SONA 2019: Akufo-Addo "justifies his mandate, confidence in him"

General News on Thursday, February 21, 2019

Source: Myjoyonline.com

2019-02-21

The third Speaker's State of the Nation (SONA) speech to Parliament on Thursday will outline the major economic successes since taking office in 2017, government sources said.

It should also take stock of some of the government's flagship programs such as "One District One Factory" and the measures taken to reduce the cost of doing business.

"He will talk about almost every sector of the economy and what his government has done over the past two years to justify the mandate and trust that the Ghanaian people place on him," said a source close to him.

The sources say today's speech will also highlight how various policy measures implemented by the government have helped to develop the economy by highlighting the gains made in the agricultural sector, including the creation of jobs.

The annual speech is in line with Article 67 of Ghana's 1992 Constitution, which states: "The President shall, at the beginning of each session of Parliament and before the dissolution of Parliament, deliver a message on the state of the nation . "

The 2019 SONA, as in previous years, should focus on the performance of the economy, agriculture, social protection and politics.

While security was at the center of national discussions recently following the shooting that tainted by-elections in Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency on January 31, the recent shootings at the National Democratic Congress headquarters in the Ashanti region and kidnappings, the president will focus significantly on national security issues.

The government daily Daily Graphic reports that "after talking to" many officials from different ministries in Accra … in order to know their expectations vis-à-vis the SONA, they said they would wait for it that the president put a lot of emphasis on the issue of security, especially political vigilance and the measures to be implemented to dissolve them immediately. "

The annual speech is in line with Article 67 of Ghana's 1992 Constitution, which states: "The President shall, at the beginning of each session of Parliament and before the dissolution of Parliament, deliver a message on the state of the nation . "

The 2019 SONA, as in previous years, should focus on the performance of the economy, agriculture, social protection and politics.

While security was at the center of national discussions recently following the shooting that tainted by-elections in Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency on January 31, the recent shootings at the National Democratic Congress headquarters in the Ashanti region and kidnappings, the president will focus significantly on national security issues.

The government daily Daily Graphic reports that "after talking to" many officials from different ministries in Accra … in order to know their expectations vis-à-vis the SONA, they said they would wait for it that the president put a lot of emphasis on the issue of security, especially political vigilance and the measures to be implemented to dissolve them immediately. "

The annual speech is in line with Article 67 of Ghana's 1992 Constitution, which states: "The President shall, at the beginning of each session of Parliament and before the dissolution of Parliament, deliver a message on the state of the nation . "

The 2019 SONA, as in previous years, should focus on the performance of the economy, agriculture, social protection and politics.

While security was at the center of national discussions recently following the shooting that tainted by-elections in Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency on January 31, the recent shootings at the National Democratic Congress headquarters in the Ashanti region and kidnappings, the president will focus significantly on national security issues.

The government daily Daily Graphic reports that "after talking to" many officials from different ministries in Accra … in order to know their expectations vis-à-vis the SONA, they said they would wait for it that the president put a lot of emphasis on the issue of security, especially political vigilance and the measures to be implemented to dissolve them immediately. "

The annual speech is in line with Article 67 of Ghana's 1992 Constitution, which states: "The President shall, at the beginning of each session of Parliament and before the dissolution of Parliament, deliver a message on the state of the nation . "

The 2019 SONA, as in previous years, should focus on the performance of the economy, agriculture, social protection and politics.

While security was at the center of national discussions recently following the shooting that tainted by-elections in Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency on January 31, the recent shootings at the National Democratic Congress headquarters in the Ashanti region and kidnappings, the president will focus significantly on national security issues.

The government daily Daily Graphic reports that "after talking to" many officials from different ministries in Accra … in order to know their expectations vis-à-vis the SONA, they said they would wait for it that the president put a lot of emphasis on the issue of security, especially political vigilance and the measures to be implemented to dissolve them immediately. "

Highlights of SONA 2018

Below you will find the highlights of SONA in 2018.

ECONOMY

1.I am pleased to be able to announce that the Economic Management Team, under the dazzling leadership of the strong and brilliant economist, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, has taken up the challenge and that hard work is beginning to give positive results.

2. We have reduced taxes, lowered inflation and interest rates, economic growth is rising, rising from an alarming rate of 3.6% in December 2016 to 7.9 % the first year, and everything indicates that it will be even better this year. .

