Parliament begins debate on Motion to thank President for SONA

Parliament has begun debate on the Motion to thank President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his State of the Nation Address (SONA), which he delivered to the House on Wednesday, March 08.

Mr Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Majority and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Efutu, moved the Motion for the debate, seconded by Mr Isaac Adongo, the Ranking Member for Finance Committee and National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Bolgatanga Central.

Mr Afenyo-Markin expressed gratitude to the President for presenting his message on the State of the Nation to the House.

He noted that the President made an honest assessment of the county’s situation and that he sought for the support of all in addressing it with hope and confidence.

“Mr Speaker, he dutifully did so but by coming out with all the facts regarding the state of the economy as he met it, and the efforts made by his government so far, and the future we have ahead of us,” Mr Afenyo-Markin said.

“Mr Speaker, the President, emphasized that we need to work together as a nation, and it is at the heart of this that I move this motion for us to thank Mr President.”

The Deputy Majority Leader in his submission, dealt with five key areas, namely the state of the economy, the claim that the government had recklessly borrowed, the misused of funds and the massive road expansion that Ghana had seen under this government.

“The rest are investments in building the requisite human resources to support Ghana’s transformation and the emerging revival of Ghana’s economy.”

Mr Afenyo-Markin said investment in education such as the Free Senior High School was one of the major projects that the Government had embarked upon to build the requisite human resources to support Ghana’s transformation agenda.

On his part, Mr Adongo reiterated that the current economic crisis facing the country was due to the government’s reckless borrowing and the lack of fiscal sustainability.

Mr Samuel Atta Akyea, NPP MP for Abuakwa South reiterated that the current economic crisis facing the country was as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Adding that it baffled him, when people say these world events did not affect economies of the world.

Mr Atta Akyea noted that the Akufo-Addo administration was up to the task, and that its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic was a world class, citing the free electricity and free water that Ghanaians enjoyed at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr John Abu Jinapor, Member of Parliament (MP) for Yapei-Kusawgu, debunked claims that the current government resolved the energy crisis (dumsor) that hit the country a few years ago.

He noted that the country’s energy crisis was resolved by the administration of former President John Dramani Mahama before it handed over power to President Akufo-Addo.