Guiding the country through the transition of its economy from an export of raw materials, and retail of imported goods to a modern value-added industrialised economy remains my preoccupation, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has assured.
He noted that he reminded unwavering to this cause despite the difficulties the country was going through which had largely been occasioned by the twin global disasters of COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"Yes, there are difficulties, but let us not forget that 88 per cent of Ghana presently have access to safe water, the national electricity access rate increased from 79.3 per cent in 2016 to 88.54 per cent in 2022, making us among the top six in Africa, and we are still expecting to achieve the 90 per cent universal access rate by 2024," he emphasised.
President Akufo-Addo gave the assurance during the fourth edition of the Founders' Day Luncheon for senior citizens held at the Jubilee House in Accra on Friday.
In attendance of this year's event were high profile national personalities including, the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Chief Justice Getrude Torkonoo, the Chief-of-Staff, Mrs Akosua Frema Osei Opare, former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings and Mr Sam Okudzeto, a member of the Council of State.
The dignitaries were treated to a buffet of sumptuous dishes amidst great Ghanaian music renditions.
The President said "My commitment to uplift the quality of life of Ghanaians is unwavering... and the record of my government points to this. No longer do mothers have to sell off their most treasured fabrics and jewellery and fathers go to money lenders to be able to see their children through senior high school.
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Today, senior high school education is free for every child. There are more children in secondary school now, 1.7 million, the highest in our history, and we are near parity between boys and girls in terms of enrolment...We have changed the curricula and focused on education to meet the needs of the modern economy and prepare our young people to compete on the global scale."
He told the very cheerful gathering that the positive impact of the policies of his government was changing the face of the Ghanaian society, maintaining that "By investing in the digital space, the economic and health sectors, the development of inner-city communities, the retooling of security agencies, anti-corruption initiatives, and infrastructure development, "our country will shortly take a deserved place as a modern economy."
President Akufo-Addo paid glowing tribute to the nation's founding fathers for their vision and sacrifices that paved the way for the country's attainment of independence.
He stated that the country must free itself from the economic arrangements devised by the former colonial power to fulfil its goal at the time, but which regretfully "continues to bind us."
"As we celebrate our founders, we should believe in our capacity to build a modern, developed, and progressive nation.
