Thursday, June 25, 2009

TOURISM CAN BE OUR SAVIOUR (JUNE 25, 2009)

FOR some time now tourism has become a major foreign exchange earner for the country.
Indeed, it is said that after cocoa, gold and non-traditional exports, tourism rakes in a lot of foreign exchange.
In 2004, the contribution of the tourism sector to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 4.9 per cent. In 2007, about 1,000,000 visitors were expected in the country and the sector was to generate about $1.5 billion.
The tourism sector can do better if some of the challenges afflicting the industry are resolved. As we set out to resolve the challenges, it is also important for us as a people to sell what is unique about Ghana to the outside world.
Sometimes, in our efforts to compete with the outside world, we tend to give them what they are familiar with, instead of marketing tourist sites that are unique to our tradition, culture and values.
It is against this backdrop that we must support the ambitious tourism strategy of the Ministry of Tourism which is aimed at making Ghana the most preferred tourist destination in West Africa.
The three-year marketing strategy spanning 2009-2012 is anchored on the campaign theme, "Ghana - Culture, warmth and much more", and is expected to lure international and local tourists to savour the rich Ghanaian culture, proverbial warm hospitality and a repertorie of its splendid tourist endowment.
The ambition is to increase tourist arrivals in the country from the current 600,000 to at least one million by 2012, a target whose achievement is likely to propel Ghana up the tourism ladder in West Africa ahead of Senegal, which at the moment is considered to be the most preferred tourist destination in the sub-region.
Ghana is endowed with attractive tourist sites such as beaches, waterfalls, game reserves and parks and the biggest man-made lake in the world. The warm hospitality of the Ghanaian is second to none, while our festivals offer diverse attraction to the tourists.
These events and geographical landmarks can attract tourists from far and near if they are properly marketed. Most of the tourist sites are inaccessible and they also lack the facilities that will make tourists feel at home.
Tourists are prepared to pay money to visit tourists sites provided they will have value for money. Our beaches attract many foreigners and yet we are unable to make enough money from them because they pose an environmental hazard to those who patronise them.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, endorses the suggestion by the Minister of Tourism, Mrs Julian Azumah-Mensah, for the adoption of a national marketing approach by branding Ghana and selling it to the world.
To begin with, the hospitality industry requires an overhaul to ensure that our hotels, restaruants and car rental services place the interest of their clients above all other considerations.
If the customer is always right, as they say, then every effort must be put in place to ensure customer satisfaction.
We urge the government to provide the necessary support for the Ministry of Tourism to market the potential in the sector, particularly during this challenging time.
The advantage in promoting the tourism sector is that unlike our gold, timber, cocoa, as well as non-traditional exports, whose prices are dictated by the international community, the benefits we derive from tourism depend on how well we package and market the attractions to the outside world.
The time has come for the country to put in some extra efforts to develop our tourist sites so that the country can derive the maximum benefits from our heritage.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

STRENGTHENING THE NYEP (JUNE 25, 20090

YOUTH employment is one of the biggest challenges facing the country.
Our communities and major streets in the cities have large armies of unemployed youth engaged in menial and unproductive labour. In recent times, the unemployment problem has been compounded by graduate unemployment.
The unemployment challenge does not seem to go away because while the universities try to empower the youth with entrepreneurial skills, the youth are unable to establish their own businesses because of lack of credit facilities.
The NDC government has pledged to provide jobs for the teeming masses. Indeed, its pledges of creating jobs and investing in people were part of the social contract it signed with the electorate in the 2008 electioneering.
The unemployed youth will certainly be looking up to the government to provide the avenues for jobs so that they can take care of themselves and their families.
To this group of people, the assurance by the government that it has no plans to terminate the employment contract of beneficiaries of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) is a welcome relief.
The National Co-ordinator of the NYEP, Mr Abuga Pele, said in Accra yesterday that the NYEP planned to recruit an additional 100,000 youth between July 2009 and January 2010.
Since its inception in 2006 the programme has registered 332,500 youth.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to transform the NYEP into a permanent, better-funded employment agency, adding that there were also plans to implement appropriate plans for the career progression and professional development of beneficiaries.
The DAILY GRAPHIC concedes that there are teething problems confronting the NYEP, such as the existence of ghost names and the delay in the payment of allowances to beneficiaries.
We add our voice to the call on the government to take the necessary steps to streamline the operations of the NYEP to weed out cheats from the system.
Therefore, the decision by the programme to engage in a head count exercise will expose the ghost names in the programme’s pay voucher, as well as their agents in other state institutions.
The unemployment problem cannot be resolved by the NYEP alone. The solution lies in inter-sectoral collaboration, so that all hands can be on deck to create jobs for the youth.
The growing unemployment rate can be a source of social conflict, political upheavals and a rise in the crime rate, for it is said that the devil finds work for idle hands.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is aware of the serious economic challenges confronting the country which make it difficult for the government to expand the economy to create jobs and wealth for the people. Our standpoint is that the unemployment problem, if left unresolved, can derail the gains so far made.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, encourages the government to support the NYEP to resolve the teething challenges so that it can be a source of sustainable employment and incomes for the youth.
The assurance by the National Co-ordinator of the NYEP should lay to rest fears that many beneficiaries will lose their jobs. The future of the NYEP and its beneficiaries are guaranteed.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

TOWARDS INDUSTRIAL HARMONY (JUNE 23, 2009)

