We Share Your Frustrations - NPP

THE GENERAL Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Dan Botwe has said the party shares the frustrations of Ghanaians over economic challenges facing the majority of Ghanaians.

He conceded that Ghanaians are justified in their anxiety to see drastic turn-round in the economic fortunes of the country because of the long, avoidable economic difficulties Ghanaians have found themselves since independence.

According to him it is as a result of that that enormous pressure is mounting on the present government to perform a miracle to solve the economic problems of the country.

Mr. Botwe was speaking in Accra on Tuesday at a press conference to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the ruling party and also highlight its achievements so far.

“If Ghana was richer than a country like South Korea in terms of human and natural resources about 40 years ago, and now Ghana is nowhere near South Korea in terms of economic development, then something is fundamentally wrong with how the country is being run”, he posited.

He blamed past governments for plunging the nation into this economic mess by their actions or inactions and acknowledged that the government will have to take some time to put the appropriate corrective measures in place and bring the economic situation to normalcy.

When asked whether members of NPP will join other Ghanaians on the street to protest against the new increases in water and electricity rates if the utility service providers (Ghana Water Company and the Electricity Company of Ghana), do not give satisfactory services, the General Secretary replied that utility service providers have justified causes to ask for tariff increases to enable them to give qualitative and quantitative services to Ghanaians.

“If Ghanaians believe that there is a government which is very caring and sensitive to the plight of its people and these increases when they take place, the monies accrued will be used to improve the services, I don’t think people should go to the street” he said adding, “but if we don’t have any substantial improvement in their services, then they have the right to be unhappy”.

According to him, the priority of the NPP is not to do any public relations work for the government but to strengthen the structures of the party and help to build a better democracy for the nation.

“If there is any negative propaganda against the government, it is up to the government’s Public Relations people to react or build a good public image for the government because these PR people have been employed and being paid for that”, he emphasised.

According to him, the party and the NPP Administration have a big heart for criticisms and for that matter, the party is ready to accept constructive criticisms.

“As pace-setters of democracy, we will always safeguard freedom of expressions”, he assured.

On his part, the chairman of the party, Harona Esseku, observed that the NPP was formed out of the Progress Party (PP) to continue the visions of the PP regime which was cut short by Col. Kutu Acheampong’s coup d’etat in 1972.

According to him, the NPP’s 18-month rule has brought about a refreshing air of freedom which makes all people express their opinions on issues of national interest freely and confidently without having to look over their shoulders.

The swift move to fulfil our campaign promise of discontinuing legal suits by government against journalists, and repealing the Criminal Libel Laws have led to an expansion of the scope of press freedom, especially, and individuals freedom as a whole”, he added.

He further revealed that 42 districts in the country are being helped by government to establish “Mutual Health Organisations”, which is Health Care Insurance to replace the ‘Cash and Carry’ for which 60 health centers have been refurbished.

Mr. Esseku reiterated that 900 Junior Secondary Schools throughout the country are being refurbished whilst one school in each District is being upgraded to become model schools comparable to Mfantsipim and Achimota Schools.

On Agriculture, he said the government has made major strides most remarkable is the introduction on the Ghanaian market of Ghanaian rice that is superior in quality, in terms of taste and nutrition, than any imported variety.

He said all monies realised from the two and half VAT for the Ghana Education Trust Fund have already been paid into the fund and are being utilised for projects.