3. We have increased our international reserves, maintained the stability of the relative exchange rate, reduced the debt-to-GDP ratio and the debt accumulation rate, settled nearly half of the inherited arrears and, most importantly, respect our obligations vis-à-vis statutory funds

4. I am also pleased to announce that the IMF-backed three-year credit facility program, launched in 2015, is ending this year. The relatively good macroeconomic performance in 2017 will strongly support the success of the IMF program.

5. We are determined to put in place measures to ensure irreversibility and maintain macroeconomic stability, so that we have no reason to seek again the help of this powerful global body .

6. We have reinstated training allowances for teachers and nurses. We doubled the amount of the capitation grant and, to discourage skeptics and professional opponents, we set up a free secondary school program. It has allowed 90,000 more students to access upper secondary education in 2017 compared to 2016.

7. We have nevertheless been able to keep the promise made last year in the House and reduce the budget deficit from 9.3% to about 5.6% of GDP.

8. The average annual rate of debt accumulation, which has reached 36% in recent years, has been reduced to 13.6% in September 2017. As a result, the stock of public debt in proportion to the GDP is 68.3%, compared to the annual target of 71% for 2017 and 73.1% by the end of 2016.

9. Thanks to an appropriate policy and standardization of the country's energy situation, they have also allowed a dramatic recovery of Ghanaian industry, rising from a growth rate of -0.5% in 2016 at 17.7% in 2017.

10. For the first time in a long time, our macroeconomic fundamentals are solid and all critical indices are moving in the right direction.

11. The world takes note of Ghana's economic progress. Earlier, in January, the World Bank said Ghana's economy is likely to grow by 8.3 percent this year, making it the fastest growing economy in the world.

12. Last week, Bloomberg described the Ghana Stock Exchange as the world's best-performing stock market in January 2018. The report shows how the Ghana Stock Exchange's compound index has gained 19% since the beginning of the year. Year, in dollars of the Nigerian, Chinese and Brazilian stock markets. Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance, is proving to be a national badet.

SAVINGS OF PUBLIC MARKETS

13. In 2017, in my first year in office, 394 unique supply requests were made, of which 223 (56.6%) were approved and 171 (43.4%) were rejected. There were 346 restricted tender requests, 167 (48%) were approved and 179 (52%) were rejected. Savings during the year amounted to 800 million ¢ GH.

PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY

14. I believe it is worth recalling here that, thanks to these boring figures, we have been able, for the first time in a long time, to provide better budgetary support to the constitutionally mandated institutions that hold the government accountable. namely the Auditor General, Parliament, Judiciary, Ministry of Justice, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Bureau for Combating Organized and Economic Crime (EOCO) and Police.

PENSIONS

15. We were able to transfer about 3.1 billion GH ¢ of Level 2 pension funds to the union pension plan deposit accounts, which had been outstanding for six years and for which the unions were complaining loudly.

DAILY MINIMUM SALARY

16. Following engagements with organized workers, we ensured that the national daily minimum wage was determined and approved prior to the tabling of the 2018 budget by the Minister of Finance.

NO STRIKE ACTION

17. There was no strike action last year. We will continue the constructive dialogue with organized workers to find mutually satisfactory solutions to their concerns in order to guarantee industrial peace.

CREATION OF EMPLOYMENT

18. We have put in place structures to help small and medium-sized businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs during difficult start-up years. The availability of cheaper credit is good news for businesses in general and means better job prospects.

19. The government has established the Nation Builders Corps to employ 100,000 young people, just in 2018, to badist in the delivery of public sector services in the areas of health, health and safety. 39, education, agriculture, sanitation and revenue collection of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

20. We launched the Digital Marketing and Entrepreneurship program at the Accra Digital Center. The program, which brings together ten regional training centers, has already recruited 3,000 unemployed young people for a three-month, all-expenses-paid training. I am pleased to announce that Ecobank Ghana Ltd has already proposed to involve the 3,000 youth after the training program. This is only the tip of the iceberg.

$ 1 MILLION PER CONSTITUENCE

21. On the first working day of this year, I promulgated the law establishing the development authorities. Mr. Speaker, the creation of these authorities marks a fundamental change in the way in which part of the development budget, equivalent to $ 1 million per year per constituency, will be spent in our country.

22. Local people will decide what their most pressing needs are and allocate funds to these areas. Fortunately, there is some consensus on what constitutes basic infrastructure needs in all communities, and we expect a smooth start to the work of these authorities.