ORGANISED labour has expressed concern over the lack of government’s commitment towards the determination and payment of salaries for public sector employees for this year.
However, the good news is that the government has indicated its readiness to resume salary negotiations with public sector workers this week.
It is an undeniable fact that workers are now reeling under the high cost of living occasioned largely by the recent increases in the prices of petroleum products, spiralling inflation levels, as well as the erosion of the real value of the cedi.
Much as the DAILY GRAPHIC believes that organised labour has the legitimate right to undertake any lawful action when and where necessary to back its demands for higher wages, it is our contention that it is too early for it to threaten industrial action, particularly at a time when the fundamentals of the economy are weak and the country is saddled with huge expenditure.
Nonetheless, we salute workers for having maintained a relative peaceful industrial atmosphere over the years, despite the intermittent agitation for improved salaries. Industrial harmony is key to the national effort to increase productivity and any breaches can be inimical to the national progress.
For this reason we urge organised labour to exercise restraint and work in concert with the government to resolve any outstanding issues for industrial harmony and peace to prevail. Any miscalculations could undermine the fortunes of the national economy.
The thrust of any meaningful negotiation largely depends on transparency on the part of the parties and their commitment to implement the agreements reached at the end of the process.
While labour is demanding a 25 per cent salary increase, the government is currently examining the implications of such a request on the national economy.
The DAILY GRAPHIC does not want to pre-empt the outcome of the negotiations but we advise the parties to approach the process with open-mindedness, since entrenched positions can thwart the discussions.
We ask the government to quicken the pace of the discussions, otherwise any increment can be eroded by rising inflation and cost of living. All the parties should recognise the essence of compromise in any negotiations because any group that is not ready for a compromise should not submit to a roundtable discussion.
The DAILY GRAPHIC pleads with all parties involved in the ongoing salary negotiations to be frank, open and dispassionate in their discussions, taking into account the collective interest of the larger society.
At the end of it all, the outcome of the negotiations must be a win-win situation, not one in which one party will feel cheated.
As organised labour and representatives of the government and the Fair Wages Commission meet this week to resume salary negotiations, everything must be done to avoid an inconclusive outcome.
This calls for commitment to the process of salary negotiations, open-door discussions and seriousness on the part of the parties in order to guarantee industrial harmony in the country.

NO PROCRASTINATION (JUNE 23, 2009)

THE floods that hit Accra at the weekend exposed the inefficiencies of statutory authorities in the city.
On umpteen times, the Daily Graphic has had to draw attention to the dangers posed by encroachment on watercourses and other areas designated for public use other than dwelling and office accommodation.
Nobody heeded our appeals because, just as the vulture promises to put up houses in the rainy season but forgets about the shelter in the dry season, so did we also fail to prepare for the rainy day.
So far, the casualty levels appear manageable. Provident has been on our side, to the extent that we are yet to experience long hours and days of torrential rainfall associated with countries in South East Asia such as India, China and Bangladesh.
Even with the two to three-hour rainfall on Friday, the havoc is catastrophic; seven lives have been lost, while property destroyed runs into millions of cedis.
Part of the main Obetsebi-Lamptey Circle-Kaneshie-Odokor road has been rendered unmotorable because the flood waters removed the asphaltic surface, creating vehicular traffic, while shops and garages were inundated with water. Residential facilities were not spared, rendering many people homeless.
Now that some people have lost their lives and some property destroyed, our public officials have responded quickly with assurances to repair the damage caused to public property and provide relief items for those who have been displaced by the floods.
In Accra and elsewhere, many streams and rivers traverse the cities, but in cities where the local authorities have value for the streams, they have maintained their original status to help promote tourism.
The Odaw River in Accra has the potential to generate revenue for the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) if the water front is developed for recreational activities. Institutions and individuals will pay to erect any facility, including food joints and billboards, in front of the Odaw River and the revenue which will accrue will assist the AMA to maintain the aesthetic beauty of the river.
But what do we see? The rivers have been polluted with industrial waste, faecal matter and garbage generated by the residents.
Some residents have also encroached on watercourses by erecting unauthorised kiosks and other structures for commercial activities and for residential accommodation.
The Korle Lagoon Restoration Project has been stalled because squatters at Sodom and Gomorrah have refused to vacate the place for the project to continue.
The Daily Graphic recalls exercises initiated few years ago to demolish structures on watercourses in some parts of Accra but sections of society kicked against the move.
Although a few of the houses were demolished, some residents of Anyaa placed a court injunction on the exercise.
We should encourage the rule of law, but since it is a generally held view that “he who calls for equity must go with clean hands”, we urge all Ghanaians, particularly residents of Accra, to respect the rules governing the erection of structures.
Floods and their attendant problems will continue to be part of our daily endeavours during rainy seasons if we fail to clear all unauthorised structures in the city.
To begin with, city authorities can commence the exercise along the watercourses, major roads and railway lines and demolish all unapproved structures.
If we fail to enforce the laws of the country which frown on the construction of structures at unauthorised places, Friday’s catastrophe will keep knocking at our door.
The Daily Graphic believes that the city authorities will not wait for another catastrophe before they begin pontificating about what to do to maintain discipline and order in the city.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

REDUCING DOCTOR-PATIENT RATIO (JUNE 20, 2009)

THE country’s doctor-patient ratio is far below the standard set by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Statistics indicate that the doctor-patient ratio in Ghana is 1:13,000, a figure far below the WHO global standard pegged at 1:5,000.
The situation in the country has been worsened by the exodus of health professionals, particularly doctors, to seek greener pastures in more developed economies.
Every government has been concerned about the health of the people, for which reason various policies have been put in place to improve the health status of the people.
Apart from the premier medical school of the University of Ghana, the country can now boast four public medical schools and other health training institutions throughout the country. The private sector has also invested in the training of health professionals.
These initiatives all go to buttress the commitment of the government to promote better access to health care. After all,, it is said that “a sound mind lives in a healthy body” and, therefore, the state has a duty to seek better health care for the people so that they can contribute more to productivity.
Besides education, the health bill of any country is very high, even in countries where a health insurance scheme is in operation, and Ghana is no exception.
It is, therefore, worrying that over the last three years no medical doctor has accepted posting to the Upper East Region, while the handful of doctors and other health providers there are seeking transfer to other parts of the country.
The challenge is not peculiar to the Upper East Region, as the Upper West and Northern regions are confronted with a similar challenge.
According to figures released in 2008 by Dr J. Koku Awoonor-Williams, the Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, the Upper East Region had a doctor-patient ratio of 1:29,000, the Upper West 1:44,000 and the Northern Region 1:93,000.
Health workers and other public sector employees are unwilling to accept posting to certain parts of the country, particularly areas considered to be deprived. Consequently, we have classrooms without teachers and hospitals without health professionals dotted in certain parts of the country. This challenge deprives certain parts of the country of their fair share of the national cake. Meanwhile, there are scores of public servants in urban areas contributing very little to the national economy.
To attract public servants, particularly health workers and teachers, to deprived areas, the government has always introduced some incentive packages for workers who accept postings to such areas.
Unfortunately, this policy has done very little to attract teachers and health professionals to deprived areas of the country. Perhaps the time has come to take another look at the policy if it has failed to make the desired impact.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls on the government to commit more resources to improve conditions in the rural areas. The road network, schools, potable water sources, electricity, as well as recreational facilities, must be improved in such areas so that a transfer does not appear to be a punishment.
The paper also calls on public servants to accept to serve our people in the remotest parts of the country as a sign of appreciation for the people of those areas for contributing tremendously to the creation of our national wealth.
It is about time professional bodies in the country helped to end the denial of basic services such as health and education to the people.

