I've been frank with Ghanaians – Akufo-Addo

General News of Wednesday, May 1st, 2019

Source: 3news.com

2019-05-01

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said that her government and her government of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had been honest with the people of Ghana about the challenges the country was facing.

He said that even when the truth provoked the discontent of some Ghanaians, he did not hesitate to let them know.

Akufo-Addo spoke at the May 1, 2019 parade on Black Star Square in Accra, where Ghanaian workers converged for the occasion.

"I have been as candid as possible with the Ghanaian people, even if the truth is sometimes unpleasant," he said.

The president acknowledged that the country still faces challenges that require special attention, but he is confident that he is progressing.

It revealed that the country spends about 80% of its total revenue to pay the salaries and conditions of service of public service employees, which are about 600,000 people.

"More than 80% of the government's revenue is spent on replenishing and servicing more than 600,000 workers currently on the government payroll," he said.

Akufo-Addo observed that if a country decided to use all its income to pay wages and conditions of service, some workers would still not be satisfied, given their demands.

"I suppose that even if we spend 100% of all state revenue on the salaries of the 600,000 or so people on the payroll of the public service, there will be discontent with the conditions of some people" he observed.

He noted that it was necessary that as a country it be decided to create more jobs for more people or to pay more and limit the conditions of services to a few people.

Meanwhile, the president took the opportunity to launch the guidelines for the Ghana government beyond the aid agenda.