ghananlpcommunity/ghana-gov-speeches-sentences huggingface dataset:
It is vitally important that each one of us, in all parts of the country, continues to observe the social distancing and enhanced hygiene protocols, for they are the weapons of our defence against the virus.
I am announcing tonight the establishment of a COVID-19 Fund, to be managed by an independent board of trustees, and chaired by former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, to receive contributions and donations from the public to assist in the welfare of the needy and the vulnerable.
I have directed the Controller and Accountant General to pay my next three months’ salary, i.e.
April, May and June, into this Fund.
Let me also thank, from the bottom of my heart, the churches, financial institutions and individuals who have already made donations to help in this fight.
God richly bless them.
We can defeat this virus if we all commit ourselves to respecting all the measures that have been outlined.
I am confident that Ghanaians will comply with them, and the security services will not have to intervene, with extraordinary means, to enforce them.
The love of country is deeply embedded in all of us, and I assure you that the security forces will conduct themselves with the necessary professionalism.
Meserɛ mo, nsɛm aa makayi, yɛn nyinaa yɛn mbɔ mɔden na yɛn disu.
Nyankopɔn adaroma, ɛbɛ boa yɛn.
Minkpa nyɛ fai, saneɛ ni nwieɛ, nyɛ feɛ nyɛ bɔ mɔden ni nyɛ ye nɔ.
Nyɔmo dromɔ, e baa wa wɔ feɛ.
We have prayed to Almighty God to heal our land, and I know that, by the Grace of God, He has heard our cry.
Nonetheless, each one of us must do his or her part.
President Nana Akufo-Addo on Thursday evening extended the restrictions on movements in Accra and Kumasi by one more week from Monday, April 13, 2020.
He also announced three months of free electricity for all Ghanaians to make up for lost income following the coronavirus lockdown.
Below is a transcript of his entire address.
ADDRESS TO THE NATION BY PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO, ON UPDATES TO GHANA’S ENHANCED RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, ON THURSDAY, 9TH APRIL, 2020.
Today is the sixth time I am coming into your homes since we begun our collective effort to combat the Coronavirus pandemic, and to implement measures aimed at containing and defeating it.
I have, first of all, to tell you how proud and privileged I am to be your President, not just to fight for you, but also to fight with you, and to help shepherd our country out of this crisis.
I said, in my last address, that Government’s policy in this entire drama will be largely driven by science.
We will, as much as possible, be guided by the data, with our focus on the 3-Ts, i.e.
tracing, testing and treatment.
We now see that the decision to close down our borders has been justified.
One hundred and five (105) of the confirmed cases came from those who were mandatorily quarantined and tested on their arrival on 21st and 22nd of March.
One hundred and ninety-two (192) of the cases came from travelers, who entered our country before the closure, and their contacts.
Seventy-nine percent (79%) of the three hundred and seventy-eight (378) confirmed cases are, thus, imported.
Clearly, until we have the situation fully under control, we cannot, at this time, open our borders.
They will have to remain shut until further notice.
Further, the partial lockdown of Accra and Kumasi has facilitated a more aggressive programme of enhanced contact tracing, with a total of four hundred and fifty (450) teams.
Thirty-seven thousand, four hundred and five (37,405) samples have been taken, of which thirty-one thousand, nine hundred and thirty-three (31,933) are in Accra, and five thousand, four hundred and seventy-two (5,472) are in Kumasi.
As at Wednesday, 8th April, a total of fourteen thousand, six hundred and eleven (14,611) contacts of the samples collected have been tested for the virus in Accra and Kumasi.
For Accra, eleven thousand, three hundred and eight (11,308) contacts were tested, and fifty-two (52), i.e.
zero point four six percent (0.46%), of them were found to be positive.
In Kumasi, three thousand and three hundred and three (3,303) contacts have been tested, and twenty-five (25), i.e.
zero point seven six percent (0.76%) have been found to be positive.
