Government’s initiatives are not slogans but policies – Veep

By
Gifty Amofa, GNA

Accra, Jan.29, GNA –
Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has stated that government’s
initiatives, were not slogans but policies implemented to benefit Ghanaians.

He said the
programmes, such as the One District One Factory (1D1F), Planting for Food and
Jobs and Free Senior High School, were all policies put in place to protect the
vulnerable and the poor in the deprived communities.

Dr Bawumia was
addressing the Ghana-EU Political Dialogue on the theme: “Ghana and EU partners
for the future,” held in Accra on Wednesday.

He said government
in three years had passed the Right to Information bill into law, Company’s
Act, Office of the Special Prosecutor and also increased financial resources
and logistics to institutions fighting corruption, including the Commission for
Human Rights and Administrative Justice and Economic and Organised Crime
Office.

He said the Ghana
Police Service had also been resourced significantly in terms of logistics to
help fight crime, and make life better for the citizenry. 

Dr Bawumia said
government had put in place pillars that would grow the Country such as
modernizing the system as well as an all-inclusive government that is the key
to sustainability.

Government’s
introduction of the digital economy, he said, was yielding results in the fight
against corruption, citing that corruption at the port had been curbed because
the system had now become paperless.

It had curbed
corruption since its introduction at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing
Authority, Passport’s office, National Health Insurance Scheme, Hospital and
even at the Court whereby the E-Justice system was preventing missing dockets
as well as the distribution of cases automated to prevent litigants from
choosing which judge to sit on their cases. 

Dr Bawumia said
government would continue its fight against corruption in spite of what had
been achieved, adding that government can specifically point at what it had
done in the fight.

The Vice President
noted that what the current government had done concerning corruption had not
been done by any government for the past 30 to 40 years.       

He said the battle
against corruption was one that everyone must help to fight whether donor
partners or citizens.

Alhaji Bawumia gave
the European Union (EU) the assurance that Ghana would stick to its budget
before and during the upcoming general elections.

The Vice President
said government had already budgeted for various projects, which were on course
and would ensure there were no budget overrun.

Madam Shirley
Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, said
the meeting would discuss matters of interest, take stock.

She said Ghana-EU
dialogue would make room for expanding their engagement and address challenges
that may exist.

Madam Botchwey said
EU occupied a prime position in Ghana in terms of global trade and continued to
be a major trading partner as well as the leading destination for Ghana’s
exports.

The Minister said in
a fast-changing world it was a safe anchor and vital link for a modern
forward-looking and a sustainable Ghana.

She said the
dialogue was timely because government had initiated programmes aimed at
consolidating the macroeconomic environment whilst transforming the economy
through initiatives, including, One Village One Dam and formalisation of the
economy through digitization, all geared towards creating jobs for the youth.

She said Ghana was
poised to design and implement effective strategies and policies to support
rapid and inclusive economic growth, having received the right to host the
Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area. 

The Minister
solicited for the support of EU for Ghana’s candidatures for the post of
Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation for Mr Edward
Kwakwa and re-election to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination
Against Women for Madam Hilary Amesika Gbedemeh.  

Madam Diana
Acconcia, Head of the EU delegation to Ghana, said Ghana with the right
strategies in place would soon lead the way for the European-Africa
co-operation.

In attendance were
Ministers of State, Chief Directors and Directors of some Ministries, Heads of
European member countries among others.

GNA