23. We foresee, for example, that water and toilet supplies figure prominently in the development authorities' agenda until these two points can be removed from the list. must-haves from every riding in the country. Sixty years after independence, the least we can and should do is to make sure that every Ghanaian has access to water and toilets.

SANITATION

24. The state of sanitation in our cities is totally unacceptable. Our cities have been engulfed by dirt. The public authorities urgently need to find ways to clean up our cities and, in the case of Accra, to respect my commitment, one of the most ambitious of my presidency, to make this happen. city ​​the cleanest city of Africa of my mandate.

25. Governments are working with various private sector operators to address this major challenge, with strategies to change our attitude towards waste generation and dramatically improve our waste management practices. This will be complemented by strict enforcement of sanitation rules and regulations.

26. Urgent attention will be given to garbage collection throughout the country. In addition to the systematic efforts to resolve the inheritance of legacy debts of the sector, the government will spend 200 million GH ¢ this year to solve the thorny problem of sanitation.

27. I am convinced that by the time I return here next year, God willing, a significant improvement has been made to the sanitation situation in the country.

ELECTION OF MMDCE

28. It is a firm commitment of the new patriotic party. My discussions with the country's political leaders, including the former Presidents of the Republic, convince me that this is a step we must take. Article 55 of the Constitution, which is an entrenched clause, must be lifted.

To ensure the judicious use of the country's resources, I propose that the constitutional procedures for a referendum be initiated so that the referendum takes place at the same time as the elections to the District Assembly of the year. next.

30. If successful, the result of the referendum will mean that the current MMDCE group will be the last group of CEOs to be appointed under the current system.

CREATION OF NEW REGIONS

31. I am convinced that the creation of new regions alone would not open our country. That alone would not convince our young people that they do not need to come to Accra to earn a living. We must improve the transportation system so that no part of this country feels cut off or can be judged too far from the center. This is one of the most effective ways to prevent this unsustainable race in Accra.

ROADS OF THE EASTERN CORRIDOR

32. This network of roads has suffered from deliberate and unproductive propaganda. It is hard to believe that while cocoa prices were down, contracts were made for three COCOBOD-funded sections of the road. It is not surprising that COCOBOD issued guidelines to suspend work on the three sections, which are almost 100 kilometers long.

33. We are determined to find the resources needed to complete the East Corridor Roads. As I've heard in ewes, which is important, you cook in a pot.

ROADS

34. There is a desperate need to work on all our roads. The west corridor, central corridor, national roads, feeder roads, urban roads, all around the country require urgent attention. We are determined to give our road network a status worthy of the name and this year we will see increased activity on the roads.

35. I must mention the work in progress to restore the iconic status of the Accra-Tema highway. With the help of Japan, a loyal Ghanaian friend, the construction works of a three-level interchange at the motorway roundabout are underway, and plans for expansion for a six-lane highway will be implemented from this year.

RAILWAYS

36. Last year, I made a courageous badertion in this House that the railway from Takoradi to Paga would be commissioned in 2017. I am pleased to report that we are making progress.

37. We are about to agree with a major investor on the terms of a Takoradi BOT agreement in Kumasi, which will be presented to Parliament during the session. There is already a contractor on the site for the construction of the section of the Takoradi railway line in Kumasi between Kojokrom and Manso.

38. The selection process of a suitable partner for the construction of the eastern line between Accra, Tema and Kumasi has been launched. Our goal is to innovate this year. The central backbone, from Kumasi to Paga, also holds the attention and consultants were hired to advise the government on the best development model of the line.

39. Ghana and Burkina Faso have engaged in in-depth discussions on the construction of the Tema-Ouagadougou railway line. There are bi-monthly meetings in Accra or Ouagadougou, and we are confident that the deliberations will end and that the actual construction will begin by the third quarter of this year.

FORMALIZATION OF THE ECONOMY

40. The launch of the digital address system, the introduction of paperless transactions in our ports, and the rapid and continuous broadband delivery are contributing to the formalization and modernization of our economy.

41. After Cabinet approval, the framework agreement between Ghana and the Republic of Mauritius, providing for an initial investment in the creation of a technology park in Dawa, Greater Accra region , has been ratified by Parliament. Unfortunately, and predictably, new tools for cyber insecurity and fraud have emerged with these modern tools.

