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Secretary General of the PNP, John Boadu.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has developed a post-Covid-19 transformation plan to stabilize, revitalize and transform Ghana against the unpredictability of the pandemic.
The PNP’s post-Covid transformation plan labeled “Ghana COVID Relief and Business Revitalization Program” (Ghana CARES) is Ghana Beyond Aid in action.
The NPP in its 2020 election manifesto, explained that the implementation of Ghana’s CARES program would restore growth to Pre Covid-19 levels.
The PNP explained that Ghana’s CARES program would return the fiscal path within the threshold of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2018 (Act 982) of 5 percent deficit and positive primary balance by 2023.
He said that under the leadership of President Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, through Ghana’s CARES program, the country is already benefiting from the Stabilization Phase (July to December 2020).
The PNP considers interventions that guarantee food security and that protect businesses and employment a priority.
Given this, the Stabilization phase seeks to increase the original GH ¢ 600 million soft loan program, called the Coronavirus Relief Program-Commercial Support Scheme (CAP-BuSS).
An additional GH ¢ 150 million would be added to support MSMEs and also the Creative Arts, the Media and the Conference of Independent Universities (GH ¢ 50 million).
It would also establish a guarantee mechanism of ¢ 2 billion GH to support all large companies and for the retention of jobs, this will allow these companies to borrow from banks at affordable and long-term rates to adapt to the pandemic .
With regard to measures to preserve jobs, a ¢ 100 million GH Fund would be established for labor and religious organizations for recycling and skills development (Recycling Program).
It would establish an unemployment insurance plan to provide temporary income support to workers laid off due to the pandemic.
To guarantee food security for the rest of the year, the next government would intensify support for the “Plantation for Food and Employment” and “Raising for Food and Employment” programs.
The next PNP government would provide financial support to the National Buffer Stock Company and the Ghana Commodity Exchange, and would establish a Food Safety Monitoring Committee.
The next nuclear power plant government would implement a range of employee retention and support services for large companies, including clearing contractor arrears, paying new contractors more quickly, and increasing government purchases for companies. local businesses.
The PNP explained that through “Agenda 111” (originally called Agenda 88) the government would increase momentum to build a 100-bed hospital in 101 districts that currently lack such facilities, as well as a regional hospital in each of the six new regions.
The PNP reiterated that it would build a new regional hospital in the Western Region, rehabilitate Effia-Nkwanta Hospital, build two new psychiatric hospitals, and establish infectious disease centers for each of the three ecological zones.
He said he would expand the Agenda 111 project to develop local capacity in the housing and construction industry, strengthen the housing mortgage and construction financing scheme, and take steps to facilitate access to land for housing. by real estate developers.
The next phase of Ghana CARES would focus on the revitalization and transformation phase (2021-2023) during this period, “we will invest in activities aimed at accelerating the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda.
“We will seek the establishment of Ghana as a regional center by taking advantage of the location of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat in Ghana, and will include the establishment of the Center for International Financial Services (IFSC).”
The PNP, through its 2020 Electoral Manifesto, also seeks to review and optimize the implementation of flagship government programs such as 1D1F, PFJ, and Free SHS that rely primarily on government budget funding for better results. the Ghana Tree Crop Development Authority to promote selected cash crops, support commercial agriculture and attract educated youth to agriculture.
“We seek to build Ghana’s light manufacturing sector, including our machine tool manufacturing capabilities to support our accelerated industrialization and digitization of government businesses, as well as to build a digital economy.
“We will strengthen the enablers of growth and transformation by taking decisive action to improve the business environment of the private sector,” said the PNP.
The NPP said the Revitalization and Transformation phase of Ghana’s CARES program is estimated to cost around ¢ 100 billion GH, about a third of which would be financed by the central government, with the remainder coming from the private sector.
He said that the pandemic has created significant disruptions in the lives and livelihoods of citizens, in business, industry, commerce and trade for macro-fiscal stability.
“Throughout the current crisis, the Nana Akufo-Addo government has provided effective leadership and acted as custodian and guardian of our public health.
“We have learned important lessons in the process and we will incorporate these lessons into our planning for future growth and development,” stated the PNP.
