General News of Friday, 21 July 2017

Source: thenewcrusadingguideonline.com

Akufo-Addo’s government will take off in 'grand style' - Osafo Maafo assures

Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo

Senior Minister Yaw Osafo Maafo, has urged Ghanaians to &have some patience& with the Akufo-Addo government as it prepares to fulfil the New Patriotic Party's campaign promises.

Osafo Maafo observed the government is being slowed down by its own commitment to good governance which requires the president to follow the law.

"It takes time to get things done because you must do things legally", he stated

The seven-month old government may be feeling the weight of expectations as a murmuring electorate question the government's work-rate.

The lack of tangible results in fighting corruption is one of the sources of discontent after the government promised a crackdown on corruption.

The government intends to create the Office of a Special Prosecutor for this purpose. But for some, it has simply taken too long.

The senior minister whose work it is to supervise the work of ministers and report results to the president defended government's progress on the creation of the Office.

He said "the Constitution does not allow the president to announce the office. You need the approval of Parliament; you have to change the law".

That programme is one of many occupying government’s attention this week.

Also on the agenda of government is the presentation of five bills to Parliament.

The Bill for the creation of the office of the Special Prosecutor is one of five bills heading to parliament for debate starting Tuesday.

Others include the Zongo and Inner City development and Development Authority bills.

Government has also launched the Middle Belt Development Authority which will work to identify economic opportunities, develop infrastructure and grow small scale business in the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Eastern regions.

Osafo Maafo said, "these things will slow events but at the end of the day we are looking for good governance."

He said government expects to take off after laying the ground work of laws.
"When it takes off, you will be pleased and it will take off in grand style", he said.