President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has declared his intention to make sure the clarion call that preceded last year’s elections, among members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), for him to do more in four years will be realised.

For him, the NPP won the December 7, 2020 elections because they delivered most of their promises between 2017 and 2020.

“Between that 2017 and 2020, I sought to deliver on the mandate reposed on me and my party, the New Patriotic Party, and gain, once again, the confidence of the Ghanaian people.

“It was by no means a straightforward task. We were able to deliver on most of our 2016 promises.

“In spite of the considerable challenges we confronted, and the setbacks we encountered, we were confident our record in office would put us in good stead before the electorate and earn us a second term in office, which it did.

“It means that the reason for which the Ghanaian people went to the polls on 7th December – that is to seek improvement in their living standards and the rapid transformation of the economy – must continue in earnest.”

President Akufo-Addo expressed these sentiments in his first state-of-the-nation address to the 8th Parliament on Tuesday, March 9.

He was delivering the address as per Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution.

It is an address that comes a few days after the Supreme Court affirmed his presidency following a challenge filed by his predecessor John Dramani Mahama.

President Akufo-Addo said he inherited a “faltering” economy from Mr Mahama but he has so far transformed the economy and brought it back on track.

“Mr. Speaker, between 2017 and the first quarter of 2020, we had made considerable gains in the management of the national economy, where we witnessed annual average GDP growth of seven per cent, single-digit inflation, reduced fiscal deficits with three consecutive years of primary surpluses, a relatively stable exchange rate, a significant improvement in the current account with three consecutive years of trade surpluses, strong foreign exchange reserve buffers, markedly reduced lending rates, and appreciable job creation.”

But the President admitted that COVID-19 eroded some gains made over the period, seeing a revision of growth rate.

He assured that his second term will see him do more for all.

“It is clear that we have made significant strides in formalising the economy, and we will do even more going forward.”