NPP presidential primary: Ofori-Atta calls for guidelines to secure smooth process

The leadership of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been urged to put in place adequate guidelines to ensure the smooth conduct of the party’s presidential and parliamentary primaries, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has said.

That, he said, was critical to the party's quest to win a historic third consecutive general election (break the eight).

Mr Ofori-Atta made the call when he visited the NPP party headquarters last Friday as part of the Party-Government Engagements initiative aimed at bridging the gap between government appointees and various stakeholders of the party.

Economy

Mr Ofori-Atta earlier in his opening remarks said the government was determined to achieve macroeconomic stability to provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive and also enhance the living conditions of the citizenry.

He, however, admitted that the country was confronted with some socioeconomic challenges in the year 2022, which included skyrocketing inflation and high-interest rates that resulted in a high cost of living.

But he gave an assurance that the Ministry of Finance was working hard to turn the situation around.

He stated that the government's Extended Credit Facility agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would energise and stabilise the local economy.

Free SHS

Mr Ofori-Atta gave an assurance that the government had no intention to cancel the flagship free senior high school (SHS) programme.

According to him, it remained an important social safety net for the majority of Ghanaians.

Achievement

Mr Ofori-Atta recounted unprecedented economic feat recorded in the first term of the Akufo-Addo administration, which made Ghana one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

He noted that the socioeconomic foundation that was laid by the Akufo-Addo administration was intended to usher Ghana into a new dawn of sustainable economic growth and prosperity.

He, however, observed that the devastating and lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war on the local economy had occasioned challenges for businesses and individuals alike.

Debt Exchange Programme

For his part, the General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Frimpong Kodua, appealed to the Minister of Finance to take a critical look at the Debt Exchange Programme (DEP).

He urged the minister to explore the possibility of exempting holders of smaller bonds, particularly pensioners from the programme.

Visit

The National Chairman of the NPP, Stephen Ayensu Ntim, who received the Finance Minister in his welcome address, disclosed that the Party-Government Engagements was introduced due to the urgent need for broader collaboration between government appointees and party stakeholders in preparation for the 2024 general election.