Akufo-Addo On Education: BBC's HARDtalk

Transcript of BBC's HARDtalk, by the Odikro:
Nana Akufo Addo 05 Mar 12 from the 18.59th minute to 20.33:[1]

PRESENTER: The greatest indictment, frankly, of your government, is the way in which you squandered money and left this huge hole in the budget deficit and I think you would now acknowledge that that was a profound problem the last time your party was in power?

NANA AKUFO-ADDO: No, I don't believe. I don't believe. I think that... No, I don't accept this proposition at all.

PRESENTER: I think what the Ghanaian people, it seems to me, from reading a lot of stuff from the Ghanaian press, want to know is, where exactly is the money going to come from next time around if you are in power, for some of the very extravagant promises you've made? You for example have offered free secondary schooling for all Ghanaians. A promise you say you would absolutely deliver in your four years in power?

NANA AKUFO-ADDO: Absolutely! Absolutely! Absolutely.

PRESENTER: So have you costed it? How much will it cost?”

NANA AKUFO-ADDO: The costing... the costing... is being... is being done. I mean very very soon we will be in the position.

PRESENTER: No, you must have costed it. You can't make a promise like that without costing it?

NANA AKUFO-ADDO: No, no, no, very very soon we are going to be...

PRESENTER: How much?
NANA AKUFO-ADDO: Very very soon, we are going to be... put it together. I prefer...

PRESENTER: You don't know how much?
NANA AKUFO-ADDO: I do know how much, understand, but...

PRESENTER: Oh, then tell me that?
NANA AKUFO-ADDO: I will prefer to tell the people of Ghana directly before I tell you.

PRESENTER: What do you m...? Many of them are on HARDTalk, you can tell me and they will know?

NANA AKUFO-ADDO: No, it doesn't matter, I prefer to make that statement to the people of Ghana directly first, as to the cost, and any time...

PRESENTER: So you do know the cost?
NANA AKUFO-ADDO: Oh, we do. We have a very good idea how... and how also we are going to finance it.

PRESENTER: Well Okay, you are obviously not going to give me the figures but just ell me how you are going to pay for it. Because clearly, it is going to be a great cost if you are going to train teachers, going to build new schools... ?

NANA AKUFO-ADDO: All of that have been adequately costed and we believe that first of all, the new revenues will help, more efficient management of what we have now, growth in the Ghanaian economy - these are the three sources which are going to enable us to fulfil that promise. And it is a promise that has been made solemnly to the Ghanaian people, and it is going to be solemnly kept. Not because it is a campaign promise, but because it is a necessity for the future of our country to educate all our young people.

Comments, Analysis, Evaluation, coming soon!
Forward Ever! Backwards Never!!!
Cheers!
REFERENCES:
[1] Nana Akufo Addo, HARDtalk, BBC, 05 Mar 12, Mon, 5 Mar 12, (Mon, 5 Mar 12, Duration: 24 mins, Updated: Daily, Episodes available: Indefinitely) http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/ht#playepisode2

Download 11MB (right click & "save target as / link as")