The President Akufo-Addo says he is determined to complete all projects started by his government before his tenure of office ends.
According to him, the only obstacle has been the financial stress facing the economy, but was optimistic that following a successful negotiation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), all outstanding projects would be resumed and completed.
The President said this at Jubilee House yesterday, in response to news on the resumption of work on the Adaklu Youth Resources Centre. While expressing happiness at the report given by the President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, who is also the Paramount Chief of Anfoega Traditional Area, Togbe Tepre Hodo, President Akufo-Addo stated that soon work would resume on other projects.
The Chief, who led a delegation to thank the President for allowing the Volta Region to host the 66th Independence Day celebration, in his addressed said work had resumed after the celebration.
In response, President Akufo-Addo said: “I am happy that work on the resource centre has resumed. All of you are aware of the financial stress in which the economy is, but we believe that very soon we would have completed the work that we need to do with the IMF and that will then make it possible for us to resume many of the projects that are still outstanding. But it is my determination to do so. I don’t want to leave office with all kinds of projects still standing. The ones that I am committed to doing, we will make sure that they are done.”
PROJECTS
The government of Akufo-Addo has undertaken several projects in various sectors of the economy.
The youth resource centre for instance is expected to benefit all the 16 regions of the country. Pictures of the various stages of completion continue to flood social media, but with no clear date for a 100% end of work.
The government declared 2021 as year of roads, designating a chunk of the budget to the construction of new roads and giving facelifts to existing ones across the country.
There are some interchanges being constructed in some parts of the country, as well as educational infrastructure.
With the clock ticking towards the end of the reign of President Akufo-Addo, the completion or otherwise of the famous Agenda 111 projects would continue to be on the lips of Ghanaians, a project experts say world be a great legacy for President Akufo-Addo should he fulfil that deal. Reports indicate that work has commenced long ago on at least 87 of these projects.
IMF
The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, made a trip to the People’s Republic of China this week to hold talks for a possible debt restructure. China holds a chunk of Ghana’s total external debt.
Back home, the government is awaiting the passage of three revenue bills, which are expected to rake in some GH¢4 billion annually to the government.
Not long ago, the government “successfully” completed its domestic debt restructuring albeit setbacks.
All these are conditions to have the bye-in of the Board of the IMF, to Ghana’s $3 billion three-year credit facility, after signing a Staff Level Agreement last December.
The government hopes to seal the deal at the end of this month, which has only seven days left.
