The President has come under the spotlight in recent weeks after he said “borrowing is not aid” and that Ghana will continue to borrow in order to create assets.
President Akufo-Addo has reiterated that his government is still bent on making Ghana a country that does not depend on aid and charity from the West.
The President has come under the spotlight in recent weeks after he said “borrowing is not aid” and that Ghana will continue to borrow in order to create assets.
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Many have since criticized his remarks, insisting it is in stark contrast to the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ agenda.
However, explaining himself, President Akufo-Addo said his government has not forfeited its dreams of making Ghana a self-dependent country.
Speaking at the 2018 G20 compact with Africa conference in Berlin, Germany, he said taking Ghana beyond aid is still a priority.
“My government’s vision of moving our country to a situation beyond aid, i.e. Ghana beyond aid is aligned with Germany’s compact with Africa programme,” President Akufo-Addo stated.
“Under my leadership, we are determined to discard the mindset of dependence on aid, charity and handouts and aim towards becoming self-reliant within the context of strong global cooperation.”
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He added that his government is focused on creating the enabling environment for investments to thrive in Ghana.
To do this, the President said, the fundamentals of the economy must be built on solid foundations to enable the creation of wealth and jobs.
“...my government has spent the last 21 months period of our stay in office to improve the fundamentals of the Ghanaian economy because we believe that an improved macro-economy is a basic requirement for stimulating the investments we need for the significant expansion and growth of the national economy and the generation of wealth and jobs.”
“We believe that when the private sector flourishes and when our enterprises become competitive not just on the continent but also in the global marketplace then we can create thousands of jobs for the teeming masses of unemployed youth,” President Akufo-Addo added.