We have good reasons to be thankful to God in 2019 – President Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has enumerated a number of successes chalked by the government and Ghanaians for which the nation must be thankful to God.

In a video message containing his Christmas Message to the nation, the President in like fashion to the religious enjoinment to count one’s blessings, names one-by-one what he says have been “modest successes” chalked over 2019.

They include:

• 1.2 million children with unfettered access to free SHS education (the highest enrolment in our history)
• Revived healthcare system
• Bumper harvest of foodstuff for two years in succession
• Food prices at their lowest in years
• Tens and Tens of Thousands of Teachers and Health workers, Graduates and non-graduates alike given jobs
• Police Service and Armed Forces retooled and re-equipped to a considerable extent
• Ghana’s economy one of the fastest growing in the world this year
• Ghana is largest recipient of Foreign Direct Invest in West Africa

According to President Akufo-Addo, government has had to take painful but necessary measures to sanitize the banking system, which process he acknowledged has brought discomfort to many households.

But he said as a result of the action, the jobs of some 6,500 workers were saved in addition to the protection of funds of about 4.6 million depositors. Failure to take the steps to remedy the situation, he said, would have meant that some 10,000 jobs could have been lost.

The President said he has directed the Bank of Ghana and the Finance Ministry to work to ensure that all customers in banks as well as those of savings and loans and microfinance companies whose licences have been revoked are guaranteed the full payment of their deposits.

In the meantime, he says investigations are ongoing into potential criminal conduct in the apparent massive diversion of assets of some affected financial institutions.

“I assure you that the outcome of these inquiries will be made known very soon, as well as the actions that will be taken to bring those responsible to book.”

President Akufo-Addo also talked of ongoing works to fix the country’s road network, steps being taken to deal with corruption, safety and security during the yuletide and the 2020 general election and the duty it imposes on all Ghanaians to conduct themselves in such a manner as to ensure a free, fair and transparent election that will enable Ghanaians choose their leaders in peace.