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What Akufo-Addo Told Journalists' In 2017

Politics President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
DEC 19, 2018 LISTEN
President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

After a little over six months in office, President Akufo-Addo met journalists for the first time at the Jubilee House on July 18, 2017, taking a barrage of questions from press men and women. He will meet journalists in a similar fashion today, Wednesday, December 19, the opportunity to ask him questions he may not have adequately addressed at various forums.

2018 to enable journalists

Today’s media encounter will also provide the President an opportunity to tell Ghanaians his plans on bettering the lives of Ghanaians for the next two years.

Flashback to when it all began

In his speech preceding the Q&A with journalists in 2017, the President identified the menace of galamsey, or illegal small-scale mining, as the headline issue in his government's six months in office.

He repeated his vow to stop it and gave the assurance that the fight does not target Chinese nationals believed to be the most rampant participants in illegal mining.

"The greatest challenge we face is creating jobs,” he had said.

He said job creation will determine his government's success, but reposed hope in his brilliant Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s, capabilities. Dr Bawumia is in charge of the Economic Management Team.

Read: Media Encounter: Avle, Pratt and Moomen questions adjudged 'the best'

He also said in his speech that he knew the economy is Ghana's biggest challenge.

"I was still shocked about the state of the economy we found," he said.

He thanked Parliament for the speed in approving his 110 ministers.

Read the full speech here.

Answers to questions

Question (TV3 journalist): How critical is galamsey to you especially since you have put your political career on the line?

Answer: The question provides its own answer. He says the destruction caused by illegal mining is obvious to everyone. It is simply his duty to do something about it. His alarm reached a tipping point when a chairman of a sub-committee in Cabinet Prof. Frimpong Boateng went to a meeting in Ivory Coast and returned with a message that galamsey in Ghana is affecting water supply in Ivory Coast.

Peace FM journalist: In your view what did you think you did to win a Gender champion award

Answer: I forgot to pose the same question to the AU commissioner. This is an area I want to do better. I have not been able to reach the 30% benchmark for the appointment of women in his government. He says his appointment of a first-ever female Chief of Staff could be a part. But the award is to inspire him to do more.

EIB journalist: Law schools writing exams. There is a turf war between law students and the law school. What can the President do to intervene?

A-G comes in to answer: She says judges and attorneys threatening to strike are entitled to their allowances as directed by the National Labour Commission. What was not clear was the exact increment they are asking for. We needed to ascertain the level of increases. We have been able to obtain that and we have passed that on to the Finance Minister. They are challenged by some demands.

There is only one school of law yet accreditations are given to many institutions. It is not possible to absorb a large number of LLB graduates seeking to enter law school for a professional qualification. We need to open up without sacrificing quality.

Citi FM Bernard Avle: Gov't has gone for 1bn cedi bond. $2.5bn, $2.4bn bond to clear legacy debt, 17.4bn cedi bond totalling 40bn cedis in six months. We have borrowed almost half of our GDP. Why are we borrowing this much? Where are our internal resources?

Bawumia: Deficit was 9.4% GDP n 2016. Deficit is expected to reach 6.5% GDP which brings down the debt stock. From 2012 to 2016, gov't was adding 6.5% of GDP to debt stock. After inheriting 72% of GDP to debt ratio, the government wants to bring it to under 71% in 2016.

He says the GIFMIS system is ensuring that the government does not spend on projects it has not planned and budgeted for. The debt stock in terms of its impact on the economy is not increasing also because the government is not borrowing domestically which would have affected interest rates. But the rates are dropping.

Metro TV: What is the gov't doing about open defecation and encroachment on public lands. [To summarise a long winding question]

Answer: The President wants the Railway Development Minister, Joe Ghartey, to engage communities where railway areas have been encroached upon by residents. The attitude is not to use force.

Asempa FM KABA: A lot of your critics and admirers say you are a very wild person. That wild nature about the President seems to have been fizzled out?

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Answer: There is nothing wild about me. Kwesi Pratt is here. Yes, a man of strong views as small as I am. [Laughs]. If that is the idea of a wild person then it has not changed.

