Mills Ready For Jubilee House

President John Atta Mills

VICE PRESIDENT John Dramani Mahama has given the assurance that both he and the President would move into the Jubilee House as soon as arrangements were complete.

He stated, "The Chief of Staff has tasked people to do some studies to find out key organizations that would move with the Presidency, and as soon as that is completed, we shall definitely move into the Jubilee House."

Vice President Mahama, who spoke to journalists in an interview in his office, said the National Democratic Congress criticized the construction of the Jubilee House when it was in opposition because, the party felt it was not appropriate, considering the economic challenges at the time, but once it was constructed, the government had no option but to make use of it, saying "Government has the intention of occupying the Jubilee House. After all, it has already been built and it belongs to all Ghanaians, and we shall make use of it after sorting out things."

He explained that the Jubilee House was too small to contain all the offices housed at the Castle, and that was the reason why the Chief of Staff had engaged people to select those that would be sent to the new place. Vice President Mahama said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is temporarily located at the Jubilee House while government finds a permanent place for the workers.

The Vice President said the government was on the verge of securing about $500 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank adding "such monies would support the government to pay government's arrears to contractors and the Tema Oil Refinery debts."

He also said the President had tasked all the sectors to draw up programmes that would create more jobs for the youth in the coming years, and as soon as that was completed, the rate of unemployment would reduce.

He gave the assurance that government was on track in providing a onetime payment of the National Health Insurance Scheme, and would implement it before the end of the first-term of President John Evans Atta Mills. Vice President Mahama said the current drop in inflation and stability of the cedi against major currencies, was boosting the confidence of investors who are already trooping into the country.   

GNA