In total, seventy-seven (77) positive cases were recorded in Accra and Kumasi, representing zero point five three percent (0.53%) of the fourteen thousand, six hundred and eleven (14,611) tested.
Whilst the results are encouraging, in suggesting a limited number of positives and community spread, we expect to be able to test some ten thousand (10,000) additional samples in the coming week to give us a clearer picture to enable us take a decision on the way forward.
It appears that our common efforts have been modestly successful in containing the virus and minimising its spread.
Undoubtedly, the decisions taken from day one (1) to act quickly and decisively, and, impose what may have seemed like harsh restrictions, have now proven to be effective, and have saved a lot of lives.
However, this fight is not yet over, and we are by no means out of the woods yet.
As I said, we now have, in total, three hundred and seventy-eight (378) confirmed cases of infections, with six (6) deaths, four (4) recoveries, two (2) in critical condition, and the remaining three hundred and seventy (370) are mild cases, who are in isolation, and are either being managed at home or at treatment centres.
Fellow Ghanaians, I have come to you this evening to ask for your continued patience, as we continue to implement and extend the efforts that have, so far, proven to be helpful.
It is important that we stay the course, and bear with the difficulties that come with it.
The final result, hopefully, will be freedom from the virus.
So, the decision has been taken, through the issuance of an Executive Instrument, to extend the restrictions on movement in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area and Kasoa and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area and its contiguous districts by one more week, beginning 1am on Monday, 13th April, subject to review.
As part of measures to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on the social and economic life of the country, I indicated, in my last speech, that Government will absorb water bills for all Ghanaians for the next three months, i.e.
Furthermore, water tankers, publicly and privately-owned, are being mobilised to ensure the supply of water to vulnerable communities.
We have decided on further measures of mitigation for all Ghanaians for the next three months, i.e.
Government will fully absorb electricity bills for the poorest of the poor, i.e.
for all lifeline consumers, that is free electricity for persons who consume zero (0) to fifty (50) kilowatt hours a month for this period.
In addition, for all other consumers, residential and commercial, Government will absorb, again, fifty percent (50%) of your electricity bill for this period, using your March 2020 bill as your benchmark.
For example, if your electricity bill was one hundred cedis (GH¢100), you will pay only GH¢50, with Government absorbing the remaining fifty cedis (GH¢50).
This is being done to support industry, enterprises and the service sector in these difficult times, and to provide some relief to households for lost income.
Nevertheless, I urge all Ghanaians to exercise discipline in their use of water and electricity.
The food items being distributed in Accra and Kumasi to the vulnerable and needy are being done through NADMO and the MMDCEs, with the assistance of the faith-based organisations, to whom I am rendering a special word of gratitude.
I appeal to you, let us, in the meantime, continue to comply with the measures, let us maintain good hygiene and respect the social distancing protocols, even when you are going out to receive the food.
But, above all, please stay at home.
There have been unfortunate incidents of some persons, in some parts of the affected areas, where the restrictions are in force, flouting the regulations and continuing with the business-as-usual attitude, even to the extent of confronting members of the security services.
That should not be countenanced.
The law must be upheld, and it will be.
I take no delight in announcing these restrictions, however, let us all remember that they have been put in place for our collective good.
The fight against Coronavirus has served as a humbling reminder of the things that matter, the things that cannot be bought, and the things that, all too often, go unappreciated, as a result of the stress of daily life.
I refer to the health of those we love; the freedom to work and to congregate; the luxury of spontaneity; and the simple comfort of a handshake or a hug.
These are the blessings of normalcy that we are fighting to restore, blessings that we must hold onto with a deeper sense of appreciation, once this pandemic has passed.
I express, on all our behalves, our gratitude for the assistance given to us by the Governments of the People’s Republic of China, the United States of America, the African Union, the African Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the European Union, and the Jack Ma Foundation.
We appreciate their expression of solidarity.
