A cross section of people has expressed their views on President Mills’s one year in government in Mfantseman Municipality. Whiles some think one year is too short a time to assess the government; others are of the view that there should have been massive improvement in the lives of people by now since he promised so.Some fishermen at Ankaful, a suburb of Saltpond appealed to government to enact a law to barn the use of light in fishing since he promised to do that immediately he assumed office as president. They feared if the practice was not abolished on time it would bring about depletion of the fish stock of the country’s ocean, which would adversely affect fish supply in the country.
Traders at Saltpond and Mankessim Markets also complained of low patronage of their wares and attributed it to increase in fuel prices. They added consumers have resorted to buying in bulk on market days and were calling on the government to maintain the present fuel price for sometime even if the commodity was increased on the world market.
They said, if fuel prices were maintained it would reduce transport fares which would also enable farmers to cart farm produce to market centres which would result in the reduction of cost of food stuffs for consumers to purchase at affordable price.
A civil Servant also thought government should reduce import duties because most consumer goods on the market are imported and hence if the cost of imported goods were reduced it will aid in reduction of goods on the market as well as bring down the high cost of living.
He also felt that payment for the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS) should have started in January this year instead of July as stated by government and appealed to government to do something to save the situation.
Some section of the public also held the view that it was too early to assess the government within one year and was of the view that if people would be fair to government, they should assess his one year in Office to that of the previous government comparatively to be able to give a fair judgment.
They were also of the view that the previous government within one year in Office complained of debt which they said resulted in untold hardship on the economy and thus took the country to HIPC.
They also added that president Mills’ government was also facing the same problem of massive debt left by the previous administration and asked Ghanaians to give the president time to solve the debt problem and to put the economy in shape since he was given a four-year term.
An Assembly member said though government was on course, he thought unemployment rate has risen.
He was also not happy with some foot soldiers of the president’s party taking undue advantage of their coming into power to seize public toilets, people cars, beating, maiming and alleged killing of opposition party members.
Some people said they were not happy with sacking of some National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) employees and bringing in members of the NDC because the concept of the previous government in putting the programme in place was not to employ party members but Ghanaians.
They appealed to government to pay the allowances of NYEP employees since most of them are bread winners of their families and hence government should do something about the issue.
They again said most drug stores in the municipality refused to issue out drugs to patients with Health Insurance Subscription forms from hospitals due to non-payment of claims by the Authority.
An opinion leader wanted contracts, which were awarded by the previous government and had been stalled to be continued to ensure their completion, for example road contracts, construction of school blocks, offices and others.
He cautioned that the onset of rains might lead to flooding which may damage them.
In all people were of the view that the government has not done badly in one year but were calling on him to do more to improve the lives of the ordinary Ghanaian.
BY: RUBY NYAMEKYE OFOSUA
JOURNALIST - MFANTSEMAN
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