Nana Akuffo Addo has disclose his Priority areas of governance to the USA Ambassador to Ghana.
When asked by Ambassador Jackson for his three priority areas should Ghanaians entrust the mandate of leadership into his care in the elections of November, Nana Akufo-Addo stated that his first priority will be to revive Ghana’s ailing economy, and subsequently transform it from a raw material producing one to a value added economy
. The revival of the economy means the reintroduction of discipline in our fiscal management and in our monetary policy so that the right conditions for production can be created
Expanding agricultural production, and the resultant increase in export revenues and farmers’ incomes, through the introduction of other major cash crops in addition to cocoa, akin to the initiatives that have been undertaken in neighbouring Cote d’Ivoire, will be another major priority of an Akufo-Addo government.
“Tackling the issue of corruption in our country will be yet another major focus of my government. Now, the Institutions of governance in our country are working at low levels. We need to assure our people that we are not coming into office to rip off the State, but to improve their well-being. In this regard, I plan to establish an office of an Independent Special Prosecutor to tackle corruption in a non-partisan manner. I also plan to ensure that my appointees and I are held to an acceptable standard of conduct.”
Hon. Isaac Osei, the Minority Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, who was also present at the meeting, commended the US for Millennium Challenge Account Compact programme signed with Ghana, as it had impacted greatly on the lives of Ghanaians. He further hoped that other “mini-compacts” that were signed between the two countries, from July to December 2015, in specific sectors of the economy, would be expanded to cover other aspects of national life as well. Ambassador Jackson indicated the willingness of the US government to respond to specific needs to reinforce the good relations between our two countries.
Hon. Ayorkor Botchway, the MP for Anyaa Sowutuom and former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, in her brief remarks, urged the new Ambassador to take a special interest in Ghana, especially in this election year, just as US officials took in the process leading to the recent Nigerian elections.
“Because Ghana has gained a reputation as a beacon of peace and stability, many people are of the view that nothing can go wrong in Ghana. On the surface, it may look peaceful, but there are simmering undercurrents which need to be addressed. We need to protect our democracy and the US must help in this regard.”
Nana Akufo-Addo, in concluding the meeting, reiterated the NPP’s commitment to a peaceful election in Ghana. He thanked Ambassador Jackson for the courtesy of his visit and asked the Ambassador to extend his regards to US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
Present at the meeting were Hon. Isaac Osei, MP for Subin and Minority Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs; Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, MP for Anyaa Sowutuom and former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs; Boakye Agyarko, Policy Adviser to Nana Akufo-Addo; Charles Owiredu, Director of International Relations of the NPP; Saratu Atta, Executive Assistant to Nana Akufo-Addo; Francis Asenso-Boakye, Political Assistant to Nana Akufo-Addo; and Eugene Arhin, Press Secretary.
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