While Nigerian President Buhari
is busy inflicting untold hardship on Nigerians with various forms of taxes and
levies in the heat of economic recession which is largely brought about by his
lack of basic economic knowledge of running a nation with several unqualified
members of his cabinet not having the requisite skills to run their various
ministries, department and agencies, busy witch-hunting his perceived political
rivals with security agencies, reverse is the case in Ghana.
His counterpart in Ghana,
President Nana Akufo-Addo has announced his resolve to reduce taxes in a bid to
encourage various businesses to grow, which will in return boost the economy of
the country, and protect the public purse by ensuring that the country gets
value for money on all services.
Though the strategy he wishes to
employ to enable him achieve a tax cut policy and still stick to an IMF
austerity plan that was a condition of a 918 million dollars bailout is not yet
clear, but it is a good.
“We will reduce taxes to recover
the momentum of our economy,” said Akufo-Addo, wrapped in a traditional
kaleidoscopic “kente” robe.
“Ghana is open for business
again.” The inauguration attracted Ghanaians in their thousands who were also
well dressed in their kente singing and clapping, drumming and dancing.
Akufo-Addo suggested government
money would be spent wisely.
“I shall protect the public purse
by insisting on value for money,” he said.
“Public service is just that:
service, and is not to be seen as an opportunity for making money.
” Ghana expects growth will
return to above eight per cent in 2017 as new oil and gas fields from Tullow
and ENI come on tap.
Akufo-Addo served as one time foreign
minister and attorney general in the NPP government that ruled between 2001 and
2009.
Before his victory in the last
election, he had in the past lost close battles for the presidency on two
occcasions. He is the son of a former chief justice and non-executive president
of Ghana.
During his campaign, he had
accused the Mahama administration of corruption and incompetence, charges the
outgoing president denied.
The swearing in ceremony was also
attended by lots of African leaders and other international dignitaries, including
President Muhammadu Buhari, Chadian President Idris Deby, President Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and former UN chief Kofi Annan.
Ghanaians are proud of having a
stable democracy and acutely aware that it is a rarity in turbulent region.
Akufo-Addo’s New Patriotic Party
also won a majority of 169 seats in Parliament while the former ruling National
Democratic Congress now has 106 seats.
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