A PublicPolicy Institute THE INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC Ghana AFFAIRS IEA AN Evening Encounter wit EDW h ARD MAHAMA July 2008 The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), Ghana, was founded in October 1989 as an independent, public policy institute dedicated to the establishment and strengthening of a market economy and a democratic, free and open society. It considers improvements in the legal, social and political institutions as necessary conditions for sustainable economic growth and human development.

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May 14th, 2008 Evening Encounter with Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, CPP he Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Ghana, seeks to th June 18 , 2008 Evening Encounter with Nana Akufo-Addo, NPP promote the consolidation of democracy and good th June 26 , 2008 Evening Encounter with Prof. J.E.A. Mills, NDC governance in Ghana and West Africa. The IEA works at rd thisT through national and sub-regional programmes of advocacy July 3 , 2008 Evening Encounter with Dr. Edward N. Mahama, PNC for democracy in economic and political governance. Over a period of twenty (20) years, The IEA has initiated far-reaching These Encounters offered the four Presidential candidates, whose processes of multi party democracy in Ghana, and carried out political parties had representation in Parliament, an evening each events of national cohesion and political accommodation and of interaction with a cross section of interest groups. accountability. Associations and institutions represented in the 2008 Encounters Since the year 2000, The IEA has organised Presidential Election included The Ghana Medical Association, The Association of Debates ahead of each of the nation's Presidential Elections. In Ghana Industries, The National Union of Ghana Students, The each election year, these debates have provided Presidential Ghana Employer's Association, The Trades Union Congress, The candidates a platform on which to dialogue with each other on the Ghana Federation for the Disabled, The Ghana National policies and programmes they believe will best serve the national Association of Teachers, The Network for Women’s Rights in interest. The Presidential Election Debates are gradually instilling Ghana, The Ghana Union of Traders Association and The an issues-driven approach to presidential campaigns. The debates Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana. offer the electorate the information on the policy direction of each Presidential candidate's manifesto, with which to make informed It is our firm belief and optimism that with your collaboration, the choices. They further serve as a backdrop against which to demand Evening Encounters will indeed serve the purpose for which they accountability from their leaders. have been initiated. We count on you, the electorate, presidential aspirants, political parties, policy-makers and civil society, to play The IEA has created yet another platform to enhance the the role that only you can, which is to follow, participate in and development of an issues-driven approach to national elections thus, strengthen each step in the process of democratisation of our and the establishment of accountable leadership in Ghana. This is dear nation. the Evening Encounter Series, which was initiated in 2008. The following provides a transcript of events at the Evening The Evening Encounters concept differs from that of the Encounter with Dr. Edward Mahama. Presidential Debates, in that while the focus of the Debates is the interaction between Presidential candidates, the focus of the We hope you find this publication useful. Encounters is the interaction between candidates and the electorate. Thank you. Jean Mensa Executive Director as IFES, NIMDs and many more that time will not permit me to mention. I would not be standing here if not for this experiment of democratic governance.

Beloved Ghanaians, our campaign theme is “REAL CHANGE, REAL HOPE”. We have been consistent with this theme since 1996 and indeed we launched a book on it in November, 2000. This was before the elections in December, in which Ghanaians desired change at any cost. The book entitled the New Ghanaian; a Mandate for Change is in its 4th reprint as we speak. That change must come to give hope to our young people, risking all odds to cross the Sahara Desert to get to Europe. These young daring Ghanaians are needed right here to build Ghana and we must bring about the change that gives them hope to keep them here.

Dr. Edward Mahama addressing the audience. Fellow Ghanaians, the PNC and I believe that the monster of under development facing Ghana as a Goliath can be defeated. But you need a David. Simply, this Goliath we now know is istinguished invited guests, fellow Ghanaians watching Corruption, Poverty, Ignorance and Disease. by television or listening by radio, ladies and gentlemen, Dgood evening. Corruption Thank you IEA, GBC and Radio Joy for the opportunity you have The fight against corruption has to be tackled on many fronts but I given me to share this platform with the honourable presidential will just mention the following that can be addressed immediately candidates of the political parties that have representation in by an elected President. At the personal level: A certain amount of Parliament. Upfront, I commend IEA for the role it is playing in corruption is a perception problem. The President himself this democratic dispensation in Ghana. I remember that IEA in therefore must be seen to abhor corruption. It will not be, do as I partnership with GBC and other media notably CNN organised say but not as I do, it will be, do as I say and do. That is leadership the first ever presidential debate in Ghana before the 2000 by example. elections. Seven presidential candidates participated in that debate. At the legislative level: The PNC Administration shall pass laws to deter would-be corrupt officials namely: Conflict of Interest I dare say that the building blocks and other materials required for Laws, Freedom of Information and Whistle Blower Protection a durable true representative government are gradually being put laws. together. I take time to recognise these institutions and others such

