The Minority in Parliament has expressed optimism about the debate on the State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Thursday. The Minority Leader, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, said that the Minority would engage the Majority with facts and figures to expose the failures and shortcomings of the government.
The SONA debate, which is scheduled to start on Monday, will see the members of parliament from both sides of the aisle scrutinize and critique the president’s speech, which outlined the achievements and challenges of his administration in the past year, as well as his plans and policies for the future.
The Minority has already indicated that it was not impressed by the president’s speech, which it described as uninspiring, deceptive, and disconnected from the realities of the people. The Minority said that the president failed to address the critical issues of unemployment, corruption, insecurity, health, education, and the economy.
The Majority, on the other hand, has praised the president’s speech, which it said was visionary, truthful, and reflective of the government’s commitment to deliver on its promises and improve the lives of the citizens. The Majority said that the president highlighted the remarkable achievements and interventions of his administration in the areas of infrastructure, agriculture, industry, social protection, and governance.
The Deputy Majority Leader, Mr. Alexander Afenyo-Markin, said that the Majority was ready to debate the Minority with optimism and confidence. He said that the Majority would prove that the president’s speech was factual and realistic, and that the government was on track to fulfill its agenda for the nation.
“We are optimistic about the debate because we have the facts and the figures to back our arguments. We will show the Minority that the president’s speech was not a mere rhetoric, but a reflection of the actual state of the nation. We will also show them that the government has done more than they ever did when they were in power,” he said.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin said that the debate would also provide an opportunity for the Majority to highlight the challenges and opportunities that the country faced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the lives and livelihoods of millions of people. He said that the government had taken bold and decisive measures to contain the spread of the virus, and to mitigate its impact on the economy and society.
He said that the government had also rolled out several initiatives and programs to support the recovery and resilience of the country, such as the Ghana CARES Obaatanpa program, which aims to inject $100 billion into the economy over the next three years, and to create jobs, enhance productivity, and promote industrialization.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin said that the debate would also enable the Majority to outline the government’s vision and priorities for the next four years, which include the consolidation of the gains made in the first term, the acceleration of the transformation agenda, and the realization of the Ghana Beyond Aid aspiration.
He said that the Majority was hopeful that the debate would be constructive, civil, and respectful, and that it would foster a spirit of dialogue and consensus among the members of parliament, regardless of their political affiliations.
“We hope that the debate will be a platform for us to exchange ideas and opinions, and to learn from each other. We hope that the debate will be a demonstration of our commitment to serve the nation and the people, and to uphold the values and principles of our democracy,” he said.
Source: Graphic Online
