Business News of Monday, 9 June 2008

Source: GNA

NPP must be credited for managing the economy

Fomena (Ash), June 9, GNA- The Minister of Defence, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, has stated that, economic indicators have shown that the government of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has performed creditably than previous governments in terms of the management of the country's economy.

"Inflation rate has reduced drastically from 40 per cent to between 12 to 15 per cent, whilst that of bank interest rates has also moved from 52 per cent to between 20 to 22 per cent', he said. The Defence Minister, who was addressing a people's assembly at Fomena in the Adansi North District, stressed that, the country's economy had improved over the last seven years, with inflation and bank rates within limits.

Mr Kan-Dapaah, who had earlier addressed another people's assembly at New Edubiase in the Adansi South District, noted that the government had also contributed immensely towards the country's infrastructural development.

"We are not saying that the NDC did not do anything in the country. Rawlings government built roads and schools, but no government would surpass the number that had been built by the NPP government", the Defence Minister said.

He condemned political violence saying "even those of us in parliament, who are paid for our political duties to the nation, do not fight, despite our political divide". Nana Abu Bonsrah, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Fomena, said apart from the introduction of the Metro Mass Transit buses, the Capitation Grant, School Feeding Programme, the Nation Health Insurance Scheme and the rest, the NPP government had really done a lot to improve conditions in the country.

He said the NPP had actually lived up to its motto of "development in freedom".

The District Chief Executive, Mr Peter Kwabena Ameyaw, observed that the people's assembly concept offers the people the opportunity to interact with government officials to which helps deepen the unity in the country.