1 2 At the governance level: Separate the Minster of Justice from the farmers to make them constantly put Ghana among the top three Attorney-General or Director of Public Prosecutions position. producers of cocoa worldwide. We will find ways to subsidise our This enables the Prosecutor to be impartial and able to prosecute farmers and fishermen. The cocoa production example gives us not only others but people with ties with the Government. Let us the key to poverty reduction, that is, increased production. note that corruption does not exist only in the public sector but also in the private sector with over-invoicing and under-invoicing Therefore PNC will usher in a golden age of increased of purchase of goods and services. There are other subtle forms of productivity, as contrasted to the Golden Age of Business (buying corruption, with multi-factorial causes that we cannot discuss and selling of imported goods). Income earned should be here on account of time limitation. commensurate with levels of productivity. The more productive you are, the more income you should earn. We estimate that if corruption is reduced by about 50-60%, in addition to the direct cash savings to be realised, the efficiency in Agriculture the public sector will also improve, leading to greater national productivity. Increased productivity in agriculture will be achieved by rehabilitating the abandoned irrigation projects such as Tono and Poverty Aveyime and dredging the silted and poorly-maintained dams all over the country. We will revise and modernise the Operation The poverty levels estimated variously from 35-45% are Feed Yourself of Col Acheampong. Rainwater harvesting into unacceptable, considering the resources in human and material reservoirs and dams, irrigation, guaranteed farm gate prices, terms available to Ghana. There are the working-poor of Ghana: technical support to minimise post harvest losses and opening up farmers, fishermen, teachers, nurses and many other categories of farming areas by feeder road construction will help our people get people in the public sector, who are working, and yet poor. The themselves out of poverty. As the late James Brown, a pop singer second class are also the teeming unemployed youth of Ghana. of America said: “I don't want nobody to give me nothing: just Among both categories of the poor, the working and the open the door, I will get it myself”. unemployed, women predominate. Reduction of poverty has to start at the appropriate point to make the impact that we all desire. The point here is that equal opportunity is what every Ghanaian is Remember we have gone through myriads of programmes such as asking for. That is what the cocoa farmers, who do not even see PAMSCAD, Poverty Alleviation and now GPRS I & II. what value can be added to their beans in a factory, yet season after season, year after year they make sure that Ghana remains number The largest sector of the working-poor, which I have described one worldwide. When our rice farmers and fishermen can see how above make a good chunk of the private sector. Farmers and their rice or fish can be turned into value-added products, I am sure fishermen constitute about 60% of the working force of Ghana that their productivity will be increased. Indeed, so far as rice is and most are private subsistence workers or peasant farmers. concerned I am aware that the University of Ghana, for example, Their farm and fishing yields have dwindled seriously since we has a research farm where they have polished locally-made rice, abolished the Agricultural Extension services that provided and when you eat it you cannot tell the difference between it and technical and expert support to them. The PNC Administration the imported rice. will do for crop farmers what we currently do for our cocoa 3 4 Also the Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen, Youth empowerment starts with making education accessible to the only farmers' body recognised by the 1992 Constitution of them and almost on their terms; that is, make education flexible to Ghana, is already doing some of the things that I have described. accommodate every child to some extent. Night school for young They have a membership of about 3.5 million people so any adults who for one reason or the other failed to complete a school government that works in collaboration with them should increase course could still salvage them and take them off the streets. The productivity within the first two seasons of the year of taking School for Life programme will be adopted nationwide to rescue office. the kayayes and other street children. Child labour will be out- lawed by revising the compulsory Fee-Free Education Law. A Education programme to teach work ethics to our students will be introduced by giving tax rebates to companies and firms that employ students This is the clearest and most direct way out of individual poverty. during their long vacation periods. Each school child will be The capitation and school feeding programmes are all in the right supplied with a lap top computer. In rural areas, this programme direction. While they have increased enrolments and need to be will fall under the rural development programme to make sure the expanded and improved, the educational facilities have not been enabling environment is there. There is no point giving someone a increased alongside; there are no classrooms. Teacher training and laptop when there is no electricity or telecommunication facilities. improved conditions of service for teachers, coupled with curriculum reform, not in changing the number of years, but in Each regional capital will obtain a university with each region course content will add quality to quantity to lift the nation up. In providing some specialty for example the Volta Region providing this regard, we will emphasise mathematics, science and add a a university that will train artisans to the highest level. Some course we call “Thinking”. This subject will start to encourage people out there might ask, “Where is Mahama getting the money Ghanaian children to solve their own problems such as disposal of to start all these universities?” The first and only secondary school the garbage around them or how to convert the fibre of the cocoa in the whole north (northern territories currently called Northern, pod into a value- added product. Upper West and Upper East regions) for a long time was a middle school turned into a secondary. Chief Adam is here; he will bear Science is a practical subject and even during the First me witness. I attended that school even the Vice President, Aliu Republic, rocket science was taught by launching rockets on the Mahama, attended it. school soccer pitches. I remember walking almost from Tamale Secondary School to Ghana College a distance of about maybe The buildings were round huts. It didn't stop chief from becoming 10 miles to witness a rocket because that was the time of space an engineer neither did it stop Aliu Mahama from becoming the exploration and we were all excited about it. So our science and Vice President of Ghana. He started his secondary education in our teaching should be practically oriented. I am sure that if you round huts. So we can make use of what we have that is what the go to Legon and you go into the geology class and show some of colonialists taught us because they did this when the north agitated the students rocks from a mining area that may have diamond in for education. In fact my older brother who died was sent home it they may be happy to see that this is a piece of rock because our because he demonstrated against the kind of education they were education is chew, pour, pass and forget. giving the northerners. He had to continue his education at Mfantsipim.