Friday, June 19, 2009

SAVE OUR LOCAL INDUSTRIES (JUNE 19, 2009)

THE government of the First Republic introduced the import substitution industrialisation policy in order to end our reliance on the industrialised world.
For this reason, our first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, established industries across the length and breadth of the country to create jobs and provide for the needs of the people.
Critics of that policy held the view that instead of establishing industrial plants throughout the country, the government should have expanded the raw material base to feed the factories.
From the beginning, the factories performed at optimum capacity producing for the local market and for export. During that period industrial zones were developed in the three major cities of Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi.
It is unfortunate that the concerns of the critics of the industrialisation policy of the First Republic were ignored. But the reality soon caught up with us when we could not sustain the capacities of the industries. The economic difficulties of the late 1960s compelled managers of most of the companies to fold up because they could not import raw materials in the absence of a local raw material base.
Also, the era of globalisation meant stiff competition from the outside world. Perhaps the last straw that broke the camel’s back was the unbridled liberalisation of the 1980s when our exchange regime was relaxed and traders were encouraged to import all manner of goods.
Our inability to protect our local industries, including the rice and poultry sectors, has brought us to a situation where virtually all our local industries have collapsed.
It is a sad commentary that after 52 years of independence our country has become a dumping ground, making it difficult for local industries to compete.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is, therefore, not surprised that today 21 textile factories in the country have collapsed due to the influx of imported textiles.
The cheap textile imports appear to have plunged the local industries into a more difficult situation which has witnessed a drastic drop in the production of textiles from 150 million metres to 25 million metres now and a further 60 per cent drop in textile sector employment.
It is against this background that we commend the initiative being co-ordinated by Pot Potpourri Productions to save the local textile industry from total collapse.
This campaign must not be limited to the local textile industry but must be extended to all sectors in order to save jobs and incomes.
We know that with a population of 22 million, our market is small, making the cost of production high. But as a nation we can make a pledge to use only what we produce locally to help grow our economy.
As we revive the campaign for locally produced items, we should revisit earlier initiatives by the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) for the patronage of made-in-Ghana goods.
That initiative and others such as the Friday Wear Campaign did not make any meaningful impact because there was no commitment from our leaders.
We are not going to succeed in any endeavour if we are afraid to even take the first step. We do not want to recommend the policy of autarky but in this globalised world it will be economically prudent to encourage our people to develop a taste for locally produced goods and services.
The whole world is leaning towards integration, which means that we must open our markets to the outside world. But we need to develop policies that will safeguard the interest of the businessmen and women who put their money into supporting the local economy.
However, there is the need for a clear-cut policy direction to save our industries, coupled with a pledge by consumers to patronise made-in-Ghana goods.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

MORAL CRUSADE, A MUST (JUNE 18, 2009)

THE Church has a big stake in the country’s development agenda, particularly at this time when indiscipline and moral ineptitude are on the increase.
Every day we accuse politicians of abusing political power, corruption and other social vices, and yet the question of moral decadence cuts across all facets of society.
Some members of the clergy who are supposed to assume the moral high ground and provide leadership to get us closer to God are themselves involved in the worst forms of moral indiscipline, such as rape, robbery and teaching of hate doctrine.
We have unscrupulous characters in the Judiciary, the media and the security agencies. Some security personnel even go to the extent of assisting criminals to commit crime for material and selfish gain.
Similarly, the Civil Service and traditional authorities cannot escape blame for the breakdown of the moral fibre of our society.
Receiving a delegation from the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) at the Castle, Osu, last Tuesday, President J.E.A. Mills recommended stronger state-church relations in a collective effort to combat what he described as moral laxity in the country.
The appeal from the President is timely because the Church and the state have the responsibility to help in the character formation of the youth.
We cannot expect a crime-free society because we are humans. Perhaps a crime-free society can only be expected of angels, not mere mortals like us who live on this side of the universe.
In a society where majority of the people adhere to some belief system, such as Christianity, Islam and African traditional religion, it behoves all of us to try and do what is sanctioned by law and our conscience.
We call on the clergy to put their house in order and lead in the national crusade for a moral rejuvenation.
The Christian Council, the Pentecostal Council, the Catholic Bishops Conference, the Muslim Council, as well as other religious organisations, should not only be pontificating about the evils in the society but they must also serve as a fountain of moral values and set examples for others to emulate.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls on them to institute measures to deal with recalcitrant ones in their fold as part of the effort towards the restoration of our moral and time-tested traditional values.
Many social psychologists agree that human beings are innately evil. Therefore, given unbridled freedom and without checks and balances, there is the highest temptation for people to breach the law and engage in acts of indiscipline.
The state should, therefore, put in place systems to check waywardness and punish and shame wrongs in the society.
The situation where the rich and well-connected could easily get away with their crimes, while the poor are punished for even minor offences, must give way to equity and equality before the law.
Elsewhere, institutions and systems put in place to control the behaviour of people are made to work and, therefore, irrespective of one's standing in society, one cannot get away with crime.
Since the behaviour of people is sometimes influenced by the society in which they live, we endorse President Mills’s call to the Church to continue to embark on social and economic programmes intended to enrich the lives of the people and make useful suggestions which could be factored into the government’s development agenda.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks this move will help to forge a viable partnership between the state and Church and contribute to the material and physical well-being of the people.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

AVEYIME CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE (JUNE 17, 2009)

