State of the Nation
Kufuor in feisty mood
Thrills Parlirament with uncharacteristic vehemence
Kofi Agyepong and Atiku Iddrisu | Posted: Thursday, February 02, 2006
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| President JA Kufuor |
It was a feisty State of the Nation Address yesterday. It started off almost as a boring shopping list of "Have done", "Doing" and "To do" looking at past achievements, current progress and future outlook. No surprises there, for that's the nature of such addresses. But then, in the concluding portions of the address President J.A Kufuor uncharacteristically put up a spirited fight in defence of himself, his government and his party to the delight of the Majority benches in parliament. He looked his critics straight in the eyes and described them as non-participants and hinderers to the country's development. President Kufuor told Ghanaians that the state of their nation is good and the general spirit was one of optimism. Ghana, he said, in an international survey was ranked the third happiest place to be - even ahead of the US and UK.
The President said in "previous years this address was used to preview the budget. This time with the budget read", he wished to focus on four themes:
i) What the budget is calculated to do in moving the economy further
ii) The current stage of our socio-economic development
iii) Government's role in assuring rapid implementation of programmes and policies, and
iv) The main challenges to the body politic in efforts to accelerate growth.
President Kufuor urged Ghanaians to take the destiny of the country in their hands and "should not hand the country into the hands of people who will cynically immigrate the country".
He admonished his compatriots to be more serious regarding their attitude to work. He said: "I recommend the inculcation of a more business-like attitude to work by the citizenry and a closer and more interactive relationship between the public and private sector of the economy in addressing the development needs of the country."
The President painted an optimistic picture, non of the gloom of the past. Capturing the mood of the nation, he said, "Mr. Speaker, I believe I am lucky that this function is taking place now rather than later in the day, when the whole nation's attention will be on our national team, the Black Stars. Having made us proud by taming the Teranga Lions of Senegal, the stars are poised to thrash the Warriors of Zimbabwe."
He touched on VALCO and its new role in Ghana's economy; he mentioned MAERSK and its proposed container terminal at Takoradi; he reminded Ghanaians of the West Africa Gas Pipeline Project, AngloGold Ashanti, the Millennium Challenge Account, Debt Cancellation, APRM and the other feel-good developments in the country.
Recollecting some remarks made by his critics on the performance of his government, especially on the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill, President Kufuor explained that his government's desire to give the vote to citizens of Ghana abroad was after all not that novel. Almost chidingly, he told Parliament: "There is a matter of topical interest.
It was in the Presidential Sessional Address of 1996; that was before we assumed office, that ways of extending the ballot to our nationals abroad was considered." The cheering from the NPP side and jeering from the NDC were deafening when the president went through this memory lane.
"So why so much nervousness about something initiated a decade ago", he asked, pressing home his advantage.
"There must be an unwholesome idea behind it and the country must be alerted to it ", he warned Ghanaians.
With obvious reference to the NDC's planned "chaos" and "instability" the president called the attention of the House to that particular threat. He said, "Ten years down the road, interactions conducted across the country have unearthed both difficulties and insights.
This government has deemed it timely to go ahead with the Bill. It is up to Parliament to debate, approve or disapprove, therefore Mr Speaker, for any person or group of persons to threaten mayhem is unacceptable."
The President also took his detractors on, regarding their opposition to a new executive mansion for the country. All his predecessors, he told parliament, hardly lived in the presidential apartment of the Osu Castle with their families.
"Kwame Nkrumah, Busia, Liman, Rawlings and others all did not live there with their families", he said
"The truth is that, as historic as the Castle is, it was not built for family living… It is high time therefore that Ghana has a befitting presidency and this government will, God willing leave a befitting residence for our presidents", he promised.
President Kufuor who was delivering the address in accordance with Article 67 of the Constitution of Ghana told the house that he has subjected himself to CHRAJ to be investigated on the a number of accusations.
In an amused tone, the President asked: "Where in the world does a sitting president so readily subject himself to be investigated?
He re-emphasized his government's desire to fight corruption and urged people to prove the corrupt practices to the appropriate authorities.
"It is only fair when allegation of corruption is made against people in government or other positions, for the people to go to the police or other investigative authorities or address the allegations to the office of accountability", he advised.
"The fight against corruption is engaged on all fronts of society including education - personal and institutional", he added.
He noted that the passage of the Whistle blowers Bill and Freedom of Information Bill will "reinforce the fight against corruption".
Referring to the practice whereby people support the government when they are part of it and do not support it when they are in opposition, the President said that did not show the strength and beauty of democracy.
Next year Ghana would celebrate her Golden Jubilee of Independence. On this, he said, "50 years is a long time in the life of a nation. On this birthday, we must view the positive adjustment of our attitudes as mandatory. We must break from past lethargies and refocus for the future as one nation with one destiny."
That could be said to be the leitmotive of this year's State of the Nation Address: Breaking from past lethargies and refocusing on creative energies for the future.
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