5 6 For faculty to support all these new universities, we will start the brain should be wasted for lack of means to train and exploit that programme to recruit retired Ghanaian professors abroad. Some intelligence. of them have good pensions and if we start a volunteer faculty, Ghanaians all over the world who are teaching in other countries, About 1% of the national budget will be apportioned to a Research and who desire to be of use to Ghana will be coming home in order and Development Fund to translate local research into practical to support this educational programme. What they will expect solutions to our problems and turn research into commercial from government is honest, transparent government. These products and services. This should help local academic and retired professors will start these universities and recruit locally research institutions like CSIR, Noguchi the Universities etc. trained younger persons to replace them. It is the challenge of Stakeholders in research such as the Association of Ghana nation building that will motivate them to do this. Industries will all have a say in the disbursement of this R & D fund. Another source of funds to support productive programmes in agriculture, education and balance the budget will be to cut down Girl-child education is also the route for women emancipation and the size of Government. Estimates from three different sources, on their removal from the poverty ranks. We will aim to make our the number of ministers desirable and appropriate for Ghana has Government gender balanced: that is 50% of cabinet shall be put the figure between 30 and 40 ministers and deputies, including women. We believe in women (after all they are our mothers, the regional ministers. The savings in the numbers of cars given to sisters or wives) and PNC demonstrated this belief in women in ministers the trimmings in fuel, the reduction in maintenance and 1996 by the choice of a woman, Madam Dedo Mate of Somanya reduction in corruption will be considerable. as our Vice-Presidential candidate.

At the tertiary level, Science, ICT, Creative Arts will be Health encouraged. Pharmaceutical Sciences with emphasis on plant medicine will be added so that we can add value to the numerous Environmental sanitation and potable water for everyone in herbs that people are using now. You know a lot of Ghanaians now Ghana are the building blocks for a healthy nation. To this end, seek herbal treatment because they cannot afford the hospitals underground sewerage systems will be undertaken as part of our even in addition to the National Health Insurance because they get malaria control efforts. Decentralising responsibilities to the the prescription but they cannot afford the medication. So they district assemblies so that they manage their local situation will resort to herbs. Another source of potential funding will be the achieve far greater results in controlling parasitic infestations income that we expect from the oil reserves (and the oil companies such as guinea worm, hookworm etc. Districts may then be able have briefed some of us and said that late in 2010 we will be to entice doctors and nurses by offering incentives such as exporting oil). It will be for parliament to create an Education accommodation or short term education abroad. A national Trust to be managed as a mixed portfolio for grants, scholarships programme to retain doctors in the country will be initiated by and loans to deserving but needy students. helping young graduates from the medical schools, especially at the specialist level, to start their own practices in places like As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr of America said, “A brain is a terrible Suhum that have the population base to support a small medical thing to waste”. More so a Ghanaian brain. Therefore no Ghanaian practice. We will also do much to combat the thorny issue of

7 8 healthcare provider emigration by increasing the training of these What else will happen down the road? This Medical Intelligence professionals and removing the push factors in Ghana that Unit will have the responsibility to advise Government so that synergise with the “pull factors” to send them abroad. Government doesn't wait till we have epidemic proportions of any disease and then panics. Government can always plan ahead in The National Health Insurance Scheme has started with some order to take care of the people's health and try to predict emerging “teething” problems. We will review its operations to date with a disease patterns. Health maintenance implies that our pregnant view to strengthening and expanding it. But the other half of the women will be healthy to bring forth healthy babies with reduced scheme is Health Maintenance Organisation. This scheme will be neonatal and infant mortality. to keep Ghanaians healthy so that the Health Insurance is not over- utilised to bankruptcy. When you get vehicle insurance, you do Maternal and Infant mortality will be tackled by co-ordinating not stop maintaining your car so that you can get an accident and existing programmes and making them more efficient. The nation then claim insurance. has made a lot of efforts in this direction but synchronising and avoiding duplication could make the taxpayer receive value for When you buy your car, you make sure that the parts are working, money. The Ministry of Health must take the monitoring and you make sure that the headlight is working. Similarly, this evaluation function more seriously while devolving national health insurance scheme should be seen as one half being implementation of programmes to the District Assemblies. The the other half this health maintenance organisation and this will HMO Medical Intelligence Unit will also have epidemiological incorporate all current public and preventive medicine data collection functions to warn the nation in advance as to the approaches such as immunisations, maternal and child health and trend to disease patterns so that preventive steps can be taken it is a scheme to actively promote health. Somebody with a BP of ahead of epidemics. 210/160 is walking around oblivious. We will encourage yearly physicals as part of this health promotion schemes so that silent Food security, housing and water are the backbone and the core of but killer diseases like hypertension, diabetes and cancer can be our health policy. Low cost housing schemes will be developed in detected. If you are a man of over 45 in this hall I will advise you to partnership with private developers. In the area of food security, go and get your prostrate examined because it is a common cause even private operators like the Christian Friends of Democracy of cancer. need help to make Government's role less duress.

Embedded in the Health Maintenance Organisation is a Medical Trade Intelligence Unit. This unit will have the responsibility to look down the road of healthcare or national health and decide or Unbridled and unfair competition and illicit trade hamper advice government on what is happening down the health road. Ghanaian operators. For example in the poultry sector, we all For example we all know (doctors in particular) that as our know what happened when Parliament passed a law, a phone call lifestyles in Ghana change and we live like Western Europeans, allegedly put the law on ice. PNC promises that we will extend the diabetes, hypertension, chronic heart diseases will all become a school feeding programme by a piece of chicken locally grown. problem.

