By Iddi Yire
Accra, Feb 11, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday, February 11, inaugurated the 120 Days Social Contract Task Force under the Chairmanship of Dr Valerie Sawyerr, Senior Presidential Advisor on Governmental Affairs.
The 19-Member Task Force is to ensure that the Social Contract policies outlined in the NDC Manifesto for the December 7 general election, intended to be achieved within the first 120 days of President Mahama’s assumption of Office were fulfilled.
The Social Contract Team include Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, Finance Minister, Mr John Abu Jinapor, Energy Minister, Madam Elizabeth Ofosu Agyare, Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Dr Dominic Akurutinga Ayine, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Education Minister.
Others are Madam Dzifa Abla Gomashie, Minister of Tourism; Mr George Opare Addo, Minister of Youth Development, Madam Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Minister of Health, and Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, Minister of Labour, Jobs, and Employment.
The rest are Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Nartey George, Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, Dr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Mr Goosie Tanoh, Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economy, Mr Prosper Bani, National Security Adviser, Commissioner of Police (COP) Kofi Boakye (rtd), Director of Operations at the Presidency, Mr Francis Dodoo, Presidential Adviser, and Mrs Joyce Bawah Mogtari, Presidential Adviser and Special Aide to the President.
President Mahama in his address noted the Party upon winning the election had entered into a social contract with the people of Ghana and that several of the things they intended to achieve within the first 120 days, were sectoral and so it was not possible to conduct the inauguration of the Team before the Ministers of the various sectors had been selected and sworn-in.
He said the inaugural meeting coming after the swearing-in of the Ministers was meant to focus sectorally on the things that fall within their sectors.
He said this would enable the Ministers to pay attention to their sectors and make sure that the Government achieved its targets.
He said some of the targets were to be achieved within 90 days, while others were,14 days.
He said the promise to assemble a full cabinet within 14 days had been achieved.
“Others necessarily must go with some things, for instance the removal of some taxes and rationalization of taxes can only be in the budget because you need to do revenue measures and put those tax instruments before Parliament,” the President said.
“So, all of you are supposed to focus on your sectors and work so that we achieve all the targets that we set ourselves in the 120-day plan.”
President Mahama, who referred to Members of the Social Contract Task Force as the G120, urged them to work closely with the Chairperson, to make sure that they were faithful to the mandate that the people of Ghana gave them.
He said the National Economic Dialogue Planning Committee was already working and that the Constitutional Review Committee had also started working
President Mahama lauded Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the education minister for setting up the National Forum on Education Committee.
“The Minister of Education, who was amongst the earliest to be sworn-in has already moved quite fast with the issue of the national educational review and so for those of you who were sworn-in later look into your sector ministries and the promises that we made and then work as quickly as possible with the senior presidential advisor on governmental affairs to be able to achieve those targets we’ve set ourselves.” The President said.
Dr Valerie Sawyerr on behalf of the Team, expressed gratitude to President Mahama for the honour bestowed upon them.
We are totally empowered by the honor you have bestowed upon us and the confidence you have reposed in us.
“We know how seriously you take your promises to the people of Ghana. Each promise is best with deep thinking, painstaking calculation, and consideration of various permutations to ensure they are viable, doable, and sustainable,” she said.
“We know your word is your bond and will be tied to anyone who stands in the way of the performance of your promises to the people of Ghana.”
She pledged that the Team would use its utmost endeavors to ensure that they performed on the mandates that the President had given them.
“We will not fail you; we will not fail the people of Ghana and God be our helper,” Dr Sawyerr said.
GNA