Reason why this debate must come on

President Akufo-Addo and former President Mahama

The Member of Parliament for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam, Mr Cassiel Ato Forson, has backed calls for a presidential debate between the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Dramani Mahama, and President Akufo-Addo.

Former Mr Mahama has led calls for a debate with the president ahead of the December 7 elections but Mr Akufo-Addo has declined.

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Addressing the chiefs and people of Ajumako in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam constituency on Saturday, as part of the NDC presidential candidate’s just ended five-day campaign tour of the Central Region, Mr Ato Forson noted that a debate between the leaders of the two dominant political parties will inform electorates about the policies of the parties and help them make an informed decision on election day.

He said the Akufo-Addo government has since 2017 borrowed GHC152 billion and it is expected that, by the end of the year 2020, the national debt will hit GHC180 billion on the watch of president Akufo-Addo.

He added, the government has also generated revenue internally to the tune of GHC 367 billion. Mr Ato Forson said the huge revenue envelope the government has had notwithstanding, it has very few development projects to show for how it has spent all the money. He said inspite of receiving less resources than the present government, the Mahama administration built roads, hospitals, water and electrification projects, among others, all over the country.

“That is why I am appealing to President Akufo Addo to accept the challenge by Mr Mahama to come for a debate so that he can properly account for all the money he had borrowed and the internal revenue generated”, Ato Forson said.

For his part, Mr Mahama said time has exposed the lies and deception employed by the NPP to win power in the 2016 election. Mr Mahama therefore urged electorates to vote for him and NDC parliamentary candidates on December 7 for them to work hard to provide jobs, free primary healthcare and state-sponsored Technical and Vocational Education and Training (T-VET)to equip the youth with employable skills in order to reduce hardship.

Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM

He made this known during his 16th national address on the measure taken by the government to curb the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

“I am glad to announce that the Kotoka International Airport will resume operations on Tuesday, September 1, 2020. This has been communicated to all international airlines,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo disclosed that every passenger who arrives in the country must possess proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test.

The president said while the government is aware that the country’s first cases of the disease were imported, it is optimistic that the reopening of the airport will not lead to new infections.

He said the government has therefore put in place a number of guidelines to ensure that no case is imported into the country.

The guidelines include;

1. Any passenger arriving in Ghana must be in possession of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from an accredited laboratory in the country of origin. The test should have been done not more than seventy-two (72) hours before the scheduled departure from the country of origin. All airlines have been instructed to ensure compliance with this directive for all passengers wishing to travel to Ghana, and those airlines who fail in this regard will be duly sanctioned;

2. disembarking passengers must do so wearing face masks;

3. upon disembarking from the aeroplane, each passenger will undergo a mandatory COVID-19 test at the airport terminal, at a fee to be borne by the passenger. The test result will be available within thirty (30) minutes;

4. children under the ages of five (5) will not be required to undergo testing at the airport;

5. passengers, who test positive for COVID-19, will be handled by the health authorities for further clinical assessment and management; and

6. passengers, who test negative, can, thereupon, enter Ghana to go about their lawful activities, and will be advised to continue to observe COVID-19 safety precautions during their stay in Ghana.

Meanwhile, the country’s land and sea borders remain closed.

When were Ghana’s borders closed?

Ghana’s air, sea and land borders were closed on Sunday, March 22, 2020, following an order by President Akufo-Addo as part of efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

At the time, the country had only recorded 21 cases of the novel disease.

The initial closure was to last for two weeks according to President Nana Akufo-Addo but was extended.

In announcing the closure, the President said: “All our borders; by land, sea and air, will be closed to human traffic for the next two weeks beginning midnight on Sunday, March 22, 2020”.

The closure did not apply to goods, supplies and cargo.

Meanwhile, Ghana as of today, the morning of Sunday, August 30, 2020, has recorded 44,205 cases with 42,777 recoveries and 276 deaths.

Ghana’s current active case stands at 1,152.

SOURCE:CITINEWSONLINE.COM

President Akufo-Addo has commissioned the Suhum Interchange to allow motorists and pedestrians who use the section of the Accra to Kumasi Dualisation Project, to commute easily.

