We’re implementing human-centred policies - Bawumia

The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has given an assurance that the government will continue to pursue human-centred policies to ensure holistic development of the country.

“It is against this backdrop that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has since taking over the reins of government, pushed the trajectory of implementing human-centred policies that leave no one behind the development ladder,” he stated.

Dr Bawumia, who was speaking at this year’s Adoabo Kundum festival of the people of Ellembelle in the Eastern Nzema Traditional Area, said policies like the Free Senior High School (Free SHS), Nation Builder's Corps (NaBCo), Planting for Food and Jobs, one-village-one-dam, among other interventions, were programmes which covered all of Ghana to promote social inclusion.

“Aside from these, we are also building critical and innovative soft infrastructure that affects our everyday living and this include the national ID or Ghana Card, the digital addressing system, paperless ports, mobile money payments interoperability, the new smart driving licences and the ease of getting passports,” he added.

Festival

The Kundum festival which is celebrated among the Nzemas is a period for harvesting.
It also serves as avenue for uniting the people to their ancestral heritage.

Other interventions

The Vice-President mentioned other interventions to include the restoration of teacher and nursing trainee allowances, reduction in electricity tariffs, abolition of nuisance taxes and increasing the share of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) to persons with disabilities.

He added that the government had also increased the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) from 1.6 million children to 2.1 million children and the amount spent on each child by 25 per cent as it had also doubled the Capitation Grant from GH¢4.5 to GH¢10.

Dr Bawumia further stated that apart from building a strong human capital for the future, there were immediate cash benefits arising from the implementation of the free Senior High School (SHS) education to parents.

He said a parent with a child attending SHS as a day student, saved GH¢1,075.41 while parents with children in the boarding house saved GHS2,015.22.

In a period of three years therefore, a parent would have saved around GHS6,000.

“If you are a small business person, a trader or a farmer, free SHS enables you to keep that money to invest in your business or farm without having to take a loan from the bank. If, indeed, we want to see government policies and programmes putting money directly in our pockets do not look too far because the free SHS is simply doing that,” the Vice-President stated.

Dr Bawumia urged oil and gas companies working in the Nzema area to work towards improving the quality of life of the people.

Commendation

The Paramount Chief of the Eastern Nzema Traditional Area, Awulae Amihere Kpanyili III, commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his government for the various interventions to improve the lives of the people.

"We would like to thank you especially for the introduction of free SHS and NaBCo to help parents across the country especially those in rural areas. It is a testimony that your government always keeps its promises and when you pledge, you fulfil,” Awulae Kpanyilli added.