FOR a country such as Ghana to succeed, there is no doubt that it has to be self-sufficient in food production.
Since Ghana’s independence, successive governments have taken steps to ensure food sufficiency but without very impressive results.
Efforts by the First Republic to create a strong agricultural base for the country’s industrialisation programme suffered a jolt as a result of both external and internal factors. The Operation Feed Yourself (OFY) programme initiated in the 1970s to achieve food sufficiency for the country was also short-lived.
Today, we continue to depend heavily on imported food items for our survival. The country’s rice import bill alone is in the region of $500 million because for more than 10 years local rice production has remained at 150,000 metric tonnes annually.
The huge food import bill has eaten deep into the country’s foreign exchange reserves and negatively affected our balance of payments. The recent global food and energy price hikes, as well as the credit squeeze, exposed the weaknesses in the economies of nations that are unable to feed their people.
In spite of the challenges, all is not lost yet. The good news in the horizon is that the Aveyime Rice Project in the Volta Region which has stalled for almost a decade has bounced back to life and is set to introduce good quality home-grown rice on the Ghanaian market next month.
The project, which offers employment opportunities to the people in the Aveyime area, is expected to produce 140 tonnes of milled rice this year. Although the current production level of the project is not substantial, the future of the project is very promising.
We would like to encourage the managers of the Aveyime Rice Project to increase production and sustain the business, despite the stiff competition they are likely to face from rice imports.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to create the enabling environment for the project to thrive and become a model in the sub-region. Already, the market for the staple exists and local rice is catching on well with many consumers.
We further urge the government to use the project as a growth pole and encourage the managers to begin the transfer of appropriate technology, skills and capacity to small-holder rice farmers in other parts of the country to boost rice production. It will be a catalyst for economic growth and social development.
The benefits of increased rice production to the nation are enormous.
But while we all revel in the success story of the project, the DAILY GRAPHIC calls on the project managers to pay attention to the needs of the people in the area.
Through the sacrifices of the people, the government was able to acquire the large tract of land for the project. Elsewhere, their heritage would have been converted into equity so that the success of the project will inure to the benefit of all the people who sacrificed their lands for rice production.
If this is not done, the success of the project will only reflect in the lifestyles of the project managers, their shareholders and workers, while the landowners will wallow in abject poverty.
Whatever the challenges that lie ahead of the project, the DAILY GRAPHIC thinks the modest gains chalked up by the company are worth celebrating.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

POLITICAL WILL AND PEOPLE'S POWER (JUNE 16, 2009)

ONCE again the planned decongestion has become music in the ears of many residents of the city. It is virtually the same hymn, except that the tune is coming from a different set of people.
Attempts had been made in the past to decongest the city and on the many occasions that we managed to clear the streets and pavements of hawkers, it turned out to be a nine days’ wonder.
Sometimes the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) receives very little support from members of the public to decongest particularly the central business district (CBD) and some selected areas in the city.
For many people, a visit to the CBD has become a nightmare. Not only is one unable to find space for movement in the city; criminals also take advantage of the influx to rob both residents and visitors of their belongings.
We know that under the district assemblies concept, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs), as the highest decision-making bodies, have the mandate to take decisions in their areas of jurisdiction, except that those actions must be taken within the broad government policy framework.
That is why some people find it strange that even under the decentralised dispensation, political interference has made it difficult for the assemblies to carry out their mandate.
Decongestion of our cities has become politically suicidal to undertake for fear that those affected will accuse the authorities of not keeping faith with them after they had voted for their leaders.
The pressure on the government three years ago was so intense that the AMA led by Mr Stanley Nii Adjiri-Blankson had to spend billions of cedis to construct the Pedestrian Shopping Mall at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra.
Ironically, some of the traders who created the impression that they were in dire need of stalls and stores so that they could move away from the streets eventually refused to accept relocation to the shopping mall, citing low patronage of items and lack of security.
Today, the mall has become a white elephant, while all the hawkers are back doing brisk business at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Kaneshie and other areas, to the extent that our streets are choked with people selling all kinds of imported items. In the process, they impede the smooth movement of traffic.
The decongestion of our cities cannot succeed by mere lip service. To begin with, the authorities have to go back to the drawing board to establish clearly the logistics and the budget for the exercise and then engage residents and visitors to buy into it.
Unless there is ownership of the exercise by hawkers, traders, the city authorities, the government and the political parties, any attempt at decongesting the cities will fail because the exercise, as usual, will be politicised.
When the exercise was introduced a few years ago, sampled views of some of the political parties were interesting. The views were non-committal because some of the parties did not want to incur the displeasure of the hawkers who form a huge electoral college in the city.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls on the AMA Chief Executive, Mr Alfred Vanderpuijie to muster the courage, this time round, to clear the city of hawkers so that there can be order in the CBD.
The time has come for naming and shaming those who do wrong and thus punishment becomes a deterrent, while those who do well are identified and honoured.
Let us not allow a few people determined to always pursue the path of wrongdoing to have their way. Majority of us want to live in a disciplined and clean city.

Monday, June 15, 2009

A ROOF OVER THE POLICE (JUNE 15, 2009)

ShelteR, food and clothing have been identified as the basic necessities of life. In fact, students of politics have argued that democracy is not a guarantee of abstract liberties but that it is about shelter, food and clothing, without which life is meaningless.
The report that the Police Administration has had to suspend enlistment of persons into the Ghana Police Service this year because of inadequate housing facilities is very disturbing, indeed.
Apart from issues such as low morale, low salaries, lack of equipment and risks associated with their work, police personnel have to contend with the deplorable condition of their accommodation facilities.
A visit to the barracks exposes the ugly spectacle of makeshift quarters used to accommodate police personnel and their families
Rooms meant for newly trained recruits are now occupied by senior police personnel and their families. In fact, at some police barracks rooms reserved for kitchens and washrooms have to be converted into bedrooms for police personnel.
We know that the police have a culture of lack of maintenance that is not helpful. Sometimes landlords and landladies have ejected police personnel from their houses because of the inability of the personnel to maintain the houses. Those who have allowed the police to continue to live in their houses have sometimes regretted because of the state of disrepair they leave behind.
The Daily Graphic, therefore, welcomes the decision by the Police Administration, under the leadership of Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye, to determine the status of all police projects in the country within the shortest possible time.
Many of those projects were initiated as far back as 1970 but some of them were unfortunately abandoned, while others were completed over time.
The fact that the Police Administration is taking inventory of the accommodation projects does not necessary mean that the acute accommodation problem facing the police will be solved as soon as possible
It is for this reason that the Daily Graphic calls on the government to mobilise resources to complete the projects to provide decent accommodation for police personnel.
We are mindful of the dire economic conditions of the country. However, given the strategic role the police play in the maintenance of security, law and order, as well as peace, it should be a matter of national priority to provide accommodation for them.
The Ministry of Education has embarked on a housing scheme under which teachers and educational workers will be assisted to own houses. The Ministry of the Interior can emulate that example to embark on a similar scheme for the Police Service. That initiative can be extended to take care of abandoned or stalled police accommodation projects.
We also call on civil society groups, philanthropists, banks and corporate bodies to complement the efforts of the government at providing decent accommodation for our brothers and sisters in the Police Service.
We will fail in our duty to give the police the necessary support and motivate them to provide security and maintain law and order in the country if we fail to provide the needs of the security agencies.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

