President John Dramani Mahama is addressing news editors and media personnel to mark the first anniversary of his presidency.

He is giving an account of his government's achievements and projections for the next three years of his first term in office.

 

Dzifa Bampoh- Joy FM

Question: There have been increases in utilities, taxes and a potential  freeze in salary increases. Ghanaians look at these and project 2014 as bleak. What is your own outlook of 2014?

There was clarity on the dismisal of Victoria Hamah. Why was she sacked.

Response by President John Mahama:

As head of a family, if you find yourself where your deficit exceeds your income you take measures that involve sacrifices. You cannot give freebies when there is no money to support. Those decisions are not easy to take but they had to be taken. That notwithstanding, it will be a good year and a beginning of good things.

Kobby Fiagbe

Questions: What is your opinion about the power outage and you contribution in resolving it?

What reasons determined the choice of Dubai as a holiday destination?

President's answer. As a president i inherit positives and negatives. The power outages were part of the negatives. I inherited this crisis but i take full responsibility and took steps to resolve it.

On the issue of the Dubai trip i think it was good for me to rest after woorking so hard. For good governance sake it was good for me to take it. Everybody

must take a leave at some point so that nobody will see himself as indispensable. Everybody must take a leave. Nobody is indispensable. For transparency sake it is good for people to go on leave for others to take over until they return. In my case, i had a competent vice who held the fort whilst i was away.

But i chose Dubai because i had an invitation from the ruler of Dubai so had to take a private visit. Whilst there i also had discussions with the ruler and a techinical group is scheduled to arrive in Ghana for investment purposes.

Sammy Darko- BBC

Question: Mr President some people have described your government appointees as mediocre. What is your opinion about it?

There is also the talk about terrorism. Ghana is largely peaceful but you make comments regarding terrorism. Don't you think making comments about it will draw he Al-shababs and the Boko haram to your peaceful country?

President's Response

It is my view that young people must be given the opportunity to serve. I was in my early 30s when i was appointed as Deputy Minister. So i always believe in giving opportunity for the younger generation. I am impressed with the performance of the appointees but at my own appointed time i will reshuffle as may be necessary. Again i am the appointing authority and have every right to fire.

Eric Ahianyo: Metro TV

Mr President are you afraid to crack the whip? For instance in the wake of these fires there was a promise that fire tenders will be placed at a vantage points to protect state installations. So how come there were fires at the Old Parliament House and nobody has been sacked for it?

Housing deficit in the country. How do you plan to resolve it.

President's Response

If you fire your fire chief for every fire, i wonder how many chief fire officers you would sack in the year. Even in advanced countries there are fires and they don't sack their chief officers. It is the duty of the citizens to make sure that their houses or places of work are safe. Wires must be changed. Fire prevention must be a culture for the people

There is housing deficit in the country. Our predecessor began something by way of affordable housing. The NDC could not continue for lack of funds. The project has been handed over to SSNIT to over complete and sell the houses.

Affail Monney

Mr President, your predecessor John Mills rated himself 80 per cent? How would you rate yourself in government?

President's Response.

Unlike my predecessor who is a teacher and can afford to rate himself i am a communicator and would not.

Bernard Avle Citi FM

Mr President what role did you play, if at all, in the Merchant Bank debt transaction with Engineers and Planners, a company owned by your brother. There has been conflict of interest allegations raised. What do you make of it?

President's Response

E&P was given the loan in 2007. As Vice President in 2009 i was instructed by the president  to sit in a meeting to resolve an impasse between Merchant Bank and E&P. I sat in that meet as instructed but there was no attempt whatsoever to intervene  or to stop Merchant Bank from taking its money from E&P. E&P is a company owned by my brother but i have no stake or interest in it. And i want to say that Merchant Bank should collect all its debts from the debtors. If you owe money, pay!

Alhaji Bature- Al Hajj Newspaper

Mr President if you have faith in your Vice President as you professed why did you deliver the New Year's message when you were out of the jurisdiction?

President's Response

New Year's messages are not normally delegated, that is why i did not delegate my vice to do so.

Ransford Tetteh- Daily Graphic

There is growing unemployment in the country. What is the assurance that the growing hopelessness among the youth will be assuaged.

President's Response

Unemployment is a global challenge. Every single country is the world is facing that challenge. You are unemployable when there is no skills. We are therefore imparting skills and other direct interventions to create jobs. We will commission youth in enterprise foundation and offer youth with business ideas the opportunity to execute the ideas by providing them funds.  There is problem with graduate unemployment in the country. We are training professionals who are not immediately absorbable. We must align university programmes with the job availability. There must be Job market survey to determine which jobs are in high demand.

Ex-president Rawlings thinks some of your appointees are mediocre. What is the result of the Ministerial assessment you conducted and is there an imminent ministerial reshuffle?

President's Response

There are varied responses as to the performance of the appointees. Even in this room people may have different opinions about the performance of one minister or another. I am the coach. I take the decisions. Leave the coach to do his work.

Albert Salia- Daily Graphic

What is the status of the Media Development Fund. How much has been disbursed?

President's Response

Not abreast with the details of the Fund. Will meet with the Information Minister and  Media Commission to find out the state of the fund.

Kojo Asare Baffuor Acheampong

A follow up on the Merchant Bank transaction. The Christian Council has called on a presidential intervention to stop the sale. Are you ready to intervene?

President's Response

The little constitutional law i know stops me from intervening in a matter that is already in court. So i will not intervene.