Mills needs economic lessons - Minister

Akropong (Eastern Region) - The Minister of Finance, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, has described the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who should be taken through rudiments of economics to broaden his horizon on economic issues.

He said Prof Mills’ reaction to the recent price increase of petroleum products indicated that he has lost focus on the state of the economy adding, “how can such a man lead this country after his government had contributed to the situation in which we are confronted with.”

“If Rawlings who was the driver failed to take his passengers safely to their destination, what then can Mills, who is a driver’s mate offer the nation,” he asked.

The Minister of Finance advised members and sympathisers of the NDC to keep quiet and allow a responsible and competent government to govern the good people of this country. “If not for the fear of God, NDC should have been scrapped from the books of Ghanaian politics,” he said.

Osafo-Maafo said that it was the wish of the government to put farmers in this country on a high pedestal to achieve national as well as international recognition. He said interest rate on bank loans had dropped from 54 per cent to 27 per cent since the NPP government assumed office.

He called on Ghanaians to exercise patience as the government was streamlining things to make life comfortable in the country.

The Minister of Energy, Albert Kan Dapaah, said the price hikes of petroleum products were painful, but a concrete decision had been taken by the government for a better Ghana, tomorrow.

He said that people in responsible positions should not be afraid to take bod but good decisions when telling the truth, adding that, “TOR’s debt could have swallowed the country spelt her doom.”

Kan Dapaah blamed the current economic crisis on the NDC government for not telling Ghanaians the truth when it was in power, stressing that a leader must not tell lies. The minister said before the NDC government handed over power to the NPP, it told a lie to the effect that it had ?16bn in the national coffers to be used by the incoming NPP government. But, when they checked for its authenticity, he said, nothing was in the coffers.

The National Youth Organiser, Mustapha Abdul Hameed, said the government had set aside ?50bn as Youth Fund to alleviate the plight of the teeming unemployed youth by training them to acquire employable skills.

He said the ruling government would not toy with the destiny of Ghanaians and asked the NDC to think of how it could redeem its sunken image rather than playing politics with the price hikes of petroleum products.

Hameed called on the youth to make comparative analysis and see how long they had been neglected by the previous government and vote for the NPP to continue with its positive management of the economy.

Other speakers included Felix Owusu Adjepong, Minister for Communications and Technology, Nana Akufo-Addo, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Nana Ohene Ntow, Deputy Government Spokesman on Finance, Dr Francis Osafo-Mensah, Eastern Regional Minister, Nana Adi Ankama, Regional Chairman and some District Chief Executives.