Hon. Leo-Nelson Adzidogah, Akatsi South MCE writes
It appears the
youth are feeling a sense of despondency and frustration in the management of
the affairs of the country. Just as there is a positive correlation between
frustration and aggression, they have decided to go this way to express their
feeling. Instead of engaging the national leadership to build mutual
understanding, they wanted to pour out into the street to express themselves.
The youth
decided to spleen their anger and frustration at this government with the
belief that perhaps, this is the only government led by His Excellency, President
Nana Akufo Addo that can fix all the problems confronting the country.
During the 2020
political campaign, the then Presidential Candidate now the President, Nana
Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo made some promises. When he was elected and subsequently
assumed office, he fulfilled most of the promises. Let us talk of Free Senior
High, restoration of trainee teachers’ allowances, restoration of trainee
nurses’ allowances, introduction of NABCO as a means of addressing the rising
unemployment situation in the country, reduction in electricity tariff,
employment of teachers and nurses who were unemployed after graduation,
cleaning the banking sector, massive expansion of the school feeding programme
and the LEAP and many other social intervention programmes. With these, the
government is surely fixing the country in all aspects of our social lives.
This is the only
government that, in the first year of coming to office, started implementing
its campaign promises. This is due to the leadership skill, vision and foresightedness
of the President. This is the leadership par excellence that has the capacity
to efficiently and judiciously manage our meagre resources to the benefit of
every home in Ghana. The country was on the top gear to the high plateau of
development only for the outbreak COVID-19 pandemic to put the gear into a
reverse drive.
The country was
indeed set on the path of accelerated development only to be attacked
mercilessly by the deadly pandemic. Therefore, while #FixTheCountry campaign
rages on, it is important to put the campaign in a proper context. We should
not be oblivious of the fact that recent development in the management of
COVID-19 pandemic has a huge and heavy toll on the finances of the country. The
plans and programmes of the government are to deliver massive prosperity for
all.
COVID-19
expenditure was unplanned and unprogrammed thus derailing every efforts of
government at delivering its agenda. This emergency situation, needs emergency
plan which everybody must embrace and support fully, especially the economic
lockdown with its concomitant adverse impact which was not intended by the
government. This pandemic eroded the gains made so far by the government. The
COIVI-19 pandemic is causing a lot of ravages for most of the economies of the
world.
The
international economic order is gradually being dislocated by this strange
disease. Where nature is the cause of any crisis, leaders need not to take any
blame. Instead, the leaders will need our support to carry through pragmatic
solutions to respond to the problems. As indicated by the Minister for Finance,
Hon. Ken Ofori Atta, the current crisis demands an exceptional leadership skill
to handle. That leadership is being provided by President Nana Akufo Addo.
The proactive
responses by the government to the issues raised by #FixTheCountry campaigners
is a display of responsible government that is committed to address the urgent
demands of its people. The various engagements with the youth which culminated
into the press conference to set matters straight is commendable. There could
not have been any better approach than this. Leadership is a service to the
people and it has indeed been demonstrated. It is important to note one
critical concern of the #FixTheCountry campaign.
Central to this
concern is the view held by the campaigners that there is “a failure on the
part of successive governments to improve the lives of the citizenry”. This
concern by the campaigners is not limited to this government. All governments
that ruled Ghana are accused of not improving the lot of the people. This
government is still on its way to deliver improved living condition for the
people. It will surely be a different government from others in terms of
performance.
It is the good
performance of the government led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo that
prompted these concerns to have the country fixed. It is a challenge to the
government and all the people of the country. Fixing the country is a major
overriding concern for all Ghanaians.
Looking at the
hang Parliament, where the ruling party, the New Patriotic Party has 137 seats
and the opposition party, National Democratic Congress also has 137 seats, the
clarion call by #FixTheCountry campaign is that the two parties should work
together in the common interest of the people. Extreme partisanship in matters
of common interest must be deactivated. Collaboration and understanding in all
matters are crucial this time than ever. Over politicization of national issues
cannot be the way to go. The national interest must supersede all other
interest.
This is the time
to vigorously continue the Ghana rebuilding agenda through our collective
efforts. The bold attempt by the government to ameliorate the situation as
outlined by the Hon. Minister Finance must have the blessing of the all parties
in Parliament. Any extreme and excessive partisan position will not let us
address these concerns. All work together to find lasting solutions to these
concerns because the issues raised transcend all governments. it is the current
government that is facing the full brunt of the concerns raised. The packages
announced for job creation as well engineering the private sector through
partnership are steps in the right direction to respond to the concerns.
ALL HANDS MUST
BE ON DECK TO DELIVER THE PUBLIC GOOD.
Source:IGnews
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