenting his budget which will give us details on how he is going to do that. He is also upbeat about implementing a lot of his promises. The one village, one dam policy etc.”

“President Mahama has always spoken to the challenges. There is a difference when you do objective analysis and talk about challenges, and there is another issue that has to do with exaggerating and creating a situation that does not exist. If you say that we have revenue shortfalls; if you talk about the fact that we have missed some of the IMF targets that we have set, yes; that is fair, but in the same breadth, why do we think that the President did not touch on inflation? Because inflation has been trending downwards, interest rates have been trending downwards. so it is about picking and choosing and the picture you want to paint,” he added.

Though Ablakwa insists the economy is not in crisis as President Akufo-Addo wants Ghanaians to believe, the NPP Member of Parliament for Obuasi West, Kwaku Kwarteng, said the President painted a true picture of the state of Ghana’s economy.

“This was a State of the Nation Address. He owed it a responsibility to the people of this country to tell them about the economy he had inherited so he put out the facts. If anybody thinks the facts  are wrong, they should say which specific facts are wrong then we can have a discussion on that.”

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post Ghana’s economy not ‘broke’ – Ablakwa appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The President touched on issues ranging from the economy, education, health and energy among others.

Despite painting a gloomy picture of the economy as bequeathed to him from the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC), the President said he would ensure that the Ghanaian economy does not collapse under his watch.

Click here for the full text of the President’s address.
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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Nana Addo’s 1st state of the nation address [Full Text] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.