Delivering his remarks at the ceremony on Friday, 26 June 2020, President Akufo-Addo stated that the commissioning of the interchange reaffirms Government’s commitment to continuing and successfully completing major infrastructural projects inherited from previous governments.

This, he explained, is to ensure that the expected socio-economic benefits can be enjoyed by all Ghanaians.

With the Suhum Interchange being a part of the Nsawam bypass and Kwafokrom to Apedwa Junction Project, it will be recalled that the 9.1 kilometre Nsawam bypass dual carriageway project was awarded in May 2008, during the administration of President John Agyekum Kufuor, and was scheduled for completion in August 2010.

Also, the 31.7 kilometre Kwafokrom to Apedwa junction dual carriageway project was also awarded in September 2008, again in the Kufuor era, and was scheduled for completion by March 2012. However, due to several challenges, mainly associated with payment delays, the project suffered many periods of suspension by the contractor.

“Upon my assumption of office, work resumed in June 2017, on the South-bound carriageway of the Kwafokrom to Apedwa section, including the Suhum Interchange. We were however unable to open the interchange to traffic due to some outstanding safety works. The Ghana Highway Authority has since, ensured that the bridge can be opened for public use,” the President said.

He continued, “the North-bound carriageway works, including the construction of eight footbridges along the road corridor, were also repackaged, and work commenced in January 2019. The entire Kwafokrom to Apedwa junction project is expected to be finally completed in April 2021,” he added.

President Akufo-Addo noted that similar interchanges, tunnels and underpasses have become an integral part of all road planning and construction activities in the country, adding that the Suhum Interchange will “afford residents the comfort of going about their normal activities, without fear of, for instance, being knocked down by vehicles.”

The improved conditions the country’s highways, the President reiterated, imposes a collective duty on the citizenry to be mindful of their responsibilities on the road.

“I urge motorists to be extra careful on our highways, and also resist the temptation of over speeding on good road sections. Improved roads should be a catalyst for national development, not instruments of death and pain,” he added.

The President expressed the gratitude to workers, security agencies, contractors and the supervising agency, the Ghana Highway Authority, for a good work done on the project.

“I am expectant that this same attitude of collaboration, hard work and excellence is being extended to all other infrastructural projects being undertaken in other sectors of our economy. I urge, once again, all motorists and road users to follow the traffic control and management schemes that have been deployed in this section, so as to ensure safety for all,” he added.

ghanaaview.com

Previous President John Dramani Mahama has asked pundits of his infrastructural accomplishments during his residency of office to get a duplicate of the Green Book to confirm his activities.

John Mahama who is additionally the National Democratic Congress’ flagbearer for the 2020 general decisions demanded that his undertakings “are completely reported in the Green book and I encourage all skeptics to get a duplicate and venture into their networks and cross-check if the tasks plot there, the E-hinders, the exchanges, the clinics, and other transformational ventures exist just in that book.”

Mr. Mahama offered the guidance today, Wednesday, June 10, 2020, during a banner raising service to remember the NDC’s 28th commemoration at the gathering’s central station in Accra because of reactions from President Akufo-Addo.

It will be reviewed that President Akufo-Addo during the appointing of the recently built Tema Motorway Interchange a week ago said John Mahama and the NDC’s cases of conveying uncommon foundation never existed in all actuality yet just in their Green Book.

“We made a vow to the Ghanaian individuals to extend and improve the street arrange while shutting down the missing connections in the system. We needed to make this vow since we realize that the purported phenomenal foundation advancement of the Mahama organization was dream; existing in the Green Book and not on the ground,” Akufo-Addo said.

NDC authorities take on Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo’s remarks got a prompt reaction from the NDC.

The National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi in a tweet encouraged President Akufo-Addo to offer credit to previous President Mahama for his interests in the street area.

“President Akufo-Addo must figure out how to recognize a job well done. Enough of the plagiarisation of Mahama ventures. The Tema Motorway Interchange remains the brainchild of the Visionary John Dramani Mahama,” he contended in the tweet.