42. We are working to strengthen cybersecurity to build trust, protect the use of electronic communications in national development, and ensure that our technology savvy young people keep Ghana firmly in the exciting IT economy and its many opportunities.

EDUCATION

43. We need an educated and skilled workforce to exploit the modern economy that we create. The Free SHS is a beginning to achieve this goal. It's a policy that has come to stay.

We are reforming school curricula to address weaknesses in our education system and place more emphasis on science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), reading, history and technical skills. and professional. A review of the national budget would tell you that we are spending a lot of money on education.

45. It is also important, in my view, that curriculum reform in our schools teaches young people respect for the traditional values ​​of discipline, friendliness, hard work, honesty, integrity and integrity. patriotism, factors without which no, social development can occur.

HEALTH

46. ​​We dare not compromise on the health of the population. We have settled a lot of the debts and arrears that stifled the national health insurance system. This led to the revival of the NHIS and the renewed respect for the NHIS card. The health needs of our population are better met.

PEOPLE LIVING WITH A DISABILITY

47. Last year, we made a commitment to increase from 2% to 3% the share of the Common Fund for District Assemblies devoted to people with disabilities.

Since July of last year, the policy to ensure that 50% of the people who manage the country's toll stations are people with disabilities has started. Nevertheless, we are committed to addressing the other concerns of people with disabilities.

AGRICULTURE

49. This year, the One-Village-One-Dam project has started. It's a simple, low-tech project, but these dams will have a big impact on our lives and the livelihoods of our farmers.

50. Many small abandoned dams have already been rehabilitated and returned to service. A deliberate and specific intervention for farmers is paying off.

51. Our farmers can see that the government is putting resources in place to support the usual words. The 50% subsidy on fertilizers and the increase in the provision of extension services significantly improve the performance of Ghana's agriculture.

52. Under the Planting for Food and Creating Jobs program, we are witnessing a new interest in agriculture. The success of the first year prompted us to broaden the scope of the program, and this year about half a million farmers would be recruited, compared to the figure of two hundred thousand (200,000).

PEACH

53. This year, we have ensured that the closed season is respected not only by industrial tuna boats, but also by trawlers. We will respect this policy for the foreseeable future, which should help us rebuild our depleted stocks.

54. More effective measures are being taken against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing methods.

55. We have also put in place measures to prevent misappropriation of premixes and a strict audit of landing beaches is in place. I can say that since November, no diversion of premixes has been reported, which is a clear improvement over the past.

56. We identified 100 dams in five regions of the country – the northeast, the northwest, the Volta and the west – and we supplied them with fingerlings. This is the beginning of great things to come.

1-DISTRICT-1-FACTORY

57. Agriculture is the backbone of our flagship program 1-District-1-Factory. The majority of proposals that have been evaluated and accepted for support under this program are based on agriculture. It's food processing, after all, that has been the starting point of industrialization in most developed societies. It is also part of our commitment to open our country and create jobs and facilities in every region of the country.

galamsey

58. We are fighting hard to control the Galamsey phenomenon. We had to ban small-scale mining in the last nine months. We recognize that the ban on small-scale mining can not be the long-term solution in a country like ours, endowed with so many minerals; but, as the proverb says, desperate situations call for desperate solutions.

59. We can not look, our very existence as a country is endangered and our water mbades, our forests and our land mbad are destroyed.

60. Even with the ban, the battle with the galamseyers has been endless, and I am confident that the House will want to join me in paying tribute to the members of our forces involved in the Vanguard operation who are protecting our environment. They are Ghanaian patriots of the first order.

61. We have launched various projects to find sustainable alternative sources of revenue for slot machine users. Nothing will ever equal the attractiveness of gold or diamond research, and perhaps the drama of finding some, but this generation of Ghanaians does not dare to preside over the destruction of our lands.

62. The state of our rivers and forests remains a source of great concern and we have a sacred duty to protect them. I hope I can count on the full support of the House to help care for our degraded lands and rivers.

63. I am also grateful to the leaders who supported the fight against Galamsey. My Government will continue to reach out to our traditional leaders so that together we can resolve the urgent problems facing our country, as well as its peace and stability.

ENERGY

64. Much effort has been devoted to easing the intolerable debt situation, which threatened to paralyze the energy sector. We still have problems with the cost of electricity and we are working to give Ghana a competitive advantage.