PROTECTING OUR FISHING INDUSTRY (JUNE 13, 2009)

LAST month, canoe fishermen predicted a bumper fishing harvest this season, provided logistics such as premix fuel, outboard motors, fishing nets, ropes and safety gear were made available to them at affordable prices.
Additionally, they called on the government to act timeously to institute measures to check pair trawling, which has virtually collapsed the fishing industry.
The distribution of premix fuel, for example, is fraught with many problems, such as the proliferation of outlets owned by individuals rather than fishermen groups, the rampant diversion of the product from the intended destinations, serious shortages, to the disadvantage of the fishermen, and adulteration of regular petrol with premix fuel.
Obviously, the fishermen do not only want to protect the source of their livelihood or group interest but are also desirous of making a meaningful contribution towards meeting the dietary needs of the national population.
Unless the problems articulated by the fisher folk are addressed, the anticipated bumper harvest will be wishful thinking.
Responding to the concerns of the fishermen and recognising the importance of the fishing industry to the country’s economy, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has set up a committee to investigate allegations of malfeasance that has disrupted the sale of premix fuel to fishermen in the country.
Apart from the moves to clean up the distribution of premix, the government has also made payments for the delivery of six fast speed boats to strengthen the capacity of the Ghana Navy to combat pair trawling, which is killing the fishing industry.
The combined effect of the two-pronged attack by the government to address the problems of the fishing industry is refreshing and should be able to give some assurance to fishermen that their concerns are being addressed.
Even as the committee probes the distribution of premix to make its recommendations to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and we await the delivery of the six speed boats by the end of 2009, we are hopeful that the government will turn its attention to solve other problems, such as the high cost of ropes, outboard motors and fishing nets.
We would like to remind fishermen that they also have a role to play in the realisation of the anticipated bumper harvest. The nation has passed the stage where its development should be left wholly on the shoulders of the government.
The fishermen should reciprocate the government’s action by desisting from smuggling their catch to neighbouring countries, pricing fish exorbitantly and smuggling premix fuel.
In the midst of abundant resources, it is unacceptable to see many people die from hunger and its consequences due to malnutrition, including lack of protein.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls on all stakeholders to commit themselves to the goals of eradicating hunger and poverty through the sustainable exploitation of our resources.
Our fishermen owe it to themselves and the nation to apply best standards in plying their trade to provide the protein needs of the people.

Friday, June 12, 2009

COME INVEST IN GHANA

AS part of the strategy to speed up national development, our governments, since the inception of the Fourth Republic, have put in place mechanisms to attract foreign direct investment (FDI).
The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) was set up to facilitate the smooth registration of foreign businesses that want to operate here and to assist them to gain a firm foothold on the local terrain.
The government has also made it possible for investors to spend a minimum time to process their registration documents to commence business. The law has also made it possible to repatriate profits after tax and other corporate obligations, as well as special regimes for those who want to invest in certain sectors of the economy.
The creation of free zone enclaves for foreign companies to produce goods for export is another area that must be exploited to advantage.
All this is being done because of the realisation that reliance on local capital alone cannot bring about the rapid social and economic transformation that the country needs to bring about a qualitative change in the lives of the people.
The invitation extended to the international business community by the President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr W. A. Krofah, in far away Istanbul in the Republic of Turkey must be seen as another effort to push ahead the national agenda of making Ghana an investment destination for foreign businesses and the consequent transformation of the economy and the industrial environment of the country.
The country abounds in many raw materials that can be harnessed and transformed into value-added products that fetch substantial foreign exchange on the international market. This demands the joint efforts of local and foreign entrepreneurs.
The expectation also requires, on the one hand, a workforce that is skilful and reliable and a wage policy which is competitive on the international market, on the other, to support any investment drive.
Ghana’s democratic credentials have received international acclaim and this has created a stable environment conducive for good business. What we need to do now is spread the message and remove any doubts still lingering in the minds of those who may think that bottlenecks still exist to frustrate investment drives.
It is also necessary to call on the local business community to be proactive and venture out to seek foreign partners.
Turkey, China, South Korea, India and other emerging economies offer the best bet to do business for mutual returns and it is, therefore, significant that Mr Krofah used the platform in Istanbul to invite businessmen and women to Ghana. We hope there will be a follow-up to such visits to consolidate contacts made in the first instance.
The DAILY GRAPHIC urges Ghanaian businessmen and women to take advantage of every international trade exposition to advertise Ghana’s vast industrial potential to their foreign counterparts.
In a few years’ time Ghana will become a prime oil exporter and the time to start preparing for the resultant economic boom is now! The investment climate is good and entrepreneurs are invited to take full advantage of it.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

LET'S STOP THIS ANNUAL RITUAL (JUNE 11, 2009)

