Job Creation Under NPP Government Is True

I don’t like the politics of Ghana where accusing fingers are pointed at each other; nobody sees anything good in the other especially NDC and NPP. Having said that, I was in Koforidua on the 8th of August and I had a chance of witnessing the regional Meet the Press organized by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation at Apenteng Hall, where it was made known by the Regional Minister Hon. Yaw Barima that over 2100 jobs have been created so far and about 6000 yet to be created in the Eastern Region.

According to some of the pressmen I talked to after the programme, they are satisfied with the content of the statement read by the Regional Minister and the achievement of the NPP government in the region so far and that there is no better way a government can do for the agricultural sector of a region with 67% of its population as farmers than what Prez Kufour’s administration has done.

In the Regional Minister’s statement, crop production in 2005 farming season increased by 100.7%, having said that, more than 2,000 farmers have also been assisted by the NPP government with monies and other farm inputs to sustain and improve upon this. In addition ¢750million has also been given to over 100 farmer groups under the farmers based organization to enter into large scale farming.

Under the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), over 6,000 farmers from 6 districts have been selected from the region on non-partisan platform to cultivate about 3,000hectors of land which is in line with the government’s commitment to create more jobs, the Regional Minister stated. In a related development over 10,000 farmers benefited from cocoa Hi-Tech exercise. With what I heard over there I think this government is doing well and if all past governments had performed like this, mother Ghana would have been better than it is now. I am therefore more convinced that this is job creation and betterment of the life of the people, if not, then I don’t know what it is.

Even though I don’t like politics especially NPP-NDC politics, I have always believed that the introduction of Capitation Grant by this government is one of the best things that has happen to this country. I am not backing NPP but I think NDC’s assertion that Capitation Grant is a constitutional requirement to be implemented in 10years time which falls under NPP government is not true but rather what the constitution says is that it should be implemented WITHIN the following ten (10) years. (Article 38 clause 2).Therefore NDC could have done it if they had managed the economy very well when they were in power.

The Regional Minister also stated that as a result of capitation grant, enrollment increased over 67000 from 615,852 in 2004 to 683,454 in 2005 representing 11% increase, at the same time education/school infrastructure from KG- Teacher training also increase from 4,885 to 5,436 between 2004-2005 representing 11.3% increase.

With this, I therefore realized is not true that government is not doing anything to increase school infrastructure to correspond with increase in enrollment as a result of capitation grant.

I decided to talk to some parents after the programme, they were full of praise for the government for bringing capitation grant, free ride and school feeding which has reduced their burden and putting monies they would have used for all these in their pockets.

The Minister added that, no polio case has been confirmed in the region in the past 2years, measles cases have dropped from 232 to 58 in the past 3years and guinea worm infestation has also reduced from 27 cases in 2004 to 13 in 2005.

I have not voted before but I believed we should join hands to keep this government in power come 2008 to continue the good work. We can all therefore agree with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice when She said to President Kufuor and I quote “you’ve made tremendous contribution to the future success of your people, Mr. President, you are one of the best examples of a new Africa in which responsibility counts”.