President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, presented the much-anticipated State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The presentation, which was done in Parliament, is in accordance with Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.
His penultimate address was expected to provide assurances, inspire and address the pressing needs of the Ghanaian people, particularly in the face of glaring hardships and unemployment.
However, as the president drew the curtains on Tuesday’s address, a chorus of critics and political analysts, asserted that the address failed to touch on critical areas that demand attention.
In this article, The Ghana Report seeks to bring to the fore the notable areas that have sparked debates among political analysts, legislators and the general public.
- National Cathedral
The construction of the National Cathedral has garnered significant attention since it was first announced by President Nana Akufo-Addo in 2018.
While the construction is ongoing, the project has not been without its share of controversy, most notably the recent resignations of several prominent clergy members from the Board of Trustees.
Also, questions of accountability and the project’s relevance in the face of the country’s economic crisis have been repeatedly raised by the Minority in Parliament.
Critics say even though they recognise the need to honour God, the timing of the project was not prudent since it was a personal pledge by the President to God.
However, proponents of the project believe that a grand cathedral would serve as a unifying symbol for the nation, a place for spiritual reflection, and an emblem of national pride.
According to President Akufo-Addo, the National Cathedral, when completed, will become one of the nation’s most iconic landmarks.
But the president decided to avoid all controversies surrounding the National Cathedral he promised to ‘gift’ God. No mention of it at all.
Meanwhile, the proposed date for commissioning the project remains March 6, 2024.
- Corruption
Over the years, successive governments have embarked on robust measures to rid the country of corruption.
The Akufo-Addo administration, for example, established the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to deal with this canker.
However, efforts have proved futile as various parameters, such as the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), say Ghana, have failed to make any significant progress.
A UN corruption report on Ghana says Ghanaians from all walks of life paid GH¢5 billion as bribes to public officials to facilitate public service delivery in public institutions in the areas of health, education, transportation, security, and justice delivery in 2021.
According to the report, the prevalence of bribery is highest with police officers topping the charts with 53.2%, followed by Ghana Immigration Service Officers with 37.4%, and Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Customs officers with 33.6%.
Despite these glaring statistics, the Akufo-Addo administration, on several occasions, has said the battle can be won.
He, however, failed to delve into the subject matter during his address.
- Illegal Mining
Illegal mining, popularly referred to as galamsey, has been a major issue in Ghana, with recent reports by the media indicating that the practice has led to the destruction of several rivers, including River Ankobra, River Bia, River Pra, and River Tano.
The government has taken several steps to eradicate illegal mining, but the problem persists due to the high demand for gold and other precious minerals.
There is currently a ban on illegal mining, the move is expected to control the level at which water bodies, arable lands, and forest reserves are being destroyed by illegal miners.
In March 2023, the Lands Ministry revealed that the Minerals Commission is to install tracking devices on 4,000 excavators and earthmoving equipment as part of measures to clamp down on galamsey.
Also, about 300 river wardens completed a 4-week intensive pre-deployment training course at the Eastern Naval Command in Tema on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, to prepare them to provide security to the country’s various river bodies.
Over 20 Chinese Nationals are currently facing prosecution in the various courts in the country.
So, there have been several measures by the current government to rid the country of this menace. In October 2022, President Nana Akufo-Addo, again, reiterated his resolve in fighting the canker.
But many still ask, shall we surrender to galamsey? This question was not addressed in the 2024 SONA.
- Unemployment
Unemployment remains a critical concern for a lot of people.
The average rate of unemployment in the country has risen to 14.7 percent in the first three quarters of 2023.
The number of unemployed youth aged between 15 and 35 rose from about 1.2 million to over 1.3 million during the same period with the rate among females consistently higher than males.
This is according to records sourced from the Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey Quarter Three Labour Bulletin by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).
The survey further indicated that the number of youth without jobs in 2022 only saw a dip in the second quarter of last year.
The sharp increase in unemployment rate of females between the fourth quarter of 2022 and the first quarter of 2023 has culminated in a wider unemployment gender gap in 2023 relative to 2022.
No mention of unemployment by the president.
- Exodus of nurses and other young professionals
A 2021 Population and Housing Census data, for instance, revealed a staggering number of people leaving the country, with the youth being the dominant group.
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) Thematic Report on Migration revealed that more than 77% of those leaving the country to seek greener pastures elsewhere fall between the ages of 20-49.
The report further revealed that over 37% of Ghanaian immigrants went to Europe, with 23.7% relocating to America.
Also, more than a third (35.9%) of the migrants moved to settle permanently, while 24.9 percent also moved due to marriage/family reunification.
The report also indicated that while the majority of males travel for employment, their female counterparts migrate due to reasons related to marriage/family reunification.
A 2017 Afrobarometer survey has revealed that at least four in 10 Ghanaians have considered emigrating.
The study reveals that most of the potential emigrants are in search of more favourable economic prospects in a more suitable land.
According to the report, a majority of the people prefer to live outside Africa, with North America and Europe being the most preferred destinations.
Also, some 10,209 nurses sought clearance from the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) Secretariat between January 1, and July 7, 2023, to leave the country for greener pastures.
Critics were expecting the president to touch on this critical issue and provide measures to curb the situation and save the workforce.
But they were left disappointed.
- Calls To Scrap COVID-19 Levy
Recently, there have been calls for the government to scrap the COVID-19 levy to ease the tax burden on citizens.
The COVID-19 health recovery levy is a special levy on the supply of goods and services and imports to raise the needed revenue to support COVID-19 expenditures.
The levy was introduced sometime in 2021 through an Act of parliament and applied to Standard Rate and Value Added Tax (VAT) Flat Rate registered persons.
While many see the logic behind the call for removing the COVID-19 levy, some doubt its feasibility, given the government’s reliance on tax to meet revenue targets by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Ghana has signed a $3 billion programme and is expected to restructure measures to boost revenue and cut expenditure to get back on track.
However, the president swept the issue under the carpet.
- NABCO
The Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) programme is a government initiative to address graduate unemployment to solve social problems.
The focus of the initiative will be solving public service delivery in health, education, agriculture, technology, governance and driving revenue mobilization and collection.
In October 2019, the government announced that over 100,000 young people successfully gained permanent employment through the NaBCO programme.
The programme which used to be the bragging rights of the government is now being shielded. President Akufo-Addo failed to touch on the subject matter.