9 10 Energy Ghana's problems created over decades of mismanagement and unwarranted coups d'état starting with our nation's founder, the Our view, expressed at the KNUST forum, is that even though we visionary, honest and humble Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. hopefully will be exporting oil by 2010, Ghana must develop a healthy mix in the energy sector that includes hydro, wind, solar, Armed Robbery and Personal Security thermal, nuclear and bio-fuels. In the case of solar we will advocate a sub-regional project that includes Burkina Faso, Ghanaians now live in fear because of the increased incidence of Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Niger, Mali and Libya so that the Sahara armed robbery. And it has come very close to me. Two weeks ago could be harnessed for it solar potential. Funding for such a one of my nurses was not only robbed but she was raped. Another project would be easier to secure because of its multi-national one had her bag snatched when she getting into a tro-tro and I nature. know a media person who was attacked by armed robbers. And much as this is a multi-factorial problem, we will suggest that the Mining best way to tackle it is by making sure there are no youth hanging around in the streets plotting how to attack somebody by giving My first visit to Obuasi gave me the shock of my life because of them employment; by making sure that they are in the classroom. the conditions I saw there. We need to review our mining laws to Then you have to increase the Police Force in number of officers, take care of environmental degradation problems. Indeed, a BBC motivating and equipping them. The housing scheme mentioned programme I listened to this year indicated that generally Africa is earlier shall be extended to all our security men and women; that not getting as much revenues from mining operations as it should. is, Army, Police, CEPS and Fire Service. Youth employment takes Therefore mining is an area that needs a review now because it has them off the streets and away from crime. been two decades or more since the passage of the Ghana Investment Promotions Act. Drug and Substance Abuse

Governance under PNC This has become a national disaster because cocaine and other hard drugs are everywhere. Indeed, one school complained to me The Founder of this Party, Dr. Hilla Limann ran a Government for that people are lacing the shito that students eat in school with 27 months. One study recently looked at the three previous cocaine to get them addicted. We proposed sometime ago that republics and judged Dr. Limann’s 3rd Republic as the most Ghana needs a National Drug and Substance Abuse Policy; we democratic of them all. He was exemplary in his fight against still stand by that proposal. The drug barons and the victims of corruption. He led by example not by words and even the coup drug problems need to be handled differently. As I speak, there are d'état that removed him (and we know how our military regimes no rehabilitation centres for people with addiction problems and are) did not find or convict a single minister of Dr Limann, even alcohol addiction is a major problem in Ghana. I am sure Dr Asare though he was accused of corruption. That tells you what a clean, and his colleagues at the Psychiatric Hospital will tell you about corruption-free Government that he ran and that is what we are these problems. Besides the criminal aspect of this problem, there promising the people of Ghana. Indeed, our party motto is are health, economic and national security issues involved. “Service with Honesty”. We have the magic wand to solve Rehabilitation centres to deal with addiction and its attendant

11 12 consequences are urgently needed. So we need rehab centres and QUESTION AND ANSWER SECTION this could be captured in the National Drug and Substance Abuse Policy that we intend to pass as a Government. Kwaku Sakyi-Addo: Dr. Mahama, will you and Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom eventually have a In summary, we need to create a middle class of Ghanaians by common candidacy or not? reducing poverty, bridging the income gap. Very few Ghanaians are very rich, while the rest are poor, or middle class. We need to Dr. Mahama: bring in the golden age of increased productivity. Without We are working on that. I believe in unity of the Nkrumahist increase in productivity we cannot get out of poverty. Ghana has family and I have demonstrated it clearly by everything that has all it takes to bring this changed situation. What is lacking is a happened. That's what I can tell you. leader to bring about the paradigm shift with the “I can do spirit”. Kwaku Sakyi-Addo: I am such a leader and I promise the good people of Ghana honest, What went wrong? sincere problem-solving leadership. PNC and I are ready for the job and the evidence of that is here. The PNC manifesto 2008 Dr. Mahama: titled Economic Prosperity Now, Youth Empowerment and Well, specifically what I will say went wrong was that we both Economic Independence Soonest. We have a great country, and didn't handle the matter properly even though I had several party Edward Mahama will make it greater. meetings authorising this. That particular event of going into voting was never discussed. But we also requested that nothing Thank you very much. should be leaked to the press until certain things were done, notably a joint statement should be prepared by our script or media people. When they prepared the statement they were to hand it over to the two chairmen. They were to then vet the statement and if it met what we intended to do, they (the chairmen of the parties) would announce it to Ghana and the world. I remember somebody saying even you candidates should not say anything else until this has been done. And right from the parties that didn't work and it created some problems for us in our party and the democrat that I am I said well let's have the party come out and either confirm or dismiss it.

I remember the NPP administration went abroad to bring in some money for Ghana; the IFC loan. They negotiated the best they could, brought it to Parliament and Parliament rejected it; it never became a loan. Similarly, I went on doing what I thought was good in accepting to be a running-mate, because in all honesty I think I

