Highlights of Mahama’s final State of the Nation Address
President John Dramani Mhama has urged the incoming Akufo-Addo administration to continue the implementation of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Extended Credit Facility Programme (ECF) to ensure a stable economy in 2017.
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According to him, the continuation of the programme was necessary due to the inability of his administration to meet the deficit target for the year.
Addressing the nation in his final State of the Nation Address in Parliament Thursday, President Mahama said the programme which was in its third and final year nonetheless has resulted in an improved macro environment with a steady decline in inflation and interest rates.
“Multiple causes are responsible for our inability to meet the target. Reduced lifting from the Jubilee field on account of the turret bearing problems, non-realization of some expected non-tax revenue such as the sale of electro-magnetic spectrum, reduced cocoa export revenue and higher than expected election-related expenditures,” he explained.
Highlighting his achievements for the economy, President Mahama said a new public debt management strategy helped in realising a steady decline in public sector debt.
According to him, the public sector debt is estimated to have dropped from nearly 72 per cent to below 65 per cent.
“The currency has also enjoyed relative stability, depreciating at just above 4% this year,” he added.
He further noted that Ghana’s economy was still the second largest in West Africa with a GDP of almost $39 billion.
“Ghana has also moved up thirteen (13) places in the ease of doing business index and is currently considered number one on the World Bank index,” President Mahama said.
Below are some highlights of President Mahama’s State of the Nation Address
Education
On education, President Mahama said the vision under his administration was to address the declining standards in education which was characterised by a lack of access to both basic and secondary education, shortage of professionally trained teachers, teacher absenteeism and shortage of core textbooks.
Achievements
- There was increased distribution of free text books
- Over 2,000 dilapidated schools (schools under trees) have been replaced
- Teacher absenteeism is down from 27% to below 9%.
- Construction and population of 47 newly built Community Day Senior High Schools
- Last batch of BECE students recorded the highest number of students obtaining a raw score of above 500 marks in the history of the examination.
- Ghana has consistently, over the last three years, taken the three top spots in the WASCCE.
- The progressively free secondary education programme has been extended to cover 140,000 boarding students.
- Improved access to university education through the construction of additional public universities in the Brong-Ahafo and Volta Regions
Health
Under health, President Mahama said his vision was to provide improved health facilities and trained health workers in all nooks and crannies of the country.
Achievements
- Construction of new regional hospitals in Bolgatanga, Wa and Accra as well as construction of new district hospitals in districts across the country, including Wheta, Somanya, Buipe, Tolon and Sawla
- Construction of new Polyclinics, health centres and CHPS compounds
- Expansion of health facilities resulted in the expansion of utilisation of the National Health Insurance Scheme from 9 million in 2008 to 29 million in 2015
Social protection
Under this sector, President Mahama said his vision was to expand the coverage of social intervention programmes to cover the majority of the poor and vulnerable population in Ghana.
Achievements
- Over 1.5 million children have benefitted from the school feeding programme under the auspices of the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.
- Almost 150,000 households have benefitted from the LEAP programme
- District Assembly Common Fund for persons with disability increased by 50 per cent
Water & sanitation
His vision for the Water and Sanitation sector, President Mahama said was to achieve the universal target of “water for all by the year 2025”.
Achievements
- Over 7 million people have been lifted out of water deprivation
- Access to clean water has been increased significantly through the provision of bore holes, small town water systems, and major urban water treatment projects
- Over 76 per cent of both rural and urban residents have access to potable water as at end of year 2015
- Construction of the Teshie desalination plant, the Kpong water expansion project and the ATMA project, the Wa water supply project, the 3Ks project covering Kumawu, Konongo and Kwahu have expanded access to water supply
Power
Acknowledging that his government was characterized by a crippling power crisis which staggered the growth of the economy, President Mahama said his vision was to ensure a more stable supply of power.
Achievements
- More than 800MW of power has been added to the national grid over an 18-month period
- Increased generation, in addition to the Energy Sector Levy and ongoing works to restructure the legacy debt of the power utilities, has helped to stabilize the power situation
- Access to power has increased to above 80 per cent
Road and transport
According to President Mahama, his tenure of office saw some of the most massive investments in the road sector in the history of Ghana. He said his vision was to finish off road projects inherited from previous administration.
Achievements
- Construction of the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, Kasoa overhead bridge, completed the Airport hills/Burma Camp network of roads and completed the 37- El Wak-Trade fair road
- Continued the Eastern corridor road project
- Asphalt overlay of roads in Regional and District capitals
- Decongestion of the Tema motorway roundabout
- New bridge from Flower pot roundabout on the Spintex Road over the Accra-Tema motorway into East Legon
- Increased domestic and international travel as a result of reduction in cost of aviation fuel and improved airport infrastructure
- Commenced the construction of the Wa and Ho Airports
- Commencement of the Bus Rapid Transit with dedicated bus lanes, christened “Aayalolo”
- Construction of urban rail systems like the sekondi-Kojokrom-Takoradi line
- Ongoing expansion of maritime ports at Takoradi and Tema