President Akufo-Addo In A Photograph With The Members Of The Millennium Development Authority Board (Mida),
At The Jubilee House
President Akufo-Addo has charged the newly constituted governing board of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) to prioritise the implementation phase of the GH¢100 billion Ghana COVID-19 Alleviation and Revitalization of Enterprises Support (CARES) “Obaatan pa” programme.
MiDA is the body selected by the Ministry of Finance to manage the “Obaatan Pa” CARES programme, a three and half year comprehensive programme to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, return the country to a sustained path of robust growth and to create a more resilient and transformed economy.
Addressing the ten-member MiDA governing board at the Jubilee House after administering the oaths of secrecy and of office, President Akufo-Addo said the Finance Ministry’s decision in selecting MiDA as the implementing body for the [“Obaatan Pa” CARES programme], is a recognition of MiDA’s track record in effective programme management and in its capacity to handle the related accountabilities”.
As the coordinating entity for the enclave projects, MiDA is expected to adopt and follow the same systematic approaches to project management that characterised the project implementation of the compact projects.
On the participation of the private sector, President Akufo-Addo, observed that “it is also [his] expectation that the decision to highlight the participation of private sector investors in activities within the enclaves’ will ensure its sustainability”.
On behalf of her colleagues, Chairperson of the MiDA governing board, Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu, thanked the President for the appointment.
The new role of the board which is to coordinate the economic enclave project according to Professor Ntiamoa-Baidu is an innovative project that seeks to fill gaps in Ghana’s staple food production and minimise food importation.
“[The economic enclave project] is a concrete demonstration of the famous statement of the President during the COVID-19 that you know how to bring the economy back to life.” This project will definitely contribute to reviving the Ghanaian economy,” Professor Ntiamoa-Baidu said.
“We trust in your commitment and dedication to our dear country. We believe in the strategies that you and your government are putting in place to revive our economy, therefore, we pledge our full support, dedication, and commitment to ensure that MiDA delivers on its new mandate” the MiDA board chairperson added.
The Board
The governing board of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) has Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu, as chairperson and nominee of the President, Mr. Martin Eson-Benjamin, Chief Executive Officer, MIDA, Bryan Acheampong, Minister for Food and Agriculture, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, representative from the Ministry of Finance, and K.T. Hammond, Minister for Trade and Industry.
The rest are Dan Botwe, Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation & Rural Development, Abudu Lariba Zuweira, Minister Gender, Children & Social Protection, Osei Assibey Antwi, Executive Director, National Service Secretariat, Dr. Kwasi Humphrey Ayim-Darke, representative of the Association of Ghana Industries and Mark Badu-Aboagye representative of the Private Enterprise Foundation.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent