Ms Fatimatu Abubakar, Minister for Information, says she is confident in the government’s achievements and confident that Ghanaians will vote for continuity in the December 7 general election to rapidly advance the progress made.
She highlighted achievements in the education, health, and tourism sectors, in addition to Dr Bawumia’s clear vision for the country’s sustainable development as some of the factors the electorate would consider in retaining the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
The Minister was speaking to the Ghana News Agency, in an interview, on the highlights of the Government’s achievements and challenges, ahead of the major election.
She explained: “Working with him [Dr Bawumia] over the period, I’ve not met someone with his kind of futuristic ideas and vision…the things that he thinks about, maybe for most people, Ghana is not supposed to get there yet….But he doesn’t think there is a queue we should follow.
“He thinks we can jump the queue and actually be at the forefront of a lot of things…So, I’m excited that he gets the opportunity to serve and to directly take responsibility for his ideas and execute them.”
Ms Abubakar highlighted the increase in Senior High School enrolment from 800,000 students in 2016 to more than 1.4 million in 2023, attributing the growth to the removal of financial barrier by the Free Senior High School programme.
“The most significant achievement of this government, in my eyes, is the kind of reforms we have brought to the education sector, not just the infrastructure, not just the free SHS…If people know what has happened in that space, they will know that the future of this country is actually bright,” she stated.
“I am really excited that no matter what, there is no investment as important as educating your population…And this government has shown, in eight years, that they have the commitment and also the investment to make that happen.”
On health, the Minister mentioned the commissioning of 47 hospitals across the country and the “Agenda 111” initiative, under the current administration, which would enhance healthcare delivery in underserved areas.
“The largest investment in the whole of the Garu District, for instance, is our Agenda 111 project, which is completed…So if I look at someone in Garu going to benefit from this kind of investment, as compared to those who used to make 220 kilometre trips from Garu to Tamale to access healthcare, it is a relief…
“And I believe people in specific communities, who are touched by some of these investments, will know that the money and mandate that was given to President Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia did not go in vain,” she added.
Ms Abubakar acknowledged the global economic challenges, but highlighted the government’s efforts at easing the burden on citizens through various recovery programmes.
She explained: “President Akufo Addo inherited a country with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $56 billion…At the end of 2023 the GDP of Ghana had grown to $76 billion…
“So, there are actual investments and efforts to make sure the recovery is on course, to make sure we are able to afford all the critical infrastructure and projects and social intervention and support programmes we have for the people of Ghana.”
Pointing to the country’s positive growth rate, Ms Abubakar maintained that President Akufo Addo and the NPP administration had demonstrated, over the years, that “the test of a leader is not in ordinary times, but in trying times”, emphasising that the electorate would endorse the NPP on December 7.
“For a government after eight years in office to have this kind of momentum and public support that is not induced, it is to tell you that people recognise that we have been through challenges, but they have also recognised that a lot of work has been done in the face of those challenges, and that is the basis for which they are going to vote for Dr Bawumia,” she emphasised.
