CJA committed to probity, accountability

The Committee for Joint Action (CJA), a pressure group, has renewed its commitment to the struggle to entrench the principles of probity, accountability and transparency in public life.

It reaffirmed that it was independent of all the political parties and pledged to continue the struggle against hardships and corruption in the country.

In a resolution adopted at a national consultative conference in Accra, the CJA recalled that it came into being as an expression of the people’s anger at the harsh economic and social conditions imposed through years of reckless and inefficient government accentuated by an international economic order whose sole objective was to maintain the burdensome privileges of the elite.

The conference was attended by the Minister of Communications, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, deputy Education Minister, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, a leading member of the People’s National Convention (PNC), among other personalities.

Economic situation

The CJA noted that the macro-economic indicators had not improved substantially over the last 10 years or more and that inflation continued to gallop with interest rates remaining high.

It said housing deficit remained at more than a million and the unemployment level was ‘intolerably’ high, coupled with agriculture and industry not making sufficient progress to get Ghanaians out of poverty.

“It is significant that all governments since 1983 have remained on a doctrinaire path of economic development with dire consequences for the masses. The privatisation of state enterprises, the withdrawal of subsidies in key social and economic sectors have had a toll on the living and working conditions of the working people and very high levels of corruption have also taken vital resources out of the development process,” it added.

The CJA also expressed concern about the delayed payments for services in the Ghana School Feeding Programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme, noting that such delays had the potential to deny the public access to services.

It, therefore, called on the government to make appropriate arrangements to effect all statutory payments with minimum delays.

Security

The attention of the conference was drawn to recent security breaches in the northern sector of the country, particularly in Tamale and Bimbilla, alongside reported cases of armed robbery and killings elsewhere.

The CJA said it fully supported the security services in their efforts at confronting general lawlessness and urged the government to provide adequate resources for security operations.

It observed that the closure of the Adomi Bridge for repairs appeared to have been done without adequate consultation with people in the area and users of the bridge, resulting in serious inconveniencies to users. as well as the imposition of unreasonable tolls without the approval of Parliament.

Rail transport

Members of the CJA pledged support for the government’s decision to rehabilitate the railway system as part of efforts to revamp the national economy.

They, however, recommended that more attention should be focused on the rehabilitation of the more economically viable lines such as the Takoradi-Awaso rail line, which was essential for the viability of the Ghana Railway Company and the exploitation of bauxite.