By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA
Accra, Feb. 20, GNA – President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is delivering his fourth message on the State of the Nation Address (SONA), his last of his first term in office, which began on January 7, 2017.
The President first inspected a Guard of Honour and was ushered into the Chamber by Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Mike Oquaye and the rest of the leadership of the House.
However, after the national anthem was played, the Minority side, dressed in black outfit, staged a walk out of the Chamber, thus prompting some of the members of the Majority side to move to occupy some of their seats.
In more than an hour the President has addressed a number of issues ranging from the significant improvement in the national economy; the Government’s position on the outbreak of the new coronavirus (Convid 19) in China with regard to Ghanaians students in the locked down epicentre of Wuhan; and the strides being made in the implementation of the flagship Free Senior High School Education Policy and other Technical education.
He also dwelt on the Government’s Fight Against Galamsey and interventions to make mining more profitable and sustainable, as well as the recent controversy over the missing seized excavators, emphasising that no culprit, irrespective of his/her political colour or standing would be spared.
Other success stories he recounted are on Agriculture, the banking sector cleanup, the 2019 Year of Return and the digitisation of the economy, among others.
Before the address, opinions sampled by the Ghana News Agency indicated that many Ghanaians expected an update to hear about the status of some of the flagship programmes being implemented by his Government such as the Free Senior High School Policy, Planting for Food and Jobs, One-District, One Factory and One District, One Warehouse.
They also wanted to hear about the President’s views on the missing excavators, which the Police is investigating following a report made by Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology and Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining to the Criminal Investigation Department.
The State-of-the-Nation address is in compliance with Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution, which stipulates that “The President shall, at the beginning of each session of parliament and before the dissolution of parliament, deliver to Parliament a message on the state of the nation”.
In the Chamber to grace the occasion are Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia with his wife Samira, First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo, Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, Former President Jerry John Rawlings and wife Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings and Former President John Agyekum Kufuor.
Others are Nana Otuo Serebour II, Chairman of the Council of State, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Justices of the superior courts, the leadership of Political Parties, Service Commanders, Members of the Council of State, Traditional rulers, among other dignitaries.
GNA