President Akufo-Addo in a group picture with some Ministers’ of State
Story by: Ishmael Barfi
A network of youth oriented-based groups has has called on the President of the Republic, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to listen to cry of many well-meaning Ghanaian to reduce the size of your government.
The Network Group, National Network of Youth Groups (NNOYG) reminded the President of his call to Ghanaians to be citizens, to burden share as well as believe in him.
“Mr. President, you called on us; to be citizens, to burden share, to believe in you; Yes, we reciprocated and heeded to your calls by voting massively for you, accepted your justification for more men to work with, pay E-levy, COVID-levy even after you promise to move from taxation to production and to protect the public purse” the group noted.
Therefore believes that “It is your turn to listen to us. Even before IMF austerity measure for economic bailouts are introduce in the 2023 budget, the citizenry specially the youth are feeling the pinch and pain in multiple folds”.
In a Press Release issued in Accra on Friday, 4th November, 2022, National Network of Youth Groups (NNOYG) bemoaned that, many young people in Ghana today, have resorted to unimaginable formulas tricks to forego either one or two of the daily meals to survive this economic turbulent in the country.
Indicating that, “According to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), Ghana currently has an overall youthful population of about 11.7 million between the ages of (15-35). Out of this, 1,140,009 youth are unemployed and 5,872,229 are underemployed, representing 19.7% and 50% respectively”.
To the above, the Network Group reiterated that, both figures are higher than overall unemployment rates in Sub-Saharan African countries.
To that effect, “significantly, the unemployment in Ghana has become a sociolect-economic imperative more than ever before. And so what? Do you want to add a sentence or two?
Reminding the President of his firm believer in the adage that the proof of the pudding is in the eating to justify the size of your his Government and that it a necessary investment with an assurance to us that ‘it is not going to be a holiday’ for the ministers.
“Mr. President, the verdict after six years in office with this large size of government ? hardship upon hardship. The taste of the pudding economic crisis and more suffering on the youth”, the group fumed.
“Sadly, your large government, which is largely to blame for the economic mess, are on the waiting list for considerable amount of money in salaries, allowances and a range benefits to enjoy including that of ex-gratia”.
This they believe “does not sound to us like a diligent attempt to take us from this precarious economic wounds and sign to protect the public purse”.
The National Network of Youth Groups (NNOYG) urged Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to cut down the size o his government to protect the public purse.
“ As citizens, we are compelled to cut down on our private expenses, then it is time for the Government to do the same to protect the public purse”.
This is therefore a demand for an immediate and drastic reduction in size, not limited to ministers alone, but all of the President’s non-ministerial appointees” the group reiterated.
And acknowledged that, “if for nothing at all, the symbolism in the Government also taking a hit, just like the rest of us, is very strong”.
“Mr. President, we are not in normal times and ‘business as usual’ won’t work. Desperate times calls for desperate action. No further justification for having and paying a large batch of ministers and other appointees to produce the better results”.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
