Addressing the nation today on the floor of Parliament, President John Mahama urged members of the legislature not to engage in party politics but rather work in partnership to build the nation.
He entreated Ghanaians to keep the country clean and free from any environmental hazards.
President Mahama in his first State of the Nation address touted the achievements of the National Democratic Congress under the fourth Republic.
Under the last four years of the ruling government, President Mahama noted that the government has worked frantically to achieve over 8.5% economic growth.
He explained that “Through hard work and implementation of prudent fiscal and monitoring policies, we were able over the last four years to stabilize the micro-economic environment. This resulted in a remarkable acceleration of our growth rate and today, Ghana’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth rate continues to be among the highest in the world. With the record-breaking growth of 2011 occasioned partly by the commencement of oil production, this year again, we expect an eventual positive outturn of growth between 8.5 percent and 9 percent.”
The government has also worked assiduously to ameliorate the challenges that have characterized the education sector.
President Mahama indicated that several interventions were made to enhance the growth of the education sector.
He outlined that the Mils-Mahama led government has significantly improved the sector by eradicating several schools under trees and also providing numerous teaching materials to thousands of students across the country.
“Four years on, about 40% of the over four thousand schools under trees have been replaced; thereby making it possible to move hundreds of thousands of Ghanaian school children into decent classroom accommodation. We intend to move quickly in the new mandate granted us by the favour of God and the people of Ghana to work hard towards the eradication of many schools under trees.”
He indicated that government has also distributed thousands of computers to various schools in the country to enhance the teaching of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in schools.
He also said government has since the last four years expanded the Capitation grant and the school feeding programme to ensure that over a million students across the country are fed daily.
He further noted that there has been an increment in the remunerations of teachers under the Single Spine Salary policy implemented by the NDC government, which serves as incentive and a source of motivation to them.
Still in the education sector, the President stated that the NDC government has increased the educational infrastructure in the country to provide quality education and also facilitate teaching and learning in schools.
He also alluded to the establishment of two new Universities to augment the existing traditional universities in the country.
In the health sector, President Mahama disclosed that nineteen health centres have been established with twelve new district hospitals built across the country.
He also revealed fifteen polyclinics have been constructed to boost the health sector.
He added government has refurbished and upgraded the Tamale Hospital into an ultramodern health facility in order to give the people better access to quality health delivery.
He also stressed the National Health Insurance Scheme has been strengthened since the inception of the National Democratic Congress in 2008, to ease the pressures on patients in various health facilities.
This he said has enhanced the confidence of the general public and increased patronage in the scheme.
He further recounted that about one hundred and sixty one ambulances have been distributed to various hospitals.
“We have provided a hundred and sixty one ambulances for the National Ambulance service. In the area of training, several nurses and midwifery training institutions have been established as well as a University that is dedicated solely to training of auxiliary health care professionals.” he said.
President Mahama also touched on the energy sector.
He asserted that about 1700 communities have been connected to the national grid and further assured that under the new administration, his leadership will ensure that more communities benefit from the supply of electricity.
In the area of security, President Mahama indicated that the Ghana Armed Forces have been retooled to facilitate their operations and also strengthen them.
He stated: “The Ghana Armed Forces comprising the Army, Navy and Air Force have all benefited from the acquisition of new and modern equipment. This has enabled them to carry out even more effectively their mandate of ensuring our security by air, by land or by sea.”
He further said the Ghana Police Service have also essentially benefited under the Mills-Mahama led administration.
The Police Service has been well-equipped with high performance vehicles and communication gadgets to boost their work in ensuring the safety of the Ghanaian citizenry.
In addition to the unprecedented achievements of the government, an ultramodern forensic laboratory has been set up for the Police Service to boost their security efforts.
This he said is the “biggest retooling efforts in their (security agencies) entire existence.”
President John Mahama commended the late President John Evans Atta Mills for his vital role in the Better Ghana Agenda.
From: Adu Gyamfi Ameyaw
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