Mineral & Mining Sector
The NPP administration has implemented some of the boldest and most progressive policies in the mining, forestry and land sectors.
As a result of these policies, Ghana overtook South Africa as the leading producer of gold on the continent and have consistently increased gold production to reach an unprecedented four million ounces (4 million oz) in 2023 and 2024.
Not only the NPP government revamped dormant mines, like the Obuasi and Bibiani Mines, the NPP government has, also, worked to deliver the Cardinal Namdi Mine, the first large-scale mine in northern Ghana, and the first greenfield gold mines in our country in more than a decade, with the ongoing construction of new mines in Ahafo by Newmont and Upper West by Azumah Resources.
To add value to these volumes of minerals, the NPP government constructed, through a Public Private Partnership, a four hundred kilogramme (400kg) capacity gold refinery, here in our country. The NPP government, also, concluded discussions with the parent company of Ghana Manganese Company Limited, for the construction of a four hundred and fifty million United States dollars (US$450 million) manganese refinery at Nsuta.
Moreover, the establishment of the Ghana Integrated Aluminum Development Corporation and the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation has laid the groundwork for the industrialization of many of our natural resources. These entities are expected to generate significant revenue, create jobs, and enhance the value addition of our natural wealth. Each of these initiatives was guided by the vision to harness Ghana’s wealth for the benefit of her people, ensuring a legacy of sustainable development for future generations.
The NPP government continued to work to increase the forest estate of our country. Under the Ghana Forest Plantation Strategy, some one hundred and twenty-one thousand hectares (721,000 ha) of degraded forests were cultivated between 2017 and 2023. And under the Green Ghana Project, over fifty- two million trees have been planted in just four (4) years of its implementation.
In 2023, Ghana became the second country in Africa, and the third in the world, to receive results-based payments from the World Bank’s Carbon Fund for reducing emissions, under the Ghana Cocoa REDD+ Programme.
The NPP government has, also, completed all the necessary steps under the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) with the European Union, and effective June this year, Ghana will become the first African country, and the second globally, to issue Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) licences.
(Source: parliamentary Hansard, January 3, 2025; Ghanaweb, Jan. 3, 2025; Myjoyonline, Jan. 3, 2025).
FREE SHS and TVET
Introduction of the Free SHS and Free TVET programmes, another policy that did not have universal approval when Prez Nana Addo sought to introduce it on coming into office.
However, I believe this is one of the rare occasions on which Ghanaians can use the word transformational without any danger of abusing the word. The NPP government has transformed education, and there can never be a reversal of the fact that some five-point-seven million (5.7 million) young people have gained access to secondary education, who would otherwise not have had the opportunity, but for Free SHS and Free TVET from 2017 to 2024. Indeed, the NPP administration has also prioritised Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), establishing thirty-four (34) new TVET institutions and upgrading sixty-two (62) existing ones to equip our youth with 21st-century skills.
The NPP administration has removed from the Ghanaian mindset the belief that secondary school education is only for people from certain households and families.
From 2020, when the first cohort of Free Senior High School (FSHS) candidates sat for the WASSCE, Ghana has consistently recorded over fifty per cent (50%) of candidates scoring A1 to C6 in all four (4) core subjects. This marks a stark improvement compared to the years prior, particularly the period when pass rates in core subjects were largely below fifty per cent (50%). The year 2024 results have maintained a laudable trend from 2020.
Indeed, only fifty-one-point six per cent (51.6%) of candidates achieved A1-C6 in English in 2016, compared to a much higher sixty-nine point five- two per cent (69.52%) in 2024. For Integrated Science, the pass rate improved from forty-eight point three-five per cent (48.35%) in 2016 to fifty-eight point seven-seven per cent (58.77%) in 2024. Mathematics demonstrated the most dramatic progress, rising from a mere thirty-three-point one-two per cent (33.12%) pass rate in 2016 to an impressive sixty-six point eight-six per cent (66.86%) in 2024. Social Studies followed a similar trend, improving from fifty-four point five-five percent (54.55%) in 2016 to seventy-one point five three percent (71.53%) in 2024.
Moreover, the 2023 WASSCE results stand out as the best in the history of the examination, with record-breaking performances across all core subjects. It is obvious, then, that the NPP government reforms have not only expanded access but have also enhanced the quality of education.
The NPP government has elevated TVET and STEM to where they properly belong, and they will no longer be seen as the option for those who cannot make the top grade. The NPP government under the leadership of Nana Addo has embarked on the development of twenty (20) STEM centres and ten (10) model STEM Senior High Schools across the nation and also constructed one hundred and eighty-six (186) new science laboratories nationwide. Prez Nana Addo commissioned the Accra STEM Academy 0n 28th December 2024 reported by Ghanaweb by Issac Okine, which is destined to play a key role in the future of STEM education in our country. These institutions are designed to provide hands-on learning experiences with cutting-edge facilities. From coding to robotics, Ghanaian students are being prepared for the demands of the 21st century. It has not been without challenges, but the results are evident. (Source: modernghana.com; MyJoyOnline.com; Ghanaweb.com, December 28, 2024).
