President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed his determination to protect citizens against the scare of terrorism.
He said the government would support international efforts against the 21st century menace to ensure security in the country, the sub-region, and the world at large.
President Akufo-Addo made the commitment when he hosted a reception for members of the diplomatic corps at the Flagstaff House on Wednesday night.
“We will stand firmly with all civilised nations in repudiating terrorism. We will commit ourselves to do everything within our means to support regional, continental and global efforts to defeat this 21st century scare,” he said.
The President announced his foreign policies to the corps and pledged to deepen the country’s cordial relationship with its allies.
He said the government would form partnerships that would be beneficial in transforming the economy and enhancing the quality of life of Ghanaians.
On the regional and continental front, he said the government would be active in the activities of ECOWAS and the African Union (AU) and increase trade with member countries of both organisations.
He noted that the contribution of troops to the ECOWAS mission in Gambia clearly indicated his government’s resolve to support peace and stability within the sub-region.
He said the ECOWAS action in Gambia created an enabling environment for rule of law and peaceful resolution of the electoral impasse in Gambia.
President Akufo-Addo also touched on his plans to ensure good governance, expand the economy and create jobs for Ghanaians to improve the quality of life in the country.
He said the sacrifice of the country’s founding fathers would guide and motivate him in the discharge of his duties as president of the country and indicated that the full complement of his government would be constituted by the middle of next month.
“By the middle of next month, God willing, the full complement of my administration will be in place so that we can mobilise all our efforts to deliver on the mandate entrusted on our shoulders by the Ghanaian people,” he said.
The President noted that he would soon announce the names of his deputy ministers and metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives.
He said the economic policy of his administration would focus on adding value to the country’s raw materials to inspire the transformation of the structure of the economy.
“Our economic vision will focus on executing an integrated industrialisation programme, with bias towards small and medium enterprises (SMEs), with access to science and technology, incentives, and markets to make them competitive,” he said.
He stressed the government’s commitment to execute programmes to boost agricultural productivity and introduce incentives to encourage banks to provide affordable credit to SMEs.
The economic programmes, he said, had been summed up in the government’s One District, One Factory and the One Village, One Dam policies.
President Akufo-Addo also expressed the government’s commitment to create a petrochemical industry to support economic growth.
“We will link together our natural resources and talent, energy, and sense of enterprise to turn the nation into an economic power house,” he said.
By Yaw Kyei