I thank also all those who have made donations and contributions into the COVID-19 National Trust Fund for this kind gesture.
Fellow Ghanaians, today is Maundy Thursday, and tomorrow, a few hours from now, Friday, 10th April, Good Friday, is the start of Easter, which, for us Christians, commemorates the unique sacrifice that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, made for our salvation on the cross of Calvary.
The season is a good opportunity for all of us to reflect on that ultimate sacrifice, and for each one of us also to make a sacrifice for the sake of humanity’s survival.
We are used to attending Easter Conventions, making-merry, visiting friends and family, and having a good time.
Yes, like a lot of you, I was also looking forward to visiting Kwahu during this time of the year, which I have been doing for several years.
However, I am urging all of us to do the exact opposite of what we have been used to for many years.
I ask you to keep your distance from your parents, grandparents and extended family, and celebrate this holiday apart.
Do not host a big family gathering, and sternly refuse to attend one if you are invited.
Your relatives will understand you are doing this out of love for them.
Please, make that sacrifice.
Mesrɛ mo, asɛm aa makai, mondi su.
Me ma mo afehyia pa Min kpa nyɛ fai, nibii ni nkɛ, nyɛ ye nɔ.
Afi oo afi.
So, on behalf of my beautiful Rebecca, my children, grandchildren and entire family, and members of Government, I wish you all a joyous and happy Easter, even if a restrained one.
And, let me extend a special Easter goodwill message to our amazing health workers and to the members of our security agencies for their patriotic efforts.
Have a good evening, enjoy the holidays, and I thank you for your attention.
MAINTAINING PEACE AND SECURITY: A SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE NPP 2012 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, NANA AKUFO-ADDO, ON NOVEMBER 15, 2012 AT KOFORIDUA As we head into the elections on December 7, the most persistent refrain that can be heard in our country is the call for peace.
Every identifiable group, religious leaders, traditional leaders and individuals have been praying for peace and, indeed, we even have children serving as peace ambassadors.
I think it is fair to say that the Ghanaian people are united in our determination that our nation remains peaceful and the elections pass off creditably.
The most important thing for a nation is the peace and safety of its people and territorial integrity of the state.
It is when this is guaranteed that the citizens can go about their lives and hope to improve upon the quality of their circumstances.
I have in the course of this election campaign addressed various policy positions on various aspects of our lives; I have spoken about education, health, agriculture, industrialization, corruption, and yesterday I spoke about arts and culture.
The most sacred duty of any government is the assurance of the safety and security of the people and today, I want to address the subject of maintaining peace and security and the services that are in the frontline of providing this duty.
Ladies and gentlemen, the traditional challenges to security such as chieftaincy conflicts, land disputes, religious intolerance, tribal conflicts and political rivalry are being compounded by contemporary threats like drug and human trafficking, proliferation of small arms and light weapons, armed and highway robberies, cyber-crime and activities of nomadic herdsmen.
Today, the challenges to Ghana’s National Security are certainly numerous, more complex and sometimes quite unpredictable.
All of us owe a debt of gratitude to the men and women who work to keep us and our nation safe.
In a democracy, the organizations that are generally referred to as constituting the security services, the police, the army and the intelligence services are expected to be politically neutral in performing their duties.
The law states so and normal practice gives them this neutral outlook.
It is in everybody’s interest that the security services retain the neutrality and professionalism guaranteed under the Constitution.
Governments have term limits and in a multi-party democracy, parties win and lose power.
It is good for the health of the nation that this is so and this is why the security services should not be made to tie their well-being or otherwise to the fortunes of the ruling party of the day.
During periods of military rule, the separation of roles between the security services and the government of the day invariably gets blurred.
I suspect the malicious propaganda against the NPP being anti-military probably stems from the period of fighting against military rule.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is important to make the point forcefully at the onset that fighting for democratic rule and campaigning against military rule cannot be equated to being anti-military.
I was in the forefront of that struggle and i am certainly not anti-military, despite all the efforts to portray me as such.