The NPP government has done great infrastructure transformation that has taken place on our school and university campuses. This was displayed in a dramatic fashion in a later part of 2024 when the Ministry of Education staged the simultaneous commissioning of eighty (80) new educational facilities on November 21, 2024 (Source: Citi news; MyjoyOnline; Modernghana.com; ghanaweb.com).
Although NPP government did not finished what it set out to do, but it has certainly established what a kindergarten is supposed to be like, it has established what a primary school should be like, it has set standards for what constitutes a JHS, science laboratories are now integral parts of Junior and Senior High Schools and computer tablets are available for all school children.
(Source: parliamentary Hansard, January 3, 2025, Ghanaweb, Jan. 3, 2025; Myjoyonline, Jan. 3, 2025).
The Economy and GDP
The country is not broken, as some propagandists want us to believe under NPP administration. NPP government is handing over the country with Gross International reserves of almost eight billion United States dollars ($8 billion. This is more than the six-point-two-billion United States dollars ($6.2 billion) of Gross International Reserves NPP administration inherited in 2017.
Economic growth has also returned to the pre-COVID trajectory, with an impressive growth rate, rising from four-point-eight percent (4.8%) in the first quarter of 2024; seven percent (7%) in the second quarter and seven-point-two percent (7.2%) in the third quarter. It is projected that this year’s (2024) growth rate will be six-point-three per cent (6.3%), significantly higher than the three-point-four percent (3.4%) the NPP administration inherited in 2017.
The growth of the economy is further reflected in the growth of private-sector credit. Private sector credit in nominal terms grew by twenty-eight-point eight seven percent (28.87%) in October 2024, compared to the negative seven-point five percent (-7.5%) growth recorded in the same comparative period of 2023. In real terms, growth in credit to the private sector improved to five-point five percent (5.5%) compared to a contraction of thirty-one-point six percent (31.6%) recorded in October 2023.
It is further reinforced by improved external balances, with the current account balance improving significantly to a surplus of two-point six percent (2.6%) of GDP in the first nine months of the year, compared to a deficit of six-point six percent (6.6%) of GDP in 2016.
In much the same way, the trade balance has improved and stands at a surplus of three point eight five billion US dollars ($3.85 billion), compared with a deficit of one point eight billion US dollars ($1.8 billion) in 2016.
3rd January 2025, NPP government honoured coupon payments to our Eurobond holders amounting to three hundred forty-six million US dollars ($346 million). We cannot afford to default on our debt repayments.
(Source: parliamentary Hansard, January 3, 2025, Ghanaweb, Jan. 3, 2025; Myjoyonline, Jan. 3, 2025).
Infrastructure, Roads and railways
Infrastructure development has been a cornerstone of NPP administration. The construction and rehabilitation of over twelve thousand (12,000) roads have improved connectivity and reduced travel times. These projects have not only facilitated trade but also enhanced access to essential services. Prez Nana Addo stated that “my government has constructed 12, 830 kms of roads from 2017 to December 2023 compared to Mills/Mahama’s 4, 636 kms of roads from 2009 to 2016 (Source: African Business, July 15, 2024; GNA, September 19, 2024, reported by Ghanaweb’; citinewsroom.com/2024; My Joy Online, September 16, 2024, reported by Ernest K. Ahinful; Parliamentary Hansard, January 3, 2025).
In the floor of parliament which has been captured in the parliamentary Hansard on January 21, 2025, and the transition team, stated that: from January 2017 to December 2024, NPP government constructed thirteen thousand six-hundred and twenty-four kilometers (13,624 km) of roads. The breakdown is as follows: Asphalt overlay: 1,955.25 km; Bridges: 35; New construction of road or roads that did not exist: 673.27 km; Gravelling/ Regravelling: 6,185.90 km; Rehabilitation: 1,665.07 km; Upgrading/Surfacing: 2538.40 km; Resealing of roads: 101.02 km and Partial Reconstruction of roads: 231.90 km.
The NPP administration has constructed more roads and interchanges than any other in our nation’s history. In the Greater Accra Region alone, NPP government completed the Pokuase Interchange, Tema Motorway Interchange Phase I, Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange Phase I, the East Legon Underpass, and the Flowerpot Interchange. Beyond Accra, NPP administration has also delivered the first-ever interchanges in the Eastern Region, at Suhum, and in the Northern Region, at Tamale. Each of these projects tells a story of commitment, foresight, and a Ghana that is continuously moving forward (Parliamentary Hansard, January 3, 2025; Ghanaweb, My Joy Online; Citi News, January 3, 2025).
