By Isaac Arkoh
Cape Coast, May 29, GNA – The flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has vowed to turn around Ghana’s industrial sector with his proposed 24-hour economy.
He said the economic measure will help Ghana become self-sufficient and focus on export-oriented growth through favourable tax policies, stimulus packages and financial assistance available for specific industries including agro-processing and manufacturing.
The move is buttressed on sustaining a congenial haven for effective collaboration with the private sector to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth, increase productivity and improve the living standards of the citizenry.
Former President Mahama gave the assurance in a speech read on his behalf at the maiden Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG) Presidential Lecture Series held at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
The Presidential Lecture Series seeks to engage presidential candidates of political parties on policies particularly, remedying the challenges of GRASAG for improved research outcomes.
Former President Mahama said his government would enact new and invoke laws to support businesses operating a 24-hour system to grow to accelerate development and criticised the government for jumping unemployment to 14.7 per cent from 8.5 per cent in 2017.
The situation, he said, had created high despondency, particularly among the youth, forcing them to leave the country against all odds searching for greener pastures and assured that the NDC would take urgent steps in 2025 to inject renewed hope into the economy and steer it out of the current challenges.
“The NDC government will prioritise transparency in the management of the economy to repose the needed confidence to attract investment from the financial market,” he said.
On education, former President Mahama said he was not against free Senior High School (SHS) and nowhere had he ever said free SHS was a bad policy.
However, he believed free SHS must be improved instead of the ad-hoc implementation being witnessed now.
Mr Emmanuel Owusu, GRASAG National President, said the Presidential Lecture Series was a significant milestone towards fostering a culture of dialogue, engagement and active participation in the nation-building process.
He said GRASAG was eager to hear the Presidential Aspirant’s insights and vision for the future of Ghana, particularly pertaining to the youth, who represented the engine of progress.
Prof Johnson Nyarko Boampong, the Vice-Chancellor of UCC applauded 6GRASAG for the initiative and described as “crucial” to remedying the challenges of GRASA for quality research.
He said research enabled universities to delve into subjects, gaining a deeper understanding of them and to explore territories, question accepted beliefs, and discover innovative ways to tackle complex issues in the pursuit of intellectual development.
GNA