OMAN FM: Some Ghanaian are unhappy that appointees of the previous government are still at post.

Answer: He says those hindering his vision, obviously must leave. But for him, if you are there in the public service it is because the appointee despite his political background is working with the vision in place.

Adom FM Captain Smart: Only 31 ambulances work in this country. We are losing lives because of the lack of ambulances. What are you doing to save the situation and finally when is the Woyome money coming back?

Answer: He says the day of reckoning will come for Woyome.

BBC World service: Are you not concerned about the size of your government?

Answer: He is not worried about it. The real issue of the capacity of the minister to take hold of the ministry and get it to work to improve the lives of the average Ghanaian. It is about results.

Daily Guide: I have not seen a single person prosecuted since you took office. Are you waiting for the creation of the Special Prosecutor or you are still gathering evidence?

Answer: There are a lot of allegations about people in office. If we are to go along with allegations, the courts may expose them in court as hollow. I will not accept prosecutions to satisfy political purposes but only those with strong evidence the lawyers can use to secure a conviction. There is a lot of work being done. It will see the light of day. They will not be flimsy exercises. There are several in the pipeline that I am aware of. It is not a question of waiting for the Special Prosecutor. But making sure the cases are strong.

Kencity media: Is there anything in the NIA system that will allow people to vote without moving across the country to vote during elections.

Answer: Everything about voting systems are not in my hands.

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Photo: Kwesi Pratt arms folded

Insight Kwesi Pratt: [There is laughter] Will your government bow to Moroccan pressure to join ECOWAS despite it being a colonial power?

Answer: Ghana supports Morroco's bid to join AU. The matter to do with ECOWAS is the issue now. It has not happened before to have an application such as the Moroccan one. We will make our voice heard at the proper time.

GTV Moomen: Almost nothing has been said about free SHS today. There are concerns that there is a grade cut-off point for students seeking admission into SHS. If you don't make the grade you may not benefit. Is there any goal-post shifting going on?

Answer: No comment today because the program has been spelt out in a series of public engagement. The minister will once again set out the modalities in some 10 days time. The policy is for those who are accepted in the senior high schools. There is nothing about cut-off points. Get admission, benefit from the policy - simple.

I am not a hoodwinker. I am not a con man. I am an honest person.

Abusua FM Kwame Adinkra: He likes the announcement that capitation system of healthcare will be ditched. Roads in Kumasi are in a terrible state. He praises the President's fabric.

Answer: He says the government has decided to end it. But 'the when' is for the Health Minister to announce.

He says to his political opponent Kwesi Pratt that he might turn 'Freddie' alluding to the CPP leader who crossed carpet to join the NPP and is now acting National Chairman of the NPP.

Adom FM Afia Pokuaa: Are we safe following incident of bugging of a minister's office?

Answer: You have to ask Inusah Fuseini whether we are safe. [Laughter erupts]

EIB Nana Aba Anamoah: Your MP Kennedy Agyapong has been very critical of the government. How do you feel about his comments and internal wranglings in the party?

Answer: NPP internal wrangling is as old as man. He is not surprised by the direction of Kennedy Agyapong's views.

EIB reporter: Is ENI under investigations after the NPP sent a letter to the Italian government about the cost of the John Agyekum FPSO?

Joy FM Evans Mensah: How many jobs have you created in the last six months?

Answer: I would be surprised if I would be able to answer the question. But if you ask me in 18 months I would be in a better position to answer. We all have to be very frank. I am thinking more about private sector jobs, not the public employer.

Bawumia answers a question about the Vice-President's $14m mansion. "I have not been there. I don't think there is any work going on. It probably does not make sense to leave the project idle. We are negotiating the contract sum from the position that the quoted amount is too much," he said.

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Photo: Dr Mahamudu Bawumia

Bloomberg Ghana reporter: How much of a blessing has the IMF program been in the context of building Ghana without aid yet you accept aid from China?

Answer: The IMF program will not be extended after it expires in 2018. There is going to be no question after the end of the IMF. We would then be on our own. He says Ghana will continue to use aid but the goal is to grow beyond aid, he corrects Bloomberg report.

Source: Ghana | Myjoyonline.com

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