I have no plans to turn our soldiers into farmers, not do I intend to touch the Single-Spine arrangements that were initiated by the NPP government of President J. A. Kufour to fund the free Senior High School programme.
I have indicated clearly where the funds for that will come from – largely our oil revenues.
Today, the security services accept their professional role as defenders of the state under civilian government control.
That is one of the tenets of a democracy.
In 2001, when the NPP came to office, we saw it as our duty to ensure that the security services are provided with the necessary environment to enable them discharge their constitutional duties.
This involves the physical conditions like accommodation for service personnel, the provision of proper equipment, the training and the preparedness of personnel to carry out their operations.
One area of concern is the payment of rent by Service personnel.
Although all soldiers occupying military quarters are charged a monthly rent of 5% on their consolidated pay, the monies accruing from this deduction are never used to maintain or improve the state of accommodation.
The next NPP government will ensure that such monies are used for the purpose for which they are intended.
I dare say that under the Kufuor government, the Ghana Armed Forces saw a much greater improvement than there had been previously.
A new pension scheme for the Ghana Armed Forces was approved and money was secured for the payment of retirement benefits of soldiers whose retirement was overdue because of lack of funds.
The NPP’s infrastructural development for the Armed Forces under President Kufuor must also be applauded.
A modern Ministry of Defence Headquarters was built, Burma Hall was upgraded into a state-of-the-art auditorium and numerous buildings like Beijing Barracks in Burma Camp were put up all around the country to accommodate servicemen.
The 37 Military Hospital was upgraded and refurbished.
Mr Chairman, the Police Service also experienced significant improvement in the supply of logistics, equipment, and support from the NPP government.
Funding activities of the Ghana Police Service increased substantially under the NPP Administration.
This was made possible by NPP innovative programs that attracted additional bilateral support from countries that had traditionally not supported activities of our Police Service.
Countries as diverse as France, Spain, India, Nigeria, South Africa for the first time ever provided significant logistical, financial and technical support to the Ghana Police Services.
Under the Mills/ Mahama administration, however, the significant gains our country made in de-politicising our state security agencies have been lost and replaced with an aggressive politicisation agenda.
Indeed, as soon as the NDC assumed office in January 2009, the training of two batches of armed forces recruits selected during the latter part of the NPP administration was cancelled and the nation was told loudly that these young people who had been recruited under a meticulously devised regimen were NPP “foot soldiers”.
In the process, about 900 young men and women who could have excelled in carrying out their military duties were denied the opportunity to serve in their country’s armed forces.
Ladies and gentlemen, under the NDC regime, recruitment, promotions and appointments within the security services have been subjected to a political acid test of loyalty to the NDC rather than emphasis on competence, seniority and loyalty to the state.
This is a dangerous development that does not promote national cohesion and the building of true and professional national security agencies.
For instance, during this period of electioneering where it is extremely important that our security services maintain a neutral posture, stories are emerging that are alarming.
For example, what is one to make of the reports that have the National Security Advisor, Brigadier Nunoo-Mensah, one of Ghana’s most experienced soldiers, going around security establishments soliciting votes for the ruling party?
If true, this is as disgraceful as it is disappointing.
A Cabinet minister of the Republic, Hon.
Collins Dauda, has employed the use of thugs under the command of his blood brother, Abdullai Naba, to harass, intimidate and physically interfere with the campaign of the NPP in the Asutifi South constituency.
The former NPP MP and former Ambassador to Cuba, Mrs Cecilia Amoah and the Constituency Chairman and Organiser of the NPP were set upon and eight brand new bicycles in their vehicle were destroyed beyond repair.
In spite of written statements and reports to the Goaso police and the provision of evidence, no arrests have been made till date.
Mr Chairman, compounding the state of national anxiety and apprehensions about the impending election is the now infamous Yaw Boateng Gyan, tape that discussed in graphic details the alleged plans and actions of the NDC to unleash violence and intimidation on the Ghanaian public during the forthcoming elections and have it blamed on the NPP.
