The state of Ghana is not any better today than when it was handed over to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The challenges persist in their shape and form.
The President has correctly identified areas where Ghana needs to work on if it was to develop, but solutions have not been swift as one would have expected.
The unemployment rate is on the rise, general economic hardship, insecurity and disillusion of voters is growing by the minute.
If you take the unemployment situation, there is no denying that the country continues to be plagued by growing joblessness of its people. More disappointing is that graduates who are leaving school are not guaranteed any job after their studies. President Akufo-Addo’s solution to create a congenial business climate for companies to expand and for new ones to be setup has not yielded the needed results as more youth remain unemployed.
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) is right to complain about the vulnerability of the country’s institutions but the President’s inaction on matters of security is already undermining the independence of the courts. His failure to weigh in on NPP supporters who have made it almost a funfair to unleash violent attacks on their members and opposition members is disheartening.
Although President Akufo-Addo played no role in the attacks his failure to stamp them out has the potency to affect his government.
He also promised to dredged the country of corruption and its many forms which struck a chord in Ghanaians that something was going to be done about the major development obstacle, but nothing concrete has been done.
So now it’s been six months since Ghanaians entrusted the destiny of the nation into the hands of the President.
There’s no doubt the then opposition leader made juicy and ambitious promises to the citizens. The President has to deliver.
But Akufo-Addo Tracker asks if the government is getting closer to fulfilling promises made to the people.
These are some actions the President has taken within the period under review. These include;
- Reduction of eight taxes described as nuisance such as duties on spare parts and 17.5 percent VAT on domestic travel among others.
- Launch of government’s Planting for Food and Jobs.
- Initiate steps to secure $15 billion Chinese facility to start the one district, one factory programme.
- Draft of the Office of the Independent Prosecutor Bill has been done and discussions being held on same.
While these steps taken by the President constitute the thrust of his ambitious policies, it is the opinion of Akufo-Addo Tracker that actions have been slow which might affect their impact in a timeous manner.
It’s the message of Akufo-Addo Tracker to Ghanaians to be leery of proclamations by government that it will fix the challenges in the system.
Statistics have it that job growth in the country continues to be anemic and more workers are suffering because of poor salary.
But the President has a four-year term to deliver on his campaign promises. His re-election bid will be dependent on the things he has done to the delight of Ghanaians.
President Akufo-Addo has to learn to manage expectations of the citizens since it could lead to his downfall.
Ghana is yet to sight a magic solution to its many problems because gvernment after the other have come speaking big and claiming to have the solution but they ended up messing up the system.
If government is to succeed, Akufo-Addo Tracker believes caution and due diligence grounded on thorough feasibility studies are the sure way to fulfill the many ambitious programmes such as the free senior high school, transformation of Zongo and Inner cities with Zongo Development and Planting for Food and Jobs.
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Akufo-Tracker is dedicated to neutrally reviewing the actions of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and comparing them to his promises made on the campaign trail. Follow Akufo-Addo Tracker on Instagram: @realbrakopowers. It is written by Austin Brakopowers a journalist with Joy99.7FM. Views expressed here are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the position of The Multimedia Group or Myjoyonline.com.