Debate on 2023 SONA - PNC, APC share varying views (Daily Graphic Mar - 16 - 2023 Page 19)

Mar - 16 - 2023

TWO political parties have given varied views on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s State of the Nation Address (SONA). 

They are the People’s National Convention (PNC) and the All People’s Congress (APC). While the General Secretary of the PNC, Janet Nabla, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, is commending the President for the presentation, the founder and leader of the APC, Hassan Ayariga, described the President’s address as partisan and unimpressive. 

PNC

 Commenting on the address, the General Secretary of the PNC, Ms Nabla, commended the president for exercising his duty and his willingness to lead the country back to the right economic track. She said the PNC as a political party with great interest in the affairs of the country was fully aware of the current hardship the ordinary Ghanaian was going through. 

 “The President acknowledges the difficulty we are having in his statement. This is a show of good faith that can lead us to solving our economic challenges,” she said 

The PNC said the President’s proposition to address the major concerns of the nation, among them: the economy, roads and transports, education, health in the wake of COVID-19 devastation of the world economy coupled with the war in Ukraine was commendable. 

“Our nation is in a period of economic difficulty that each and every citizen must make some sacrifices to save Ghana’s economy,” she said.

 Ms Nabla said the PNC acknowledged that the greatest sacrifice must be made by the government through cutting down on expenditure while ensuring effective revenue mobilisation to meet the essential demands of the country. We equally call on all citizens to cooperate with the government in this journey. 

“We implore other opposition political parties, civil society organisations and all well-meaning Ghanaians to join hands with the government to bring the economy back on track through constructive criticisms, and putting our partisan interest aside for the interest of all,” the PNC said. 

 

 APC 

The founder and leader of APC, Mr Ayariga, said the President's message on the State of the Nation did not reflect the true state of the economy.

 “Yes we believe that the government and the President of the Republic have done their best but their best is not the best for our nation,” he said. 

He added that Ghana was currently bankrupt and the current state of the nation was that prices of goods and services in the market were outrageous. 

 “Everyday prices keep skyrocketing and salaries are stagnant. Inflation is at its highest level,” he said. Mr Ayariga opined that Ghanaians could not afford three square meals coupled with the fact that the nation could not pay its debts leading to Ghana’s credit rating being slashed by two levels to Ca, the second-lowest score by Moody's. 

 

“Our currency is now the worst performing currency in the world under this government. We still have many schools under trees, our few hospitals do not have enough beds and supplements. Transportation and medical fees are too expensive and Ghanaians cannot afford their healthcare costs,” he said. On the assertion that Ghana was struggling due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukraine war, Mr Ayariga said Ghana was already suffering even before the pandemic hit, stressing that the COVID-19 resources accrued to Ghana were more of a blessing than a curse.

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/debate-on-2023-sona-pnc-apc-share-varying-views.html