There are fourteen (14) additional interchanges currently underway across Ghana, each at different stages of completion. In Greater Accra, we are building interchanges at Obetsebi Lamptey Interchange Phase II, Nungua, Adjiringanor, Kpone Barrier, Prampram, Dawhenya, Savannah and Tema Motorway Phase II. In the Ashanti Region, ongoing projects include the Suame Interchange Phase I, Anomangye, Maakro/Magazine New Road, Abusuakuruwa and Abrepo, as well as the PTC Interchange in Takoradi in the Western Region. These projects represent the scale of our ambition—a commitment to excellence and growth that knows no limits.
In aviation, NPP government has expanded airports, including the construction of the Yakubu Tali International Airport in Tamale, the Prempeh I International Airport in Kumasi, the rehabilitation of the Sunyani Airport in Sunyani, and the completion of the Ho Airport, in Ho. These projects position Ghana as a hub for regional air travel.
Over the past seven years (2018 – 2025), NPP government has revitalized Ghana’s railway sector, undertaking key projects to modernize and expand the network. Notable achievements include the rehabilitation of the sixty-six-kilometre (66-kilometre) narrow-gauge Western Line from Kojokrom to Tarkwa, the construction of a twenty-two-kilometre (22-kilometre) standard gauge line between Kojokrom and Manso and securing funding to extend the Western Line from Manso to Huni Valley, connecting to the Port of Takoradi. Additionally, a six-kilometre (6-kilometre) standard gauge line in Kumasi is underway, and the Tema-Mpakadan line has been completed. Progress on the Ghana-Burkina Faso railway project further underscores efforts to enhance regional trade and integration.
The NPP government has made some good strides in improving the housing sector. Over the period, the NPP government has built one thousand and seventy-two (1,072) affordable homes, and broke ground for an additional eight hundred (800) in Kpone in the Greater Accra Region. The National Homeownership Fund has also been established, which delivering five hundred and thirty-four (534) homes in Tema Community Twenty-Two. The NPP administration has delivered one thousand (1,000) homes to the security services and is delivering six hundred (600) homes for public servants through the Bungalow Redevelopment Programme.
(Source: parliamentary Hansard, January 3, 2025, Ghanaweb, Jan. 3, 2025; Myjoyonline, Jan. 3, 2025).
Judiciary and Justice system
The NPP government has undertaken impressive reforms to strengthen Ghana’s judiciary, enhancing both capacity and accessibility. Key achievements include addressing court infrastructure challenges, with the construction of one hundred (100) courthouses, ninety (90) of which have been completed and are operational, making it the biggest single infrastructural intervention for the Judiciary in our nation’s history. The establishment of the Court of Appeal complex in Kumasi, along with twenty (20) townhouses and a guesthouse for justices in the northern sector, now enables appeals from eleven (11) regions to be handled locally, reducing delays in justice delivery. Additionally, the implementation of the e-justice system has digitised case management and streamlined processes, solidifying the judiciary’s role as a bulwark of Ghana’s democracy and development. Moreover, the Law House, a modern facility for the Office of the Attorney General, has been completed and commissioned in Accra by Prez Nana Addo on June 10, 2024 (Source: Citinewsroom.com, June 10, 2024; Metrotvonline.com, June 11, 2024; Parliamentary Hansard, January 3, 2025; My Joy Online, January 3, 2025).
Strengthening laws to fight corruption
During the NPP government’s first term, it passed the Witness Protection Act in 2018, creating a framework to safeguard individuals who cooperate with law enforcement, especially in corruption cases. Furthermore, the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Act of 2020 elevated corruption from a misdemeanour to a felony, with harsher penalties of twelve (12) to twenty-five (25) years of imprisonment. We also enacted key laws such as the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Revenue Administration (Amendment) Act, and the Anti-Money Laundering Act, all of which have strengthened our institutional framework to combat corruption and ensure accountability. The NPP government ensured that all allegations of corruption levelled against appointees were duly investigated by independent institutions of state, which generally dismissed them as unfounded.
Budgetary support for accountability institutions has also witnessed unprecedented increases. For instance, from 2017 to 2023, CHRAJ’s budget increased by ninety-nine percent (99%), Parliament’s by one hundred percent (100%), the Office of the Attorney General by one hundred and sixty-two percent (162%), the Audit Service by two hundred and fifty-eight percent (258%), and the Police by two hundred and seventy-four percent (274%). These investments reflect my administration’s commitment to empowering these institutions to discharge their mandates effectively, which means that the tools needed to exact accountability from all public office holders, including those of my own government, have been considerably sharpened. The application of these tools, whilst respecting, as it should, due process and the rule of law, should, however, pose no fears for any honest public office holder.
