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President Akufo Addo says his government is offering critical support to Ghanaians and small businesses to ease the effect of COVID-19 pandemic because it is a caring government and not because it delights in giving freebies.
The flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Mahama, had asked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to create jobs for Ghanaians to have the purchasing power to afford goods and services rather than keep throwing freebies at the citizenry, noting that countries do not develop that way.
The Akufo-Addo government has offered a lot of free packages to the citizenry since the COVID-19 pandemic entered Ghana, as part of measures to mitigate the consequential financial burden brought about by the disease.
They include free water and electricity, tax cuts for frontline health workers among others.
However, during an interaction with members of the Association of Road Contractors, Mr Mahama said: “This government is prioritising consumption”, adding: “No government develops prioritising consumption”.
“You have to invest money in the productive sectors and the productive sectors would create jobs and the jobs will create prosperity for the people”, he said.
“But if you say everybody should stay at home and we will give you everything free, free; free this, free that. All the countries that have developed, they didn’t develop like that”, he pointed out.
The former President said: “You must assure the people of jobs; if people are working and getting money, what would they need free for if they can afford to pay.”
But reacting to his predecessor’s comments during his 15 televised national address on Sunday on the country’s fight against COVID-19, President Akufo Addo stated that it takes only a responsible and sensitive government like his to offer such support to the citizenry such difficult time.
“…We’re not providing freebies, we are providing critical help to households and businesses in the midst of this pandemic because we care. It must my conviction that in times of crisis it is the duty of a responsible and sensitive government to protect the population and provide relief.”
Source: Kasapafmonline.com