13 14 can face the NPP because I haven't served with them. I can Dr. Mahama: challenge them. I think the assets declaration is an easy thing for me because I was just saying before you came in that I have done it before. When I Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom served with them and maybe they may have was a board member of the Department of Health of the City of some issues that he wouldn't want to talk about. I have nothing to Chicago I was required to declare my assets. hide because I didn't serve with them. So I honestly thought that I was the candidate to face the NPP. It didn't happen that way and I Ghana has all the laws that we really need to run a clean, didn't argue with it and I didn't quarrel. But when my party transparent and accountable government; but it is a question of rejected it, I went along with the party because always I tell people implementation. You talked about whether I will do anything I have lasted this long as the leader of the party because I know differently about the laws. Usually it is not good to start tinkering what they want. But people think I am difficult, if I am difficult I because they have not been tested. If they have been passed let's am difficult on their behalf not on my personal behalf. see how they are implemented. After implementation it is then possible to see where the loopholes are and tighten them. We are Dr Audrey Gadzekpo, School of Communication Studies, not going to leave it for 10 years. We will look at it a year or two University of Ghana: after years of implementation and see whether it is meeting the Dr Mahama I was really glad to hear you put corruption at the top aspirations of the people of Ghana. of your agenda because we all know the devastating impact of corruption. But I am interested in a little bit more detail. Dr. Gadzekpo: Will you declare your assets? You talked about some of the measures – the Whistle Blowers Act; but it has already been passed and I am wondering what it is about Dr. Mahama the Whistle Blowers Act that you will do differently. You talked Oh definitely; that is what I said is not a problem for me. I don't about under-invoicing and there is the Procurement Act also that have too much, so it is easy for me to declare. has been passed. I am wondering if you have in mind some changes to that Act. You talked about the Freedom of Information Mr Ernest Owusu Aboagye, Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana: Bill. That bill is being drafted as you know and I am wondering Dr Mahama, I want to know how you plan to empower the some specific things that you will like to see in that bill. pharmaceutical sector as a critical agent in the golden age of increased productivity and what do you see as the sector's role in But most substantially, I am interested in knowing your stand on developing a herbal-based pharmaceutical science in Ghana? the assets declaration regime of Ghana because we all know that is one of the more problematic anti-corruption measures that is Dr. Mahama: not properly constituted in Ghana and not been properly To increase productivity, we must also favour our local implemented. So I am interested in knowing your thoughts on how manufacturers because of the unbridled importation of drugs, you will change the assets declaration to be more receptive to the some of which are sub-standard. And unfortunately for us because anti-corruption intent that it was meant for and also whether you of the poverty level in Ghana, people consider price and not will declare your assets even before you become President. quality. They buy the cheapest thing not caring very much whether

15 16 it can do what it's supposed to do. If we are going to help increase equipment - Braille so that they are able to teach so that they also local production and protect them we have to pass some laws. can become useful citizens of our nation.

There is no reason why you should buy imported drugs and supply Mr Abdul Karim Hakeem, NUGS: to these health clinics and health centres all over the country when Day in day out, we keep hearing about access to quality education there are local manufacturers. I will certainly go for local and we get promises from different political parties that we will manufacturing to supply government institutions. Also, as a make sure there is access to education. But what most of them fail doctor I like to encourage other doctors to learn to use what they to tackle is how affordable it can be. What will your Presidency do call generic prescriptions. Most Ghanaian drugs are generic; they to make quality tertiary education affordable to students of this are not brand names because the one who invented the drugs has country? already got his money by branding it. If you put a regulation in your health policy for generic products to be used you actually Dr. Mahama: limit people to made in Ghana drugs because we don't research Thank you very much. As I have already indicated I think what we and bring out any new products that we can brand. People use need to do is to create a scholarship scheme or a trust that has other generics and that is how I will go about it. portfolios in it - scholarships, loans, grants. They may afford some aspects of the total cost of education but not some others. If you Mr Joseph Adu Boampong, Ghana Federation of the Disabled: have a trust that is looking at helping people in their areas of need Dr, the 1992 Constitution of Ghana in Chapter 5 guarantees then you will have education available to everybody. At the human rights and freedoms.Article 29 of this Constitution moment we are lumped all in the same group and I think that is the mentions the rights of persons with disability. As a Presidential difficulty. For example, the rent for the hostels that are being built hopeful how can you help in the realisation of these rights and at Legon is high. If you come from the north and your father is a freedoms for persons with disabilities? farmer how are you going to get in there? There should be a way to make sure that even if they have to go there, there is some rent Dr. Mahama: subsidy for students from needy families. That needs government First of all I think that handicapped people are not retarded people. working in partnership with private individuals. It is a good thing If you have lameness in your leg it doesn't stop you from doing the that they have put up the hostel there. I know one hostel near things that anybody can do. Ghanaians always set the example. where I live, it's a private one and it is not getting patronage; they There is one blind man who is a lawyer and I know a pharmacist are almost winding up or folding up their business. Not because who had polio. Basically, what we need to do as a Government is the students are not there but they can't afford it. I think to make sure that we remove the bottlenecks, and give these government-private partnership is the way to go to solve some of people the opportunity to be trained. The School for the Deaf and the problems that you are talking about. that for the Blind, for example; we must make sure that the schools are equipped so that those people with these disabilities will not be WILDAF representative: left out. But if you go to the Wa School for the Deaf you will be Dr Mahama, I was very happy when you said your administration shocked. The thing to do is to consider them and give them equal will work with about 50% of women. I would like to know how you opportunities by making sure that the school for the blind have the will go about it. Are you going to enact a law or you will make a

17 18 policy on that? And then we are all aware that on our public colonialists left us a castle constructed on a rocky beach and we boards and commissions we don't normally have women chairing couldn't manage it. How do we manage an engineering miracle on or taking leadership position, how do you intend to do that? the high seas in a turbulent state?

