A Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye has described the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as a credible party which fulfils its promises to the citizenry.
According to him, the NPP had since the era of President J.A. Kuffour, initiated policies and programmes that had transformed the lives of ordinary Ghanaians in fulfilment of its manifesto promises.
Addressing members of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) branch of the Tertiary Students Confederacy of the NPP (TESCON) at the weekend, Mr Asenso-Boakye, who is also the Political Assistant to the President, indicated that an assessment of the manifesto pledges of the NPP and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) over the years justified his point.
Programmes
He mentioned the transformation of Ghana’s economy from a low income to a middle-income economy, the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law, introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme among other pro-poor policies as key pledges that were honoured by the Kufour administration.
Similarly, he said, the Akufo-Addo administration had since 2017, initiated a number of programmes in fulfilment of its manifesto promises ahead of the 2016 elections.
Notable among them, he said, was the introduction of the Free SHS Policy, Planting for Food and Jobs, and One- District One-Factory, all of which, he added, were landmark policies aimed at alleviating poverty among the people.
“As TESCON president in 1999, I invited then Hon Nana Akufo-Addo to address students of KNUST and he mentioned three promises on behalf of the then candidate J.A. Kufuor and the NPP. The first was moving Ghana from a low income economy to a middle income economy. Second was the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law and the third was abolishing the cash and carry system in the health sector and the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and School Feeding Programme among others.
“The current government is fulfilling most of its campaign promises. The introduction of Free SHS, One-District-One Factory, Planting for Food and Jobs among others are landmark policy interventions that will alleviate poverty,” he told the gathering.
Access to education
Presenting the government’s 2020 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, the Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta revealed that 1.2 million Ghanaian students would have had access to secondary education by 2020, justifying the spending of GH¢2.2billion.
In addition, he said that 1.1 million people had directly benefited from the Planting for Food and Jobs programme, while 181 companies have benefited from support under the 1D1F programme.
Mr Asenso-Boakye urged TESCON members to uphold the principles of sacrifice, service and patriotism in their quest to take up leadership positions in future and contribute to national development.
Describing members as the future of the party, he encouraged them to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the group as the platform had produced many distinguished political leaders including, Mr Isaac Asiamah, Minister of Youth & Sports; Mr Charles Owiredu, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and Mr Martin Agyei-Mensah Korsah, Deputy Minister for Regional Reorganisation & Development.
He also encouraged TESCON members to rally behind the party to win the 2020 elections for the transformation of the country.