“In partnership with the private sector, we will embark on an ambitious but realistic programme of building new roads and bridges; expand electricity generation to energise our economy; increase access to good drinking water and quality healthcare for our growing population; and improve sanitation and human security for all.
“We aim to transform our schools, colleges and universities to meet the demand of a new age with emphasis on technology and innovation,” President Mahama said.
Presenting his first State of the Nation Address to law-makers, President Mahama outlined four pillars to anchor the state which are captured under theme “Advancing the Better Ghana-Opportunities for Growth”.
Pillar-one focuses on
Putting People First, which is the thrust of his party’s social policy and human development programme
that revolves around education, healthcare, social security and protection for
the vulnerable -- women, children, the aged and people with disabilities.
The thematic areas
are quality education; health for all; social protection; youth and sports
development; and the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA).
Pillar-two will be
executed based on a strong and resilient economy -- on thematic areas of
prudently facing the fiscal challenges; adopting corrective measures;
partnership with the private sector; accelerating agricultural modernisation
for job-creation and working toward achieving sustainable production of the
historic one-million-tonnes of cocoa.
Another area under
pillar-two is using tourism as an instrument for fully-realising the economic
potential of culture and creative arts.
Pillar-three will
focus on expanding infrastructure with the use of information technology to
support infrastructure development, urban renewal, land use management and
environmental protection, the roads and transport sector, revamping and modernising
the railway sector, and housing and urban renewal.
The rest are
substantial reform to ensure that Ghana moves toward an economically and
socially sustainable mining sector; and ensure reliable, stable and
progressively cheap power for economic development in the country and the wider
West African region.
Pillar-four is based
on transparent and accountable governance with the provision of support to the
Electoral Commission to carry out its programmes and reforms; strengthening the
role of traditional institutions, strengthening Parliament.
“We believe that our people are our most treasured assets; we will also ensure that the most vulnerable people in our society are protected,” President Mahama indicated.
He added: “Our people need decent and sustainable jobs to
lead meaningful lives. Job-creation and gainful employment, therefore, will be
at the core of my priorities.
“I am determined to expand opportunities for all. Our
policies and initiatives will be geared toward facilitating sustainable
employment generation, which will then facilitate economic growth and enhanced
incomes.”
He said that Ghanaians deserve to live in a country with
improved infrastructure, which is inextricably linked to enhancing the quality
of life.
He said the
viability of private sector investments hinges on a robust and functional
infrastructure of the roads, rail, sufficient and efficient energy, stable
water supply, and a seamless communalisations and ICT infrastructure.
Government will
use information technology to support infrastructure development, urban
renewal, land use management, and environmental protection.
Government will
continue with the positive outlook and promote the rapid development of the broad.
“We are
determined to deliver on the development goals which we have outlined. We have
objectives to meet and the expectations of people to fulfil; our people expect
to see results, whether it is in the delivery of water, electricity, healthcare
or sanitation services. We must not
overlook the little things that matter to our people even as we stress on
responsible citizenship as an important factor in nation-building,” he
remarked.
Energy crisis gives
Mahama nightmares
On the supply of
electricity, the President said millions of Ghanaians and businesses are “today
experiencing very erratic and frustrating electricity supply.
“It is a situation
that I am deeply concerned about and in which I have devoted considerable
energy to solving. This is especially urgent because compounding the problem of
unstable power supply is an equally worrying issue of unreliable water supply
to some communities,” he said.
The current
developments do not reflect the investments and progress Ghana has been making
in the area of electricity generation: “Government’s overall objective for the
energy sector is to ensure reliable, stable and progressively cheap power for
economic development in the country and the wider West African region,” he said.
“What should be our successes and rather
augment available generation capacity has unfortunately been undermined by a number
of unforeseen developments.
“We are expecting the addition of over-500 MW
of installed generation capacity this year. 132MW from the Takoradi 3 Thermal
Plant by end of March; 130 MW from the Bui Hydroelectric Power Project by end
of April; and increased to 400MW by end of September; and 2 MW from a Solar
Park at Navrongo by end of February.”
He said work has also
started on a 161 kV Tumu-Han-Wa transmission line in the Upper West Region.
Other projects are the Kpando-Kadjebi Transmission Project and a new 330KV
transmission line from Aboadze–Prestea-Kumasi- Tamale- Bolgatanga among others.
.
He said gas from the Western
Region provides enough flexibilities and cost-efficient ways of additional
power generation. To this end, work is progressing steadily on the Gas
Infrastructure Project at Atuabo in the Elemebelle District.
“When completed by
the end of the second quarter of 2013, it will help expand the system to
achieve the planned 5,000MW capacity of power generation by 2016,” he said.
President Mahama said
“Government during the year will continue to support the utility companies
carry out distribution system improvement projects and increase electricity
access to all parts of the country under the ‘Energy for All’ programme to
ensure universal access by 2016.”