Dr. Mahama: Dr. Mahama: I have already said at the beginning that I am going to practice Well, I did not define the borders of Ghana. God who gave it to us leadership by example so I will do what I think is right to do; knows that we can manage it, so we will manage. But on a more appoint 50% women to the cabinet. If they perform and serious note the way to manage it now is what we are doing. I am everybody sees that these women who have been appointed have very glad that people are talking about it. I met a gentleman from performed very well, and there is reason to believe that if it is not a the Western Region who said they were going for a meeting at law some other party or some other President may go back on it, Mpohor Wassa. They are already talking about the oil down on the then we can put it in law. But I think I am going to lead by example coast of Western Region. It is good; I was telling him, “Look we so I will do what I say is good and that is why I say it will not be “do must not create another Niger Delta here in Ghana”. The people as I say but not as I do” but it will be” do as I say and do”. nearest must have some advantage.

Kweku Sakyi-Addo: I have talked to some of the people causing problems in the Niger Dr Mahama, there is a Constitutional provision that requires the Delta. When you have listened to them, you can't but agree that President to appoint 50% of his or her cabinet from Parliament. they have the right to protest. We shouldn't let that repeat itself So if there aren't enough women in Parliament how do you have here. half of your cabinet as women? Dr . Rose Mensah Kutin, NETRIGHT: Dr. Mahama: Dr Mahama, you are seeking to get the mandate of the citizens of Then you appoint 50% of the men from Parliament and then you this country and you have demonstrated your readiness to do this appoint 50% of the women outside Parliament to get your 50%. by showing us your manifesto. You have also referred to yourself as a democrat and therefore it is important for us to think through Mr Kwame Gyasi, Business School, Legon and Columnist of the some of the main outstanding questions that need to be addressed Spectator: as far as the democratic experiment we as a people have chosen to Dr Mahama I was very happy when you didn't spend too much pursue as the path for our development. So I want you to tell us time on economic issues and you dwelled on social factors specifically what these critical issues are and how you will go because I believe the problems of this country are social - about addressing them? corruption, indiscipline, managerial incompetence, and above all negative mass scale of leadership from the castle level to the Dr. Mahama: family level. One issue that comes to mind is the issue of “winner-takes-all”. We've seen that the problems in Zimbabwe and Kenya and other Now about oil, you made a passing comment on oil. I want you to parts of Africa are because of this attitude. I can promise you that think a little bit more about that because I am worried. The the PNC administration will not say ”we have won therefore you

19 20 wait for your turn”. I have also said that another way to diffuse it is Those are some of the things that we need to do to encourage them. to have dialogues. I will have once a month tuo zafi session with You can't force them but I always use the Indian example. When the former President Kufuor and former President Rawlings. We India was training people, people were laughing at them. Do you must work together. You've had your turn, you've gone but you know that most Indian physicians and nurses in UK and in the still have something to offer. I think these are issues that in my United States are going back? And indeed, they have gone back mind people feel alienated or marginalised in the governance with such expertise that people are leaving Europe and America to process. We must at all times be mindful of the fact that there are go to India for care, because it is cheaper. If we put these systems other people there who don't feel they are part of it and it is our in place, they will come home. Your question is loaded, I am a responsibility to make them feel they are part of it. healthcare professional, I know the problems just give me the mandate; I will try and fix it. Kwaku Asante Krobea, GRNA: Dr President-to-be, I was enthused about your mention of issues Dr. K.B. Darkwa, President of the Ghana Veterinary Medical relating to health professionals and nurses and the fact that you Association: said you are going to ensure that health training institutions that I was very glad to hear you say you are going to continue with the train our professionals are strengthened. And I guess you are good policy of the school feeding programme and specifically you familiar with the problems at the moment about the training of will continue to give chicken-home grown ones. Actually this is a professionals. laudable policy. However it calls for an increase in the population of poultry and an increase in effective animal healthcare. But I can tell you for a fact that over the past four years, the number of presently in Ghana, animal healthcare is on the decline. I can tell health training institutions has grown by about 60% and some of you for a fact that presently in Accra laboratories, diseases like the problems lead to lack of infrastructure. As we turn out the rabies are being diagnosed. About six of them positive every students how we can fairly distribute them to ensure that all month. Anthrax is raging all over in the north. This is because regions have their fair share of these professionals especially veterinarians are working under harsh conditions and this was nurses. Please tell me what you are going to do differently. due to the fact that in 1997 a policy which was introduced by the World Bank called the Unifying Agric Extension Policy fused Dr. Mahama: Veterinary Service Department under the agricultural sector and Increasing the numbers of training institutions is a welcome idea therefore vets are working now under agriculturalists. and as you have said, the infrastructure is the next step. We are not agriculturalists, we are health professionals. The So far as the situation is concerned we have in our manifesto the difference with the medics is that we are health professionals for issue of growth pole and urban renewal. That growth pole is animals. There is a saying by one of the Russian professors that targeting certain district capitals to put the basic minimal veterinary medicine treats many. All of you here might have taken infrastructure in them. And I always use Tema as an example; egg, fresh milk, meat, which will have been inspected by a vet. If when I first came to Tema it wasn't as big as it is now. Tema was a we don't do our work well you will get diseases and you will run to fishing town that Dr Nkrumah took and turned into a model town. the medical officer. If we do that with the districts, it will be easier to go to live in a district. 21 22 Therefore I want to ask this question; what will you do specifically Dr. Mahama: to upgrade animal health delivery in Ghana if you become Not only skills; the productivity factor in Ghana is also affected by president. our work ethics. As I said, it starts even at the highest level. For example, most state functions that I have attended are scheduled Dr. Mahama: for 10 o'clock but don't get started until 11 o' clock. So our attitude I can testify to your concerns because one of my good friends used towards time is one of the problems. Workers may have the skills to take care of our dogs - a veterinarian who left Ghana just last but if they came in late or never get there at all because they have year and he left with the doctor who used to cover my clinic when I taken time off to go for a funeral, your productivity is bound to be am gone. So not only have we lost a veterinarian, we have also lost low. a medical officer. They have immigrated to Canada where things are made easy for them to go there. We must make things easy for Training on the job is also an alternative for skills improvement. people to return. But to answer you, I agree with you that Even at my level, in America you are required to do what they Veterinary Services used to be separate and need to stand separate called continuous medical education. Your license to practice will because these services don't belong under agriculture. We will not be renewed unless you show that you have attended some separate it and give it the importance it deserves. courses in the previous year. It is possible for Kpandai Hospital for example to say that each year, they will let doctors go to Accra at Mr. David Akaki, private individual: our cost to attend a course for one week. Then the doctor is Dr. Mahama, if you look at all the social indicators; education, encouraged and motivated. These schemes can always be health, agric all those things relating to the north we are far incorporated into the way of doing things and I think that is the behind. And there are also some enclaves in the southern sector way to improve skills and let people feel like they belong. where we have similar indicators. What are you going to do to address these problems so that the north can develop and catch up Private individual: with the south? You stressed on corruption, the previous parties also stressed on corruption. My question to you is, how will your Government Dr. Mahama: strengthen the Ministry of Interior to ensure a measure of Those are the defining criteria for intervention. Equal opportunity discipline of the IGP of this country or the very Police Intelligence means first finding out who are disadvantaged. It doesn't matter and Professional Standards Bureau? How can your Government whether you are in the north or in the west. I have traveled around ensure that these special police units do not shield corrupt police this country and I know there are places in Western Region, in personnel? Volta Region, that are just as deprived as the north. So if we want to move Ghana into the middle income we have to correct Dr. Mahama: anomalies. We will look at equal opportunity and equity in the What we need to do is to empower already existing bodies like the distribution of the national cake and making sure that everybody CHRAJ and Serious Fraud Office. They should feel independent feels they are part of it, then they will give their best and we will enough, not seeking to please the President. Once the complaint is move the country forward. made, they should be free to investigate.