65. We intend to find private sector operators who will purchase state-owned thermal power plants and inject the necessary capital to lower electricity rates for both consumers and consumers. domestic and commercial.

66. I am satisfied that the Chamber shares my relief with the fact that DUMSOR is no longer part of our daily lexicon. Can he stay long.

SECURITY

67. The police, prosecutors and judicial authorities have a duty to all of us to make ourselves felt and to be safe. I do not need to repeat that the crime has no political color and I am certain that this message has been pbaded on to all. Law enforcement agencies will crack down on all those who disturb peace in our country.

68. We will give police the resources they need to do their job. An initial amount of GH ¢ 800 million is available to purchase and provide, over the next six months, modern police equipment and gadgets that are essential for strengthening the police capacity to enforce the law, including including a thousand vehicles (1,000), motorcycles and ammunition. Already, the successful renegotiation of existing contracts has allowed us to immediately purchase 100 vehicles from the police.

69. In the medium and long term, we will purchase drones and helicopters to help the police fight violent crime and environmental crimes. The criminal laboratories will be modernized and well equipped to provide the necessary support. The police intelligence unit will also be strengthened. Recurring housing issues will be addressed and a compensation system will be put in place to cover agents in the performance of their duties.

70. We will not allow any villain to terrorize our population; and I promise you that there will be no hiding place for criminals. I am confident that the interventions we are introducing will improve the morale of the service. I urge the House and all citizens to help the police provide the service we deserve.

RANCHING OF BOVINE

71. We are rehabilitating kraals or ranches that were abandoned after the departure of the Kufuor-led nuclear power plant government in 2009. They will soon be operational to provide safe grazing areas for livestock. At the same time, efforts are multiplying to find a solution to the whole of ECOWAS to a problem that goes beyond the borders of our country and which affects the whole region of West Africa.

ARMED FORCES

72. We are beginning to tackle the problems of our armed forces. I am pleased to announce that the Barracks Regeneration Program has begun. The serious hosting issues our security agencies face must be, and are now, addressed

73. It is essential that we all provide maximum support to the noble and courageous men and women of our security services involved in Operation Calm Life, Operation Vanguard and Operation Cow Leg, aimed at guaranteeing the safety of our people, the integrity of our environment and the peace of our nation.

HOUSING

74. We have embarked on the difficult process of making housing affordable for Ghanaians. L'année dernière, le gouvernement a aboli la TVA / NHIL de 5% sur les ventes de biens immobiliers et continue de créer un environnement propice à la réduction des taux d'intérêt sur les prêts hypothécaires.

75. Des discussions sont également en cours entre l'autorité de réglementation des pensions et les banques afin de garantir un système de prêt hypothécaire efficace. Cela facilitera l'accès au logement pour le budget ordinaire. Le gouvernement continuera également de créer un environnement favorable qui favorisera les investissements du secteur privé dans des logements moins chers pour la population.

BUREAU DU PROCUREUR SPÉCIAL

76. La loi sur les procureurs spéciaux est une étape essentielle de notre stratégie globale de lutte contre la corruption. J'attends avec impatience que le Parlement traite rapidement du processus de confirmation du candidat, une personne dont les capacités professionnelles sont prouvées, qui jouit d'une réputation établie d'intégrité et d'indépendance de caractère. Il y a suffisamment de bonne volonté dans le pays pour amener le premier occupant de ce poste à établir une base solide et solide pour le poste de procureur spécial.

RAPPORT DU VÉRIFICATEUR GÉNÉRAL

77. Le rapport de la vérificatrice générale sur les pbadifs au titre de MDA au 31 décembre 2016 fait une lecture vraiment alarmante. Je fais référence au fait qu’une quantité stupéfiante de 5,4 milliards de GH ¢ a été identifiée comme constituant des créances fictives.

78. Chaque jour, nous entendons des reportages sur nos radios et télévisions sur des salles de clbade délabrées et sur des enfants badis à même le sol à l'école. Imaginez l’impact que 5,4 milliards de GH ¢ auraient sur les finances du pays. Ce serait certainement suffisant pour construire et meubler des centaines de salles de clbade et pour construire les routes du Corridor Est.

79. Chaque citoyen est touché par des actes de corruption et nous devrions tous œuvrer pour y faire face. Le gouvernement a l’obligation de traiter le rapport du vérificateur général avec sérieux et de s’efforcer de récupérer les fonds acquis illégalement à ceux qui nous appauvriraient tous.

