The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has assured Ghanaians that the 2024 manifesto of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will build on the solid foundation laid by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Speaking at the party’s manifesto launch on Sunday, August 18, 2024 Mr. Jinapor emphasised that the document is an action plan designed to create jobs and foster economic development, leveraging the achievements of the Akufo-Addo administration.
“This 2024 NPP Manifesto is evidently an action plan to build on the enviable record of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to create hundreds, thousands and millions of jobs for the Ghanaian youth and bring much-needed development to our people,” Mr. Jinapor stated.
He highlighted key accomplishments in the mining, forestry and security sectors that have positioned Ghana as a leader in Africa and laid the groundwork for future growth.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources pointed to Ghana’s rise as the leading gold producer in Africa, surpassing South Africa as one of the notable achievements under Akufo-Addo’s leadership.
“By dint of hard work and innovative policies, we have overtaken South Africa as the leading producer of gold on the continent and the sixth in the world. We have revamped the Dormaa, Bibiani and Obuasi mines, and exports received from gold alone in the first half of this year have crossed US$5 billion,” he said.
He also mentioned that the NPP government’s policies have attracted significant investment in the mining sector, with three new gold mines under construction in various regions of the country.
These investments, Mr. Jinapor noted, are creating numerous jobs for the youth and will further consolidate Ghana’s position as a leader in the industry.
“These investments have created scores of jobs for the youth and more high-paying jobs will become available when these mines start operation,” he added.
Mr. Jinapor also emphasised the importance of the NPP’s local content and value addition policies in ensuring that Ghanaians benefit directly from the mining sector.
“With our value addition, local content and local policy, including the construction of refineries, mandatory listing on the Ghana Stock Exchange and the reservation of jobs and the provision of some 50 goods and services for the Ghanaian private sector, the people of Ghana are benefiting directly from this new, enhanced indigenous mining industry,” he explained.
Turning to the forestry sector, Mr Jinapor described Ghana as a global leader in forest management and nature-based climate action.
He cited the Green Ghana initiative, which has resulted in the planting of 52 million trees in just four years, as a testament to the government’s commitment to environmental protection.
“Between 2017 and 2023 alone, some 721,000 hectares of forest have been cultivated, five times more than the 157,300 hectares cultivated in the whopping 53 years between 1963 and 2016,” he said.
In addition to these achievements, Mr. Jinapor highlighted the government’s efforts to strengthen Ghana’s security forces and protect the nation’s borders.
He mentioned the construction of military housing units, the provision of vehicles and motorbikes to the Ghana Police Service and the increase in personnel as evidence of the government’s commitment to national security.
“The Akufo-Addo government has settled US$13 million in arrears owed to peacekeeping personnel and increased their allowances from $30 to $35 per soldier per day,” he noted.
He called on all Ghanaians, particularly the youth, to support the NPP in the upcoming elections.
He emphasised that a vote for the NPP and its presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, is a vote for continued development, job creation and a brighter future for Ghana.
“A President Bawumia, with this manifesto, will establish the Novell Minerals Development Bank. It will be jobs, jobs, jobs for the Ghanaian people. Large and Small-scale mining will flourish, thereby creating jobs for the teeming youth of our country,” he asserted.
, thereby creating jobs for the teeming youth of our country,” he asserted.
