Mahama, appointees prepare for 2016 heavy schedule

President John Dramani Mahama has charged his appointees to prepare for the heavy schedule ahead of them this year.

Although he expressed optimism about the chances of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in this year’s elections, the President said there was the need for a careful analysis of their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in order to map out the winning strategy.

Opening a two-day retreat for government officials in Ho yesterday, the President alluded to the phenomenal performance of the government and said, “We will win this election.”

The retreat was meant to provide the platform for ministers of state and key officials of the government to “recharge their batteries” to prosecute the agenda of the government for this year, and effectively position the NDC for the general election.

It will end with a health walk today.

The Vice-President, Mr Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, is also attending the meeting.

President Mahama said there was the need to consolidate the progress made in order to improve the living conditions of the people. Due to that, he added, the implementation of key infrastructural projects was essential.

He chastised the opposition for refusing to see the good things the government was doing and only resorting to baseless accusations that the government had borrowed too much.

President Mahama said although the government’s opponents could see the roads, hospitals, schools, water and other projects being undertaken across the country, they continued the accusations that the government was borrowing too much.

He also said the first President of Ghana, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, suffered similar attacks by the opposition when his government embarked on massive infrastructural development at the time.

“President Nkrumah had done so phenomenally when it came to infrastructure. He had just finished the Akosombo Dam, but the opposition at the time said he had run Ghana into debt and that he had borrowed so much; exactly the same accusation we are facing now,” the President said.

As he mentioned the incredible development that had taken place in the country under his government, the President said, “ I feel very proud.

“We have done sufficiently. In 2016 we should be in a better place than we were in 2012 because there is a track record to point at,” he said, to applause from the gathering.

“Everywhere we go, people point to the development that has taken place,” the President added.

He said in the Brong Ahafo Region alone, water projects for more than 3,000 households in about 27 communities had been completed.