78 quotes of Akufo-Addo in 2019

Over the year 2019, President Akufo-Addo has delivered countless speeches both home and aboard.

I have reported on most of the activities and events the President has been involved in. I have been poring through the scripts and transcripts and I have gathered a few lines that caught my attention.

1. “I came to the Presidency as an old man, so I know about what it takes to wait for office. You are a young man, plenty of time ahead for you. We pray for long life for you and for health and that you commit yourself like you have done through your spokesperson today, to reconciliation in Dagbon”.

Meeting with the Abudu royal family of Dagbon, led by the Bolin Lana, Abdulai Mahamudu, 4th January 2019, Jubilee House.

2. “I assure shareholders, management, and staff of Unilever, and the people of Ghana that my government will work to continue to create a stable, microeconomic framework and positive outlook for businesses. The days when economic indicators went haywire and through the roof are over. The days of disarray in our public finances, the reason for our resent marriage with the IMF, are over”.

Commissioning of three new factories of Unilever Ghana Limited, 15th January 2019, Tema.

3. “We are not to rest on our oars and assume that every citizen of Dagbon is elated about the new peace and the enskinment of a new Ya-Naa. Indeed, there is a new term for people who profit from conflict. They are called, “conflict-preneurs.” We have to be resolute in warding off such people by strengthening the process of reconciliation amongst the people of Dagbon”. “We are not to fear the strategy of our enemies, but our own mistakes. Dagbon does not have to fear an external enemy. Dagbon is a great state, one of the most ancient traditional states of our history. It has survived many marauding forces, and repelled many enemies. Dagbon can only be brought to its knees by internal malcontents, and it is our collective duty and in our collective interest to fend them off”.

Enskinment and outdooring ceremony of the new Ya-Naa, 25th January, 2019, Gbewaa Palace, Yendi.

4. “It is time that the disarray in our public finances that has led us on seventeen separate occasions beginning in the year of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and the most recent one in March 2015 under President John Dramani Mahama, be brought to an end so that we do not have to result to the aid of IMF. We are determined not to go back to IMF tutelage again. We will manage our affairs properly. That is the true import of moving to a “Ghana Beyond Aid”.

The Annual “Diplomatic New Year Greeting Ceremony”, 30th January 2019, forecourt of the Jubilee House.

5. “We asked ourselves, why did it take so longer to recognize these problems and to deal with them in order to safeguard the public interest. Was this a systems failure, or these banks were simply clever in going about their businesses on the blind side of regulators”? “A financial system in distress introduces uncertainty in the economy and undermines the stability and soundness of the financial system. It is to prevent any disastrous occurrence in the banking system and its ramifications in the entire financial system that my government has taken the bold step to establish the Presidential Financial Stability Advisory Council”.



Swearing in of the Presidential Financial Stability Advisory Council, 13th February 2019, Jubilee House.

6. “As I sit here, I would like to turn 15% returns on my small monies every month, I would love it, but it is not realistic. So the plea I am making is that whenever you hear schemes that come to say they are going to give you money that is extraordinary in its returns, you have to be careful about patronizing it”.

President Akufo Addo Cautions Armed Forces, Civilian Population, 22nd February 2019, Burma Hall in Burma Camp.

7. “I am extremely upset and anxious about it too, but I want to assure you that all efforts are being made to arrest the decline and restore the cedi to stability in order to improve the competitiveness of Ghanaian industry and I think very soon you will be seeing the results of our policy”.

Commissioning of the Fujian Sentuo Ceramic Tile Factory, 27th February 2019, Tema Heavy Industrial Area, Kpone.

8. “We must have the pride to acknowledge that we have made positive strides and we must also have humility to appreciate that we still have a long way to go. We must have the patience to accept that just as our fight for freedom and independence was not achieved in a day, so too, national prosperity will not come overnight. In peace and unity, I am certain that we can build a new Ghanaian civilization which will attract the admiration of Africa and the world”.

President’s Independence Day Awards ceremony 1st March 2019, Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).

9. “Aluminum is often described as the metal of the future. If that is the case, we have its raw material that is bauxite in abundance in Ghana. The time has come to make a concerted effort not only to bring the raw materials into play, but to establish the full value chain of the product so we can have a vibrant aluminum industry in Ghana”.

Swearing in of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Integrated Aluminum Corporation, 2nd March 2019, Jubilee House.

10. “When we make the wrong choices, we must act to set things right. When those put in charge of running the affairs of state get it wrong, we must have the courage, the humanity and the selflessness to say so. That is our patriotic duty. We should also not be seen, at every given opportunity, to be running down our nation merely to realize our narrow, parochial and partisan interest. That is not acceptable patriotism”.



109th anniversary celebrations of the Adisadel College, 9th March 2019, Cape Coast.

11. “They [the Sports Ministry] are going to buy you a car, they are in the process of arranging it from the Ministry. They will get you a nice Toyota car. The office of the President is also adding fifty thousand cedis (50,000.00) to it. It is our small token of our esteem and admiration for the honour you have brought our nation. Keep it up”.

President Akufo Addo Gives IBF Lightweight Champion, Richard Commey, 50K, New Car, 11th March 2019, Jubilee House.

12. “The findings and the recommendations that have been made will of course be given the greatest possible attention by me and the members of my government”. “Government has the responsibility of maintaining law and order in the country and that responsibility is not one that can be abdicated on in any occasion”. “To the extent that this Commission’s findings and recommendations can help us advance the cause of law and order in this country, I welcome it and it will be the subject of close study. Not sure if the circumstances of this Commission will call for the issuance of a white paper on our part, but we will look at all of these matters and we will respond appropriately”.