THE government has responded to the perennial problem of non-payment of monthly grants to Ghanaian students studying abroad since the problem reared its head this week.
More than 350 Ghanaian students abroad appealed to the government to release their scholarship grants which had been in arrears since March this year to them so that they could continue their academic programmes. The students are all language students of Ghanaian universities pursuing a one-year course abroad as part of their academic programmes.
The good news, however, is that the government has released money to the Scholarship Secretariat to cater for the needs of the students.
The latest development is not unusual in an environment where many ends are competing for scarce resources. That is why sometimes sections of the media do not give prominence to challenges such as delays in the disbursement of funds to students abroad, feeding grants to boarding schools and the payment of the medical bills of teachers.
These problems have become annual rituals in the country and it beats the imagination of people why the problem defies resolution. The Registrar of the Scholarship Secretariat, Mr Lansah Fuseini, has said that in its present form, the scholarship for the language students is not sustainable, hence the need for the government to take a bold step to address the shortfall in budgetary allocation.
The DAILY GRAPHIC appreciates the concerns of the 177 students in Benin over the delay in the disbursement of the grants because maintaining “body and soul” in a foreign land can be a challenging endeavour.
If the students were in Ghana, they would have found a way to cater for themselves, even in these trying moments, because parents, family members and friends would have offered some assistance. But in a foreign land the students, some of them in their youthful years, have nowhere to turn to.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is worried that in spite of the perennial challenges, we keep on offering scholarships to students to study abroad, without the necessary budgetary support, and when the problems crop up we stampede the authorities to look for the money, thereby disrupting the national budget.
Today, opportunities and facilities exist in the country to enable students desirous of pursuing further academic endeavour to do so. Thus the time has come to take another look at the scheme so that students can be encouraged to take advantage of facilities in our public and private universities here.
We concede that in the present globalised world the country cannot ignore the inherent opportunities in encouraging our students to study abroad. But since our resources can no longer cater for the many students who wish to study abroad, the facility must be limited to those who want to pursue courses which are critical to our national development efforts.
This annual ritual of delays in the release of grants to our students abroad and the concomitant frustrations are causing embarrassment to our country. We are not the only poor country on earth and it is high time we put our act together to bring to an end the hardships that our students abroad go through as a result of delays in the disbursement of their grants.
A stitch in time, they say, saves nine and for this reason the DAILY GRAPHIC appeals to the government to review the scholarship scheme to take into account our pressing needs.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

NO PETROL POLITICS, PLEASE (JUNE 10, 2009)

LAST Friday, the government announced a 30 per cent hike in the prices of petroleum products. Before the hike, the government was spending GH¢7 million fortnightly to subsidise petroleum products.
Although the government explained that it could no longer subsidise petroleum products because of lack of funds, members of the public are outraged by the upward adjustment in fuel prices.
The arguments for and against the adjustment suddenly moved from the realms of economics to politics and again the blame game set in between the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The Committee for Joint Action (CJA), a pressure group which opposed previous upward adjustments in fuel prices, consistent with its position, called on the government to review the prices.
The government subsequently announced fuel-saving measures by the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
The measures are geared towards reducing government expenditure on fuel by ministers and other officials by 30 per cent. The Information Minister, Mrs Zita Okaikoi, said as part of the measures, all government vehicles were to be rebranded in the names of the designated MDAs to check their misuse.
Further measures are in the offing, such as a ban on the importation of vehicles aged more than 10 years, because, according to a Deputy Minister of Energy, Dr Kwabena Donkor, 30 per cent of fuel imported into the country was wasted on old vehicles, particularly in traffic situation.
The argument has been made that the recent increases in the prices of petroleum products are to save the national economy from collapse. There is no denying the fact that our economy is in dire straits as a result of certain local policies and the global recession.
Dr Joe Oteng Adjei, Minister of Energy, stated that the total national debt inherited by the NDC administration was so huge that subsiding the price of petrol would be disastrous for the national economy.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that this is not the time for the blame game. We need, as a people, to come together to confront the challenges facing us so that, with a concerted effort, we can break the back of the obstacles that stand in the way of our progress.
It is also high time the government and other public officials put an end to the wastage in the system, particularly the high expenditure on petroleum products.
Example, they say, is better than precept and for this reason the DAILY GRAPHIC commends the government for not limiting the cost-saving measures to mere exhortation to the people to sacrifice but has set the tone by reducing petrol allocation to its functionaries.
But the moves will not achieve the desired results if the enforcement is left to the goodwill of those responsible for the public vehicles. The enforcement measures must include a policy to name and shame those who abuse the system to safeguard the public interest.
The DAILY GRAPHIC also believes that the agitation in certain quarters on the hike in the prices of petroleum products is not politically motivated. Majority of our people are struggling to make ends meet. For such people, who are mostly working people, including farmers, it is important for the government to put in place some safety nets to cushion them against the rising cost of living that will arise from the petrol price hikes.
We call on the people to support the government to achieve the objectives of the price hikes so that the savings that will be made can be used to update facilities in schools, hospitals and the rural areas and, more importantly, offset the debt at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR).

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

BUILDING CAPACITY OF LOCAL FIRMS (JUNE 9, 2009)

THE Ministry of Education last week began a “mission” to assess the capacity of printing companies in the country. Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, the sector Minister, and his entourage visited printing houses such as Graphic Packaging (G-Pak), a subsidiary of the Graphic Communications Group Limited, to ascertain the capacity of the companies to print all the educational materials needed to promote education in the country.
In the past, members of the Ghana Printers and Paper Converters Association (GPPCA) always complained about government policy that gave preferential treatment to importers of educational materials.
It is strange that whereas importers of educational materials do not pay tax on their materials, local printers are made to pay duties on imported raw materials. This discriminatory policy only makes local printers uncompetitive on the market.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is happy that the Mills administration is determined to reverse this trend. Indeed, Mr Tettey-Enyo said during his visit to G-Pak that the government intended to help printers in the country to increase their capacity and give employment to the youth.
Last year alone about $70 million was spent on printing textbooks outside the country.
For far too long our policy makers have found an alibi in the lack of capacity of local industries to deny them jobs and subsequently support the economies of other countries.
The DAILY GRAPHIC concedes that protectionism or the policy by the government to build the capacity of all local industries will come at some cost.
First, a restriction on imported items will lead to higher prices of locally produced goods because it will take some time for local industries to update their plants and machinery in order to produce cheaper local alternatives.
The Chinese say that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step”. Therefore, Ghana cannot continue to postpone taking the important decision to support local industries to create jobs and wealth to enhance the national economy.
We know that this model of development will face challenges and possibly bring about social unrest because certain tastes and goods will disappear or their prices will become prohibitive. But it makes sense to adopt this policy option to support local industries because essentially nobody will grow our economy for us. The solutions to the challenges facing our economy must be home-grown.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, appeals to the business community, the banks and civil and public servants to support this initiative by the government to produce educational materials such as textbooks and other goods locally.
This way, we can create jobs and wealth and save the scarce foreign exchange that we spend on importing items that can be produced locally, sometimes at cheaper cost.
The DAILY GRAPHIC hopes that the policy will not be limited to the educational sector but will be extended to all spheres of national endeavour so that rice and poultry farmers and textile producers can be adequately resourced to produce substitutes to the cheap imports on the markets.