23 24 Dr. Mary Coleman, Ghana Medical Association: I think that the way to go is to let agencies and departments feel I am glad you mentioned that you are going to do something about secure enough and I hope the media should do the same thing. maternal mortality. Fortunately we got some money from the They should be free to do what they think is necessary. Sometimes British Government and we understand it is to be put into free they don't know how the President wants a particular situation to antenatal care. As an obstetrician gynaecologist do you think that go so they try to second-guess him. So either they don't act or they that is the best way to address the problem we have at hand? act in a way that is more or less denying even their own conscience. If the IGP is a man of integrity, then he will be free to Dr. Mahama: take decisions that he sees necessary. We are all under the same We must ask, how do we continue, after the British Government's roof, the President and the IGP. funding to us dries up? I am thinking of how we will continue with that programme. Definitely, the health maintenance that I am Mr. Ohene Nkansah, GNAT: talking about will promote this. You have spoken very well and I like your clarity of expression. Continue with it. Regarding introducing a course on thinking; the What I have in my clinic is a school for pregnant women. We don't problem is how should that course be covered. What teaching charge for the service. Whether you are my patient or not my models should Ghanaian teachers adopt in order to impart this patient, you can come. Because I believe the quality of the new course? Ghanaian of tomorrow starts with the one in the mother's womb. I am sure there are a lot of people doing what I am doing. What we The second point is whether the PNC has a national character. need to do is to identify those benevolent and private individuals And the other issue is that economic development starts from the out there. Ghanaians are doing a lot but we do not coordinate what classroom. Now precepts and incepts have become very, very they are doing into national programmes and policies. When we expensive. Is our Government preparing to accept appropriate do that you will see that we will get over our problems in a very percentage in the GDP within the education budget that is short time. targeted with teacher professional development expenditure in the country? Mr. Alex Frimpong, Ghana Employers' Association: In Dr Mahama's speech he obviously referred to productivity as Dr. Mahama: one of the critical issues that he will be looking at. But from a Some time ago we closed teacher training colleges and then we broader perspective education, vocational training and lifelong ran into a situation where we had no teachers. Again we are learning are very critical to people finding their feet in the world increasing enrolment but we haven't sat down to look ahead. I of work, productivity and sustainable enterprise development. remember the chairman and I went to GNAT when we were Where people have low wages, low incomes and low productivity talking about the school feeding programme. What we wanted to it actually eliminates them from participating in economic growth find out was how many children were out there that should be in and development and even for employers it has a lot of impact on school; what would happen if they all flooded the classrooms; their taking part in mobilisation and competitiveness. How will how would we handle them? That was the kind of preparation that you help improve the relevant skills in the country and also we were trying to do. address the issue of competitiveness of employers?

