People do have ‘short memories’ – Presidency replies Catholic Bishops Conference
The presidency in response to the Catholic Bishops Conference has disagreed with them over the issues they raised on the protection of the public purse.
Refuting their[Catholic Bishops Conference] claims further, Director of Communication at the presidency Eugene Arhin questioned the credibility of the Catholic Bishops Conference criticism of the Akufo-Addo led administration.
Recently at the Catholic Bishops Conference at the plenary of the association in Wa, in the Upper West Region, the bishops stated that the government had lost touch with issues affecting Ghanaians and had not fulfilled its promise of protecting the public purse.
They also accused the government of not empathizing with Ghanaians to know the issues on the ground.
But Mr. Arhin also begged to differ on the issues they raised saying, “these criticisms should be well-grounded in fact, as this is the only way an honest conversation devoid of malice and propaganda can be held.”
According to the presidency, evidence on the ground points to healthy economic conditions.
“The transformation that is taking place in all aspects of national life point to an economy that has been well managed, a public purse that is being well protected,” Mr. Arhin said.
“If Akufo-Addo had superintended over the wanton dissipation of public funds, firstly the Ghanaian people would not have reposed their confidence in him barely 10 months ago,” he argued further.
Mr. Arhin also defended the government’s saying its ability to employ new teachers, health workers and implement the Nation Builders Corps policy, among others, was the evidence of good governance.
He also reminded Ghanaians of the government’s numerous welfare interventions in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic had struck.
“Human memory can be short, but it cannot be so short that we have forgotten the free food, free electricity, or free water that were provided en masse by the government to the most vulnerable in society during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic?”
The presidency response follows an initial one by the Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party who pointed to the fact the Catholic Bishops Conference Criticism of the government lacked clarity.
Yaw Buabeng Asamoah, said the conference should have been more specific in its criticism.
“Where are the specifics on that? Some level of clarity at that level is important. It is not about enabling the NDC to come in and spout,” said Yaw Buabeng Asamoah.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
