Bawumia, Ofori-Atta need to check meaning of social intervention – Haruna jabs

The Minority Leader says the Vice President and Finance Minister do not understand the meaning of social intervention.

Haruna Iddrisu says comments by Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Ken Ofori-Atta that the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) had no Social Intervention policies means they do not understand what the concept means.

Speaking at a congress organised by the NDC to elect new party executives at the International Trade Fair Centre in Accra, Saturday, he explained that the party had had lots of such programmes.

“He [Finance minister] says the NDC has no social intervention yet we contributed to quality education, healthcare delivery and reducing infant and child mortality in this country.

“Indeed in 2015, Ghana under president Mahama was awarded by the UN for halving poverty, yet a party and government which halves poverty did not contribute in any way to social intervention in the country,” he jabbed.

At the 2018 joint Annual Dinner and Dance of the United Kingdom branch of the NPP and Young Executives Forum (YEF), Dr Bawumia reiterated the resolve of the government to implement policies and programmes designed to alleviate the hardships faced by Ghanaian.

He insisted that the president has done more to mitigate the effects of any difficulties affecting Ghanaians since he assumed office 22 months ago, more than what his predecessor did in eight years of office.

Related: Show us which of your social intervention policies relieved hardship? - Bawumia taunts NDC

“Although as humans, we will continuously have needs, and thus keep expressing concerns of greater desires and pains, what is refreshing is that today, Teacher Trainees are receiving their allowances.

“Nursing trainees are receiving their allowances. BECE candidates have their registration fees paid for them. We have doubled the Capitation Grant; 100,000 unemployed graduates are now under NABCO,” he said.

Presenting the 2019 budget statement to parliament on Thursday, the Finance Minister also sought for evidence of such programmes by the opposition during their eight-year regime.

But the Tamale South MP referred the Veep and Finance minister to the Thesaurus, urging them “to look for a new different definition of social intervention” since the one they are referencing to is non-existent.

Mr Iddrisu told party members gathered at the event that chances are very bright for the NDC to come back to power since the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) are not doing well.

“The NPP house will collapse because it was built on saliva…we are told under One District One Factory programme, 79 factories have been built with zero for the Upper West Region in the 2019 budget.

“In 2018, it was 131 they promised. They said 109 will be ready, where are they? We will as a parliamentary minority continue to exercise oversight and to demand increased transparency and accountability," he said.

He went on to wish the persons contesting for positions the very best of luck urging to seek the interest of the party always.

Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com |Abubakar Ibrahim