Other Remarkable Feats Chalked By President Mills Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, within the space of three years, President Mills and his economic team have chalked other significant feats a few of which are worth mentioning here briefly: Cocoa Volume Record President Mills in 2011 achieved the enviable record of one million metric tons of cocoa one whole year ahead of the target- another first. Significantly also, cocoa production under President Mills is growing in leaps and bounds in so many different regions at the same time showing desirable geographical diversification. For instance, cocoa production in the central region has increased tremendously from 37,000 metric tons in 2007 to 80,000 in 2011. Measures include using approved chemicals, supplying of hybrid cocoa seedlings, and constant education of farmers and replacement of aged cocoa trees. Record Feat In WAMZ Convergence Criteria For the first time in the history of Ghana since we joined the West African Monetary Zone Ghana at the time of the budget 2012 presentation had met all four primary convergence criteria. Inflation in single digit, budget deficit less than 3 percent, three months of import cover and lastly central bank financing not exceeding 10 percent of the previous year’s tax revenue. President Mills scored four over four where the NPP in 2008 scored zero out of four. President Mills thus clocked 100 percent, a feat NPP never achieved. Petroleum Price Hedging Program- Revolutionary Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, President Mills and his economic team possess not just competence and skills but also vision and courage. In 2011, the price of crude oil exceeded the 120 dollar mark just as it did in 2008. But Ghana hardly experienced the turmoil that was experienced under NPP, even though we did not have the fortune of having the price of crude oil dropping to below $40 as NPP experienced in the latter part of 2008. How was this done? President Mills had the vision, courage and astuteness to implement the revolutionary Petroleum Price Hedging program. Confronted with same option in 2008, the NPP Minister for finance said he would not adopt a hedging option because he might go to jail. So, there again is the difference between us the NDC and the NPP- we genuinely care about the well being of our people and would courageously explore all options and employ our utmost competencies to optimize the welfare of our people. Oil Revenue Full Disclosure- Integrity At Work Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, the year 2011 did not see massive volumes of oil produced. The amount obtained from the first year was originally thought to at least reach the one billion dollar mark- that was not to be. But one significant feat that was achieved under the leadership of President Mills was the absolute transparency exhibited because the President in line with his utmost commitment to openness and transparency, stopped at nothing to ensure that the petroleum revenue management act was crafted in a manner that will send a message to the whole world that Ghana was truly a beacon of transparency and an inspiration to the continent. That’s what obtains when a nation is led by a leader who wants to lead by example. Busting Ghost Names On Payroll- Mills Succeeds Where NPP Failed For decades, the issue of ghost names on the payroll system has proved impossible to resolve. The NPP in eight long years huffed and puffed about the issue and could do nothing about it. Enter President Mills and his team! The NDC had the vision and the competence to put in place a sophisticated biometric verification to start first with pensioners’ payroll and then scale it up from there to cover subvented organizations and then other public sector employees. The audit of the Pensioners payroll done in several regions so far has disclosed that a sizable 38 percent of names on the pensioners’ payroll are illegal names. Thus, substantial savings have been made and more significant future savings will accrue when the exercise is scaled up. This is another demonstration of President Mills’ visionary and competent leadership. Attributes totally alien to the NPP in eight long years.
Posted on: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 11:00:46 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015