Monday, June 8, 2009

MINING COMMUNITIES DESERVE BETTER (JUNE 8, 2009)

President J.E.A. Mills has challenged the Newmont Mining Corporation to ensure that communities within its areas of operation benefit from the returns on its investment.
Receiving a delegation from the company at the Castle, Osu, last Friday, the President did not mince words in telling the company to be highly responsible to its social responsibilities and address the challenges facing mining communities as a result of mining operations.
This is the second time in two months that the President has charged mining concerns to address the development challenges of mining communities. At a meeting with a delegation from Anglogold Ashanti at the Castle last April, President Mills expressed disquiet over the worsening level of deprivation in mining communities and urged mining concerns to do more to alleviate the suffering of the broad masses of the people.
For the President to make the same point on two different occasions goes to show the concern he has over the state of affairs in mining communities, vis-à-vis the revenue which is generated by mining companies from those areas.
Undoubtedly, the President’s concerns represent the frustration of not only the mining communities but the entire nation. Admittedly, mining has brought enormous economic benefits to the nation. In addition to creating about 36,000 jobs, the sector has contributed to the national kitty, accounting for as much as 38 per cent of export revenue.
But for mining companies, a sizeable portion of the nation’s wealth would have been buried in the belly of the earth and perhaps poverty, deprivation and squalor would have assumed different dimensions.
Notwithstanding the benefits, the Daily Graphic is equally worried about the impact of mining operations on mining communities.
Besides dislocating some communities, mining has destroyed the sources of their drinking water, as well as their agricultural activities, which are the main sources of livelihood.
We are certain that our leaders and mining communities would not complain if mining activities did not aggravate poverty and deprivation in mining communities, if substantial revenue generated from the mining sector was not kept outside the country but reinvested in the Ghanaian economy.
The Daily Graphic calls for joint efforts between players in the mining sector and the government to find lasting solutions to the concerns of the mining communities.
Maybe a review of the legal framework governing mining activities will be a major step towards reversing the status quo.
In the meantime, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should be more aggressive and hold mining companies to their environmental assessment programmes.
Additionally, we propose the establishment of a mining development fund, along the lines of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), specifically designed for the development of mining communities.
The problems of mining communities can be solved provided there is the will and commitment on the part of the stakeholders to deal with the challenges more resolutely.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

LET THERE BE CALM (JUNE 5, 2009)

THE decision by some former ministers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Members of Parliament (MPs) and hundreds of their supporters to besiege the headquarters of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) last Tuesday night to express solidarity with the former Chief of Staff, Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, who was being questioned on a “wide range of issues” heightened political tension in the country.
Incidentally, the situation was reminiscent of an incident in 2001 when some activists of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) stormed the premises of the BNI to also show solidarity with former President Rawlings and the MP for Ningo/Prampram, Mr E.T. Mensah, who had also been invited for questioning by the BNI.
The DAILY GRAPHIC sincerely believes that all our politicians and lawmakers are very much aware that the law establishing the BNI mandates it to invite and interrogate anybody, no matter his or her class or social standing, in the interest of national security.
We are, therefore, of the view that anybody who has a problem with the law should seek a review in Parliament, instead of engaging in actions that are not in tune with laid down procedure.
For far too long our politicians have taken us for a ride. They see and think in a particular way when they are in power; and when they are in opposition they see and think differently. How can we expand the frontiers of our democracy under such circumstances?
Perhaps it is time our politicians were told that the ordinary Ghanaian is not really interested in the politicisation of every single issue under the sun, moon and stars. In the same vein, the politics of victimisation and retaliation — which appears to be the order of the day in our part of the world — is not in anybody’s interest. It only keeps our dear nation going in circles and making no real progress.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is not suggesting that past governments or individuals must not be made to account for their stewardship. Neither are we saying that people who are found culpable should not be made to face the full rigours of the law. No, far from that.
Indeed, not only are we proponents of probity and accountability but also, more important, we steadfastly uphold the responsibility and accountability of all public office holders to the people and nothing will make us waver from that mandate imposed on us by the Constitution.
Whichever way one looks at it, the DAILY GRAPHIC thinks the BNI’s decision to deny Mr Mpiani access to his lawyers during his two-day interrogation undermines rule of law and our democratic credentials. In our determination to follow civil governance and due process of law, we cannot pick and choose, especially when it comes to a person’s fundamental human right to legal representation.
Constitutional rule is built on respect for and defence of fundamental human rights. Our national security operatives, therefore, have an obligation to submit investigative procedures to this vital ingredient of democratic rule.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, however, endorses any action by the government to ensure accountability of both past and present government officials. However, in our anti-corruption crusade, we must not deviate from the standard procedures so that those who fall foul of the law do not hide behind political victimisation to frustrate the cause of justice.

BUILDING CONCENSUS ON ISSUES (JUNE 4, 2009)

THE debate on the form and duration of the country’s educational system continues to engage the attention of many Ghanaians.
During a courtesy call by the executive of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) on President J.E.A. Mills last Tuesday, the union appealed to political parties not to joke with the country’s education, stressing that the student body would resist with considerable force attempts by parties to politicise the current debate on education in the country.
It is, however, refreshing that the President gave the assurance that education should always respond to the exigencies of the situation and not necessarily political expediency.
Coming in the wake of the inconclusive educational forum on the duration of senior high school (SHS), the issues being raised by educationists, the government, as well as parents and students, offer the opportunity for a more dispassionate look at our educational system.
Countries that have made investment in their people are today reaping the fruits of their endeavour. Today, it does not matter the natural resources available to a country if it lacks the requisite human resource to harness them. Even a very precious resource such as oil can turn out to be a curse, as is the case in many oil-rich countries.
It is, therefore, necessary for us to try and insulate the debate on our educational system from politics so that everybody will feel free to offer some viewpoints on the matter.
It is in this vein that the DAILY GRAPHIC agrees with Justice Saeed Kwaku Gyan, a High Court judge, who underscored the need for the country to develop a national educational policy that would be agreed upon by all and systematically implemented between 20 years and 30 years.
“The hullabaloo over the educational reforms over the past decade is definitely worrying. I dare say that for educational policies and their implementation to achieve positive outcomes, they must never become the subject of political brinkmanship and posturing,” he said.
The lack of a sustained policy direction in education can be said to be responsible for the low standards in most of our schools.
The majority of the products of our educational institutions are unable to spearhead the development agenda of the country. Indeed, for more than 52 years Ghana has been saddled with low productivity and underdevelopment.
Perhaps the present debate on the duration of the SHS should provide the platform for the nation to build consensus on our development agenda.
The politicisation of the development process has created the situation whereby, as a people, we continue to grope in the dark, still searching for the formula that can promote development in all fields of our national endeavour.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that the way forward to attain a middle-income status depends on a strong educational system that turns out the right calibre of human resource to manage the expected oil boom in Ghana from the second half of 2010.
Although in every multiparty democracy the majority will always have their way while the minority will have their say, in most of the successful democracies and economies political parties have always adopted a non-partisan approach to issues of national concern.
We need to depoliticise the debate on education and other sectors of the economy so that all hands can be on deck to break the back of poverty, disease and squalor.

