President Akufo-Addo with Chief Imam and Dr. Bawumia. Picture by Gifty Ama Lawson
President Akufo-Addo is more than confident the economy of the country will bounce back sooner than later.
Already, he says “things are getting better” and that his government will continue to pursue policies and programmes that will ensure that “things get better.”
This was when he addressed a large section of Muslim faithful after Eid prayers at the Independence Square in Accra yesterday.
He said the attitude and commitment by government in maintaining flagship policies, programmes and evolving new strategies in the face of economic crisis that enabled it secure International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme in record time remain same in navigating the turbulence that led the economy to grow by 4.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2023.
In spite of the hardship brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the President said government would stand by its major policy commitments, saying “we have continued to keep the lights on, we have continued to provide free SHS education.”
He, therefore, gave his word that government will continue with services such as drone delivery of critical medicines to needy and remote communities, keep the operation of the Zongo Development Fund, build new and repair old roads and accelerate work on ‘One District, One Factory’ policy as well as the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’.
Aside securing the IMF programme in record time and growing the economy by 4.2 percent in the first quarter of 2023, President Akufo-Addo said the currency has seen some stability lately, and that through the gold for oil programme, “we’ve seen the stability in the prices of petroleum products as well, all of which are helping to bring inflation down” whilst assuring that things would get better.
He reiterated his commitment to all religious communities, both majority and minority, that just as the constitution offers every citizen the right to manifest a religion of their choice, he as President would respect that.
Vice President
He indicated that, having two Muslim Vice Presidents in the two New Patriotic Party (NPP) governments should be a clear indication to Muslim parents that there was value in educating their children.
That, he said, should encourage all that government and for that matter the nation afforded all children the opportunity to rise to the highest possible calling.
The President therefore encouraged parents to take advantage of progressive policies in the education sector to educate both male and female children.
President Akufo-Addo gave the examples of Ghana’s ambassador to the United States of America, Hajia Alima Mahama and the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Lariba Zuweira Abudu, adding that there is value in educating the Muslim girl-child.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, urged Christians to abide by the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed, eschew wrong doings and abide by the example of Abraham in obeying to the command of God and sacrifice.
In attendance were the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, ministers of state, the German Ambassador, Daniel Krull, the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu and some Muslim clerics.
Eid-ul-Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice is the second and the larger of the two main holidays celebrated in Islam. It honours the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice one of his sons, Ishmael, as an act of obedience to God’s command.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent