President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has responded to the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, who said the President should focus on providing jobs that will put Ghanaians in the position to afford things they need than giving them free things.
The government has offered a lot of free packages to the citizenry since the COVID-19 pandemic entered Ghana, as part of measures to mitigate the consequential financial burden brought about by the disease.
They include free water and electricity, tax cuts for frontline health workers among others.
During an interaction with members of the Association of Road Contractors, Mahama asked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to create jobs for Ghanaians instead.
He said “You have to invest money in the productive sectors and the productive sectors would create jobs and the jobs will create prosperity for the people,” he said.
“But if you say everybody should stay at home and we will give you everything free, free; free this, free that.
“All the countries that have developed, they didn’t develop like that.President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo with NDC flagbearer John Mahama
“You must assure the people of jobs; if people are working and getting money what would they need free for if they can afford to pay. And somebody says, let’s have a competition on the social intervention; social interventions are consumption,” he added.
Nana Addo responding Mahama in his 15th national address on measures being taken against the spread of COVID-19 on Sunday night, August 16, 2020, said “We are not providing freebies, we are providing critical help to households, families, and businesses, in the midst of this pandemic, because we care. It is my conviction that, in times of crises, it is the duty of a responsible and sensitive Government to protect the population, and provide relief.
“Let us remember at all times that this phased opening up of our country continues to put an obligation and responsibility on each one of us to remain vigilant, and respect the enhanced hygiene, mask-wearing and social distancing protocols that have become part and parcel of our daily routine. They are proving to be effective, so let us employ them wholeheartedly.”Source: Pulse Ghana