I remember the early days of these reforms by the NPP government when skepticism abounded. People asked, “Will this really make a difference?” Today, the numbers speak for themselves. The Auditor-General’s report for 2023 showed a reduction of five-point-two-billion cedis (GH¢5.2 billion) in financial irregularities—a thirty-two percent (32%) drop from the previous year. (Source: parliamentary Hansard, January 3, 2025, Ghanaweb, Jan. 3, 2025; Myjoyonline, Jan. 3, 2025).
Development of Health Sector
The establishment of our own vaccine manufacturing facility, under the supervision of the National Vaccine Institute, a body created by Act of Parliament, in collaboration with international partners is a testament to our resolve to build resilience in our healthcare system. In the spirit of transparency and accountability, a parliamentary audit was conducted on the accounts relating to COVID-19 expenditures, reflecting the NPP government’s attachment to accountability and the effective stewardship of public resources during a time of crisis. Prez Akufo-Addo commissioned the new ultramodern Office complex for the National Vaccine Institute at Cantoments, Accra, charged the institute to maintain the facility (Source: Ministry of Health/moh.gov.gh; parliamentary Hansard, January 3, 2025, Ghanaweb, Jan. 3, 2025; Myjoyonline, Jan. 3, 2025).
The most important intervention is the Agenda 111 project we have embarked upon that aims to place a hospital in every district. Out of the one hundred and one (101) district hospitals and two (2) Psychiatric hospitals on the project list, there are ninety-nine (99) district and two (2) psychiatric hospitals where contractors are deployed, and work is in progress.
On December 5, 2024, Prez Nana Addo had the utmost pleasure to commission three (3) of the Agenda 111 district hospitals. Progress of work on the other ninety-eight (98) active sites ranges from five percent (5%) for sites whose work commenced recently to ninety-five percent (95%) at other sites. Prez Nana Addo stated that “I am hoping that the incoming Mahama administration will ensure that the project will be completed to put our health infrastructure on a sound footing” (parliamentary Hansard, January 3, 2025, Ghanaweb, Jan. 3, 2025; Myjoyonline, Jan. 3, 2025).
Furthermore, the NPP government launched the National Ambulance Service’s revitalisation programme, increasing the number of ambulances from fifty-five (55) barely functioning ambulances to over three hundred (300), ensuring timely emergency response and saving countless lives. The strides in healthcare reflect our collective commitment to building a system that prioritizes the dignity, health and well-being of every Ghanaian. Furthermore, we have revived the National Health Insurance Scheme which, at one point before I came into office, appeared to be reverting to the days of “cash and carry” {parliamentary Hansard, January 3, 2025).
The number of subscribers of National Health Insurance Scheme has risen from ten-point-six-million (10.6 million) in 2016 to seventeen-point-nine million (17.9 million) at the end of 2023, with the renewal of subscriptions being facilitated by a tap on the mobile phone, and the scope of the Scheme being broadened to include treatment for sickle cell disease, kidney dialysis and childhood cancers. (Source: parliamentary Hansard, January 3; 2025, Ghanaweb, Jan. 3, 2025; Myjoyonline, Jan. 3, 2025).
The NPP government completed and commissioned at least 47 hospitals outside Agenda 111 project. This assertion was made by deputy information minister, Fatima on myjoynews hosted by Sampson Larbi (Source: Myjoynews, myjoyonline, January 4, 2025).
Job Creation
The NPP government has created 2.6 million jobs for the people of Ghana under the leadership of Prez Nana Addo. By referring to the data from SSNIT (Social Security and National Insurance Trust) about 2.6 million have been created – 1.4 million is the private sector and 1.2 million is the public sector (source: gbcghanaonline.com, reported by Ashiadey Dotse on November 4, 2024).
Automobile Companies in Ghana
Through the NPP government under the Strategic Anchor Industries (SAIs), some 13 vehicle assembly plants have been established in Ghana. The formal finance Minister, Dr. Amin Adam stated in February 2024 that these 13 vehicle assembly plants have produce about 4,700 vehicles locally in Ghana. He continued that the NPP government was committed to providing targeted support to the automobile industries, aimed to penetrate the sub-regional market through AfCFTA framework and pursued local assembly of electric vehicles (EVs) in line with our Ghana’s Electric vehicles policy (Source: Myjoyonline.com, July 23, 2024; parliamentary Hansard, January 3, 2025; Ghanaweb, Jan. 3, 2025; Myjoyonline, Jan. 3, 2025).
Again, under the NPP government, ten (10) automobile companies have been established. According to Bloomberg, Volkswagen (Tema, 2020), Nissan (Tema, 2022), KIA (Amasaman), Toyota (Tema free zone enclave, 2022), Ashok Leyland (Accra, 2023), Solar Taxi (Accra, 2018), Peugeot (Tema, 2022), Sinotruk (Kpong Katamanso, 2023), Suzuki (Tema, 2023), and Renault are among the companies that are considered a significant presence in Ghana
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