News:
April 27, 2016
Minister of State in-charge of Private Sector Development, Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo says Ghana’s economy has expanded more than 100 percent from 2008 to 2016.
According to him, this expansion has created numerous jobs and opportunities for Ghanaians to tap into but that is not done.
The Minister, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Wa Central constituency, was reacting to criticisms about President Mahama’s statement that Ghanaians who are complaining of not ‘feeling’ the economy must be lacking skills to take advantage of opportunities.
Whilst responding to critics about the stiffening economy, President Mahama charged Ghanaians to learn to take advantage of the many opportunities in the economy.
He argued: “…As the economy grows it throws out natural jobs that people can take advantage of but if you do not have the skill or you do not have the capacity to take advantage of a growing economy then you would not feel it in your pocket.”
This statement has generated heated debate among Ghanaians, many of who believed the President erred knowing very well government is to create opportunities which some say his administration has failed to do.
But defending the President’s statement on the Joy FM/MultiTV’s news analysis program, NEWSFILE on Saturday, April 23, Mr. Pelpuo said there are a lot of opportunities in the country but “the skill to know that [those] work exist somewhere” is what is lacking among Ghanaians.
Listing some of the government’s projects in the country, he said more schools, clinics, and bridges have been constructed and much more are being constructed which create job opportunities for Ghanaians especially those with skills.
Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako agreed with the assertion that the economy has expanded some folds, but disagreed with the figure provided by Mr. Pelpuo.
Mr. Baako says the oil production in the country has contributed a lot towards the expansion of the economy.