Meanwhile, Yaw Boateng Gyan, the NDC National Organiser, has admitted the tape is genuine.
It is extremely alarming that the National Security Coordinator, who himself has been implicated on the tape, has concluded that the investigation showed no wrongdoing on the part of Yaw Boateng Gyan.
And this against the background of allegations that NDC activists are being trained and equipped and fitted with military or police uniforms to disrupt the upcoming election.
The country will have been reassured if the investigation had been conducted by an agency independent from him.
One should never be a judge in one’s own court – that is a fundamental rule of natural justice.
The President must assure the country of his commitment to peaceful elections beyond mere rhetoric to confidence building measures.
One such measure will be the prompt arrest and prosecution for those responsible for the recent mayhem in Asutifi South Constituency.
One would have thought that on the eve of the 5th round of democratic elections in this 4th Republic, we would have moved from such primitive, violence-based, thuggery-reliant political campaigns.
Unfortunately, and sadly, one cannot really claim to be surprised by such events.
The three by-elections that have been conducted under this NDC government have been characterized by similar brutality.
Akwatia, Chereponi, Atiwa have entered our political folklore for all the wrong reasons.
The worrying part being the seeming helplessness or refusal by the security services to perform their duties when confronted by violence on the part of members of the ruling party.
During the voter registration exercise, Odododiodo became a byword for impunity and the flagrant display of violence on the streets of the capital.
Such behavior is only possible when there is political interference in the performance of the duties of the security services and the personnel feel intimidated by the political authorities.
Ladies and gentlemen, this cannot be good for the health of our democracy.
This nation has won an enviable and deserved reputation for good democratic credentials and we have peacefully conducted parliamentary elections five times and presidential elections seven times.
Indeed, the European Union has announced they will not be sending observers to monitor our elections this year because our democracy has come of age.
I suggest that the rising crescendo of people calling and praying for peace must mean that people have a sense of foreboding because of the blatant attempt to politicize and coerce our security services.
I wish to state again that the NPP pledges to work fully with all the security agencies in order to accomplish peaceful, violence-free elections.
We call on all political parties, especially the ruling NDC, to make an equal pledge, and go beyond political rhetoric to put in place concrete measures, programs and actions to ensure peaceful, free, transparent, and a violence-free election in December.
Putting in place credible and tangible programs to ensure peaceful and fair elections has become even more necessary, because the Mills/ Mahama government has no credibility in organizing peaceful elections in Ghana.
Indeed, while this government has no track record in organizing and supervising a national election, their record in organizing by-elections, as I have pointed out already, is far from reassuring.
Akwatia and Chereponi remain a blight on our political horizon.
Indeed the president himself, in the recent interview with Africa Watch magazine, admitted that those elections “fell through the cracks”.
What the Ghanaian people are counting on is that he will ensure that those cracks do not reappear on 7th December.
Up until this year, voter registration had never generated any tension and suddenly this year we saw disgraceful events on our streets during the exercise with Odododiodo being the most notorious but by no means the only one.
This registration violence was replicated in the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Volta, Eastern and Northern regions.
Most of these attacks against NPP supporters were duly reported to the police, but not a single case was vigorously investigated, and prosecuted.
Ironically, Ladies and Gentlemen, the opposite was the case with respect to allegations filed by NDC supporters against NPP supporters in places like Asutifi South, Asunafo South and Tain.
As soon as NDC members filed a complaint, even NPP Parliamentary Candidates were immediately arrested.
Chairman, it seems to me the valuable gains made under the Kufour government to create a security service/civilian peaceful co-existence are being undermined by this NDC government.
If, by the Grace of God, I am elected President on December 7th, my preoccupation would be the development of well-trained, well-resourced, professional security agencies that carry out their constitutionally mandated responsibilities competently and efficiently.