The Vice President has reiterated the resolve of the Akufo-Addo government to implement policies and programmes designed to alleviate the hardships faced by Ghanaian.

Dr Mahamudu Bawumia insists the President has done more to mitigate the effects of any difficulties affecting Ghanaians since he assumed office 20 months ago, more than what his predecessor did in eight years of office.

“Although as humans, we will continuously have needs, and thus keep expressing concerns of greater desires and pains, what is refreshing is that today, Teacher Trainees are receiving their allowances.

“Nursing trainees are receiving their allowances. BECE candidates have their registration fees paid for them. We have doubled the Capitation Grant; 100,000 unemployed graduates are now under NABCO.

Speaking at the 2018 joint Annual Dinner and Dance of the United Kingdom branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and Young Executives Forum (YEF) on Saturday, he said the power cuts and load shedding which was killing people’s businesses have been fixed. 

“Electricity tariffs have been reduced for us. About 17 or so taxes have either been reduced or abolished. There is no freeze on public sector employment. We have fertiliser subsidies under Planting for Food and Jobs.

“These are things that did not exist before we came into government, and if we had not addressed them, they were going to compound the hardships on all Ghanaians.

Dr Bawumia acknowledged that governmennt has not solved all of Ghana’s problems as “significant amount of challenges still abound that ought to be tackled with speed.” 

The Vice President said government has done tangible things to reduce the hardships on Ghanaians. 

“Today the NDC is going around saying that there are hardships. So what we want to ask them, and I want to challenge them, a simple challenge: tell us what you have done in your last 8 years of government. Tell us the social interventions you brought in to reduce the hardships of Ghanaians,” he jabbed.

He continued, “if you ask me, I will tell you what Nana Akufo-Addo has done in 20 months. I will tell you about Free SHS, I will tell you about teacher training allowances, I will tell you about nursing training allowances. 

“I will tell you about Capitation Grant. I will tell you about reductions in electricity prices. I will tell you about NABCO that will provide a hundred thousand jobs to graduates, I will talk to you about reductions in taxes.

The Vice President assured that government was well on course in its determination to implement policies and programmes designed to formalise and modernise the Ghanaian economy, adding, “there are exciting times ahead for Ghana.”