PAYING REALISTIC FUEL PRICES (JUNE 3, 2009)

THE upward adjustment in the prices of petroleum products has been a subject of controversy in many countries, especially those that do not produce oil.
This is largely because it tends to have a cyclical effect on the economy. That is, it triggers rises in the general price levels of goods and services and this can contribute to an appreciation in the rate of inflation and adversely affect economic growth and development.
It is worth pointing out that since 1973 when the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) gained root as an oil cartel and strengthened its hand in the determination of oil prices and output on the global scene, the issues of oil and its pricing have taken centre stage in the economic management of governments the world over.
For many developing, non-oil producing countries such as ours, escalating oil prices, accompanied on many occasions by falling primary commodity prices, have wreaked devastating havoc on their economies.
These have created significant deficits in the balance of trade, balance of payments and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which combine with other unfavourable macro-economic factors to undermine the standard of living of the people.
In Ghana, the adoption of the policy of deregulation by which the management of the pricing and import of petroleum products was ceded to the private sector, in conjunction with the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), in 2001, is designed to recover costs and ensure the steady supply of the product.
This, in essence, has brought with it the phenomenon of full cost recovery by way of passing the full cost of imports, taxes and margins for distributors to the consumers.
While this may appear to make economic sense, the reality is that governments have a primary responsibility to prevent a deterioration in the quality of life of the people, including intervening in the market where this threat is ominous.
Currently, our economy is not in a good shape to support either the retention of the current price levels of petroleum products or the payment of subsidies to cushion the people against expected price hikes.
Already, the government, in the face of accumulated debts to the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and oil marketing companies (OMCs) from under recovery last year, has had to cough up an average of more than $12 million monthly to service these debts and enable these companies to continue to import oil.
These debts, together with other outstanding debts in the oil sector, the continued increase in the price of crude oil on the international market and the fall in the value of the cedi relative to the dollar, make the justification for an upward review in the prices of petroleum products compelling.
It is an open secret that at the current level of fuel prices, ours remain the cheapest as far as prices in the sub-region are concerned, in many instances between 40 and 60 per cent cheaper.
This has already triggered the smuggling of the products to Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Togo and Cote d’Ivoire. Through these negative activities, Ghanaians are subsidising petroleum consumption in these countries and this is not good for our economy.
We believe that Ghanaians appreciate the country’s current economic situation and the global trend and will come to terms with an upward review, unpalatable though it may be.
This notwithstanding, we believe that the government, at a point, will have to act to ensure that such upward reviews are not done as a matter of ritual to undermine the standard of living of the people.

Friday, June 5, 2009

LET'S HAVE PATIENCE (JUNE 1, 2009)

IT has often been acknowledged that the task of reconstructing or rebuilding any infrastructure or edifice or system that has been destroyed over time, is more difficult and painful than it takes to build that structure.
It is even far easier and, indeed, takes less time to damage or destroy than to repair or rebuild.
This holds good for a nation’s economy, the state of which the living standards of the people depend.
Over the years, Ghanaians have complained loudly that life has been getting more difficult for them in spite of the touting of significant figures of economic growth since the mid 1980s following the launch of the Economic Recovery Programme (ERP).
It cannot be denied that the objective of any organised or systematised economic activity is the improvement in the material conditions of the people. The people can only assert their confidence in the economy if their material conditions improve or begin to show signs of improving in the hope that this will endure and get even better.
There can be no doubt about the fact that the people of this country have over the decades exhibited a substantial degree of sacrifice especially following appeals from our political leaders.
This has been done in the hope and expectation that the sacrifices would help revamp the economy and that the dividends would be fairly and equitably shared to help improve life for all.
In many of these instances, these politicians from whom such appeals emanate fail to live the austere lives of sacrifice they preach so that it would serve as a example to the people.
Instead, they preach austerity and live affluence or extravagant lifestyles.
This clearly cannot engender confidence and inspire the people to further sacrifices. We are happy to note that the Atta Mills government has made the right move to attempt to win the support and confidence of the people in its bid to revamp the economy by going the extra mile to practise austerity and sacrifice.
The re-alignment and reduction in the number of ministries and ministers, the cutdown in the size of government from ministers through government spokespersons to special assistants and personal secretaries, the reduction in presidential and ministerial travels, the cutback in wining and dining at the expense of government, have contributed to cutting down significantly on government expenditure.
The decision to also make judicious use of made-in-Ghana goods or items at state functions and also direct or encourage other institutions of state such as schools to use local instead of imported products, would not only help cut back in imports and conserve foreign exchange but also boost local industries as they get more challenged to meet the growing demand.
In the face of this display of leadership by example by the Atta Mills government and given the fact that it inherited a troubled and unstable economy, which it is enjoined by the mandate of the people to fix, we can only call on Ghanaians to exercise patience and rally behind the government to turn the economy around.
While Ghanaians must continue to make their legitimate demands on the government and hold it to its election pledges, five months into a four-year mandate or term of a government is early days yet. The government, as the President noted, needs all the hard work and support it can get from the people to deliver.
In return we expect the government to work even harder, be more transparent and accountable and let the dividends of economic successes chalked up reflect positively in the lives of all.