25 26 This course that I am talking about is needed but is not a course The problem of our youth is not only the lack of education but that I know is taught somewhere. But Ghanaians don't always discipline. And I know that when we were students we had the have to follow what is taught somewhere else. cadet corps in the schools. I also know that even in the area of sports we had the academics. Sport is a very enjoyable way for You and I and the people who will be required to bring this to bear young people to get disciplined. At the school level we will will have to sit down and say what should be the content. If for introduce programmes in the schools in athletics, soccer, and example Ghana were the United States of America every child other areas that give them some discipline. growing in a cocoa growing area would know what to do with the leaves of the cocoa tree, the bark and the pod. What we are saying Representative from the National Road Safety Commission: is that we should teach them about the environment in a practical Thank you Dr Mahama, I am worried that you have not fully way. Then they themselves will develop things out of what they addressed some of the pertinent issues in my area. We live in a have around them. This is what is lacking. We will go and learn all country where 1600 people die annually through road accidents; about the history of Britain, learn about the wall of independence 4 persons are killed daily on the roads. How does the PNC propose in America. How many people here know that Nalerigu had a wall to deal with the issue? built in 1347 by a chief there, like the Great Chinese Wall? There are two towns in this our land with walls around them. Dr. Mahama: As Government we must make sure that the roads are worthy of So what we are saying is let's be practical, let's learn about the cars. There are a lot of the roads that are not worthy of the cars. ourselves and think about our problems and try to find solutions to You cannot solve all these problems at once. But you must have a those problems. It is not a call that I think is above us. There are planned programme. For example we could decide that every learned people here and across the country who can crack that district capital must be linked to the regional capital by a tarred course once I institute it. And that is the other thing that I said; that road and make this known to the people. Let people know that by a if I were President Kufuor I wouldn't ask the Chinese to come and certain date, all the roads from the district to the region would be build the Bui Dam. tarred. Then we would have a programme for developing the roads. I see the contractors on the Kumasi-Accra road; they've We built a dam at Akosombo with Ghanaian engineers working been there almost the whole term of President Kufuor, but I don't with the Italians and the Americans. Where are all those people? see any change really on that road and I wonder about the money How come now we are always asking others to do things for us? that we are spending there. What did we do with the experience from Akosombo? What did we do with the experience from Kpong? They could have come as The reason for the accidents is the ignorance that I've talked about consultants or partners but Ghanaian firms could have been - drivers not knowing their signs. There is a lot education your charged to look for those engineers who built Akosombo and say people can do. I know you are doing it. I was actually impressed go and do it. We are going to borrow their money yes we are going with your facility. We've seen a lot of improvement. When I went to pay with interest but our people should do it. That way we will to the Veld, I saw the kind of changes that have been brought there. send Ghanaian engineers to go and dam the Congo River and So I know gradually that mortality will come down because you supply power to Central Africa. are working on it.

27 28 Mr. Kwabena Otu, TUC: resource. The question is what is lacking? What is lacking is this Dr Mahama, about the golden age of increased productivity and mental dependency that we have. If we don't run to Europe we the wage situation in Ghana. How do you intend to address the can't have anything done. low wages in Ghana if indeed you are serious about the golden age of increased productivity? And this mental dependency is something that I don't have and I will not have and I will lead the Government not to have it. I talked Dr. Mahama: to it a person from the Bank of Ghana and I actually hammered on Running a government is like running any company, except that how much money we are getting and the person said I get amazed the social face of the government should be more visible than the because we know how much money we are bringing into the capitalist intent. So we have thought about cutting down the size nation but I can't see what we do with that money. of government. Hopefully, that will lead to some money being freed to improve the salaries of those who are there. We have also So even the people who are counting the money know that we are thought about increased productivity in the agricultural sector. If getting a lot of money. At the end of the day how we spend it a worker's salary is one million cedis a month and transportation is determines what we get from it. Those are areas that I know we about 20% of that; if we have increased food production, he can make a difference. Some of the people who advised Operation spend less on food. He will now feel that he has some disposable Feed Yourself are still alive. And I can't stop talking about income in his pocket; he will now feel more motivated by his job. Operation Feed Yourself because it taught me one thing; I was already a doctor but I took advantage of that government So it is multi-faceted approach that we are going to take. We will programme to give myself a scholarship to go abroad. So I know help farmers to increase food production. That means that all other that if government programmes are targeted, but not limited to sectors will get the benefit of it and then we can move it forward. certain sectors of the community or the nation, other people will take advantage of them. I am glad to say there are some people in this room who have been part of the review of the salary structure in this country. The NDC What we need is to have programmes designed to meet national, had their programme and the NPP has their programme; we will and not partisan, needs. That is why I think the NDC and NPP put both of them together and give it to Ghanaians and I am sure antagonism has retarded the growth of Ghana. PNC should be that we will do something about it. given the chance and you will see. After all the people in Volta Region say that you cannot balance a cooking pot (all of you know Concluding remarks: how the cooking pot looks like) on two stones; we need three stones. So when you have put that third stone there, that is PNC, I would like to thank everybody for listening to me. I have said that the pot of Ghana will be balanced well and we will cook the food our campaign is based on the theme "Real Change, Real Hope". that we like. We believe sincerely that it takes a change in the attitude of government itself beginning with the President. It takes an attitude of change to move us from where we are with all the resources that everybody in this country knows we have, including the human

29 30 THE INSTITUTE OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

IEA GHANA The Institute of Economic Affairs, Public Policy Institute P.O. Box OS1936, Osu, Accra, Ghana. Tel:+233-302244716 / 0307010714 Fax:+233-302- 222313. Email:[email protected]. Website: www.ieagh.org