THE General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Dan Botwe, has said the Kufuor administration has implemented sound policies that will put the economy on a firm track to deal with and address social problems undermining the material development of Ghanaians.

He said since the NPP government took over in January 2001, it has instituted pragmatic and far-reaching measures that have impacted positively on the development of the economy.

Mr Botwe said this in an interview in Accra yesterday and pointed out that the Kufuor administration has done considerably well by re-shaping the economy, considering “ the battered and unstable nature in which we met it on January 7, 2001”.

“If the NPP government considers what it has been able to achieve within this remarkably short period in comparison with what our predecessors did for two decades, then we will not be far from [the truth, saying that the Kufuor administration has shown good promise to meet the aspirations and expectations of the people.”

According to Mr Botwe, the government has been able to reduce inflation and stabilised the hitherto free fall of the cedi, compelling financial institutions to reduce their interest rates for manufactuiring concerns and industry.

He reiterated the government’s commitment to boost food production in the country and provide employment for the people, especially the youth, describing the President’s Special Initiative (PSI) as one avenue by the government to deal with the unemployment situation in the country.

The NPP General Secretary said for several years , the country did not have a reliable data on the unemployment situation and that the recent registration of the unemployed in the country shows the importance the government attaches to finding lasting solutions to the problem.

“There is the need to have statistical evidence to deal with a situation and for that matter the recent registration exercise of the unemployed by the government was in the right direction and needs tons of commendation by all and sundry,” Mr Botwe argued.

He said the Kufuor administration will not gloss over any circumstance, be it economic or social, that threatens the wellbeing of the country but will take decisive decisions that will bring about positive results in the long run for the benefit of the nation.

Mr Botwe called on Ghanaians to exercise restraint since the government is working around the clock to solve problems that have impinged negatively on their development for years.