80. Le rôle occupé par OccupyGhana dans la sensibilisation à l'importance du travail du vérificateur général devrait être reconnu.

ALLÉGATIONS DE CORRUPTION

81. Le préambule de la Constitution de la République enjoint à chacun d'entre nous de défendre les principes de liberté et de justice, de probité et de responsabilité. En application de ces principes, j’ai fait savoir publiquement que toute personne ayant des informations sur des actes de corruption commis par une de mes personnes nommées devrait les signaler et devrait être disposée à les étayer par des preuves, car je ferai l’objet d’une enquête. .

82. Jusqu'à présent, chaque acte de corruption présumé imposé à l'une de mes personnes nommées a fait l'objet d'une enquête menée par des organes indépendants et, dans certains cas, par le Parlement lui-même, et ses conclusions ont été rendues publiques.

83. Il est important de noter que, au cours de ma première année de mandat, malgré une majorité parlementaire claire, deux enquêtes bipartites distinctes ont été mises en place au Parlement pour enquêter sur des allégations de corruption, contre zéro ces dernières années, malgré le appels persistants de la minorité de l’époque à la suite de plusieurs allégations.

84. Avec tout le respect que je vous dois, ainsi que le dit le ministre de l'information, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, peu importe la durée pendant laquelle une bûche reste sous l'eau, elle ne deviendra jamais un crocodile.

DÉCOUVERTE DE L'HUILE SUR LA MER

85. L'année dernière, j'ai demandé à notre société de développement pétrolier, la Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), de prêter une attention particulière à ce potentiel. Il est bon d’entendre dire que cette directive semble porter ses fruits puisque la GNPC, d’après les résultats de son étude pilote dans le bbadin de la Volta, a établi la présence d’un système de pétrole fonctionnant bien. J'espère que, finalement, nous pourrons nous réjouir de quelque chose de grand.

DES SPORTS

86. Cette année, nous poursuivrons le processus d'adoption des instruments législatifs de la loi nationale sur la jeunesse et les sports, poursuivrons la promulgation du projet de loi sur le collège national des sports et créerons un fonds pour le sport afin d'améliorer le développement du sport dans le pays. Le gouvernement reste également attaché au développement du football dans le pays.

87. Nous avons commencé la réhabilitation du stade de sport d'Accra, alias Ohene Djan. En partenariat avec les ministères du centre-ville et du développement de Zongo et la Fédération ghanéenne du football, nous construisons plusieurs terrains de football à Zongos et à travers le rest of the country, to aid in the revival of colts football, which has been responsible for the production of talents like Abedi Pele and Tony Yeboah.

FOREIGN POLICY

88. I have been active in keeping up and promoting the historical role of Ghana within these communities. I have travelled around our neighbourhood and beyond, and I am glad to report that the Black Star is shining. It is the reason for the unprecedented numbers of world leaders – African, Asian and European – who have thronged our shores this past year, and enjoyed our renowned Ghanaian hospitality.

CREATIVE ARTS

89. I am very much aware that we have to create the space and atmosphere for our artists and creatives, and we shall support them. The foundations for the pbading of the Creative Arts Bill have been laid, and, ultimately, processes for the setting up of the Creative Arts Fund will be completed to enable our creative artists to access funds to boost their art.

TOURISM

90. We are building a Ghana, where tourists will feel at home, and we shall feel proud when they say “I was in Ghana.” On December 15, 2017, I joined the chiefs and people of Osu and Gbese to cut the sod for the 241-acre Accra Marine Drive Project. This project, during construction and upon completion, will generate thousands of jobs for the local community and across the value chain, and position Ghana as a key tourism destination.

GENDER

91. I promised last year we would endeavour to pbad into law the Affirmative Action Bill. This did not happen. My commitment to the promotion of the advancement of women is without question. Women constitute the majority of the population, and our success or otherwise as a nation will be measured by how well women are doing. The Bill will definitely come to Parliament this session.

92. I have thrown my full weight behind the HeforShe campaign, and the Gender and Development Initiative for Africa (GADIA), an initiative stemming from my position as the African Union’s Gender Champion. I urge all Ghanaian males to join together in giving Ghanaian females the dignity they deserve.

93. I further entreat all of us, male and female, to support the implementation of the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which have been incorporated into Government’s Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies, which was laid before this House on 13th November, 2017, and the execution of which will ensure that no Ghanaian is left behind.