Presentation of Ayawaso West Wuogon By-Election Commission of Inquiry Report, 14th March 2019, Jubilee House.

13. “As we seek to move our country to a situation beyond aid, I urge all Ghanaians to be natural champions of a law-based state whose establishments are solid enough to sanction effectively vigilantism, bank frauds, cyber frauds, illegal mining, identity thefts, stealing of public funds, bribery and corruption, criminal cartels and criminal behaviour in general, including assault on and by law enforcement officers”.

Launch of the Judicial Service of Ghana’s “E-Justice Project”, 20th of March, 2019, at the Auditorium of the Law Court Complex.

14. “We have had sixteen bailouts programmes with the IMF since independence. It doesn’t make sense, largely because the discipline that we should have in the management of our public expenditure and the management of our public finances has not been there”. “We think that we can do it. We are thirty million people here with considerable resources in their natural form, and if we have the policy frame work and the policy options that we take are once that favour this process, we are looking at being within a decade, able to fashion a new self-sustaining economy, this is the economy we want to call the “Ghana Beyond Aid”.

Meeting with World Bank Vice President for Africa, Dr. Hafez Ghanem, 26th March 2019, Jubilee House.

15. “If you are, then there is no need to intimidate people into voting for you. The people themselves will rally together to vote for you. That is what we want to see here in Ghana – peaceful, free elections. If you are going to rely on violence and bloodshed, then it would appear that you are not the one the people want. I repeat, this will not happen again”. “We are not going to allow Ghanaian politics, Ghanaian democracy, to be compromised by these acts of violence and tuggery. It will not happen again. Since October (2018), we have not heard any news of political violence in Sankore. We will continue to monitor the situation. I also call on you to be alert, and help me to ensure that peace continues to reign here in Ghana, especially here in Sankore”.

Durbar of the Chiefs and people of Sankore, Friday, 12th April, 2019, Ahafo Region.

16. “It is not good for us politicians to be misleading the people. If you have not done something, don’t claim it, don’t write it in your book, don’t make pronouncements on it. The people themselves can tell the truth of what is going on”. “I think it is important that we the political leaders of the country exercise some sense of responsibility when we are making some of these claims”.



Courtesy call by delegation of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs, 7th May 2019, Jubilee House.

17. “I want you to help me stamp out smuggling of fertilizer in our country”.

Meeting with the Association of Cocoa, Sheanut and Coffee Farmers of Ghana, 11th May 2019, Jubilee House.

18. “The role of banks to this end is critical, when banks do not become mere profit making enterprises but see themselves as active partners with government in building a healthy, productive and robust economy, then we will be making significant progress”. “It is the very reason my government placed a lot of emphasis on reforming the banking sector, taking measures we deemed necessary to safeguard the stability and prospects of the economy”.

Opening of the new head office building of CalBank, the “CalBank Tower”, 22nd May 2019, Ridge, Independence Avenue.

19. “You have to respect unreservedly, the authority of the coach and the authority of the captain. That is basic rules, non-negotiable rules. If you don’t do it, everybody will be going their separate ways. If you do that, you cement the team work and you will become a cohesive forceful force”.

Meeting with players, management and technical teams of the Ghana Black Stars, 31st May 2019, Banquet Hall of the Jubilee House.

20. “The commemoration should enable us and the African Union to consolidate and strengthen our links with our sixth region, that is, the African diaspora. As we mark the 400th anniversary, come and visit and let us together demonstrate that we have overcome. It says on the last door leading out of the dungeon from the slave castles that dot our coastline, “Door Of No Return.” Let us show we can return, we have returned, and we have conquered the humiliation and degradation of four hundred years ago”.

Joint press conference with the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Keith Rowley, 14th June 2019, Diplomatic Center in the capital city, Port of Spain.

21. “Just as technology offers opportunities to grow our economies and bring progress to our people, there are criminal syndicates who will always be bent on exploiting it for their selfish interests. They have to be relentlessly fought”.

SWIFT African Regional Conference, 18th June 2019, Kempinski Gold Coast.

22. “In recent times, some utterances in Ghana and actions of a few has given the impression somehow rather, that Ghana is now becoming xenophobic state, that we have problems with our fellow Africans. That is the exact opposite of the truth. There is no xenophobia in Ghana, we are not a xenophobic state”. “We are the Pan-African nation that has opened its doors to all Africans and they are not going to be the object of any hate campaign in Ghana”. “What we will insist on, which is what every nation insists on, is that our own domestic laws are respected by those who come to our country”.

Bidding farewell ceremony by outgoing Ambassadors, 28th June 2019, Jubilee House.

23. “We know from the example of several countries where a truthful collaboration between their overseas nationals and their governments can bring for their national development and prosperity. Let us emulate them. The question of the political rights of dual citizens is a matter for Parliament and an opportunity is going to be provided soon for Parliament to address this issue”.

Ghana Diaspora Celebration and Homecoming Summit, 3rd July 2019, Accra International Conference Centre.

24. “Once we change the narrative about Africa, we have to get away from the idea that there is some ‘Father Christmas’ somewhere who is going to come and develop our continent for us. There is no such ‘Father Christmas’. There is just us. Once that mentality is changed, then our relations with other people will become much more structured”. “That relationship has enriched Europe, but has not enriched Africa. We need to change that dynamic, and we can only do it by taking the correct measures for our future. That is where my focus is. It cannot be right that the continent that has allegedly the wealthiest resources of the world is also the home of the poorest people on the globe. That disconnect is not a good one, and we need to work to change that”.

Africa Diaspora Summit, 11th July, 2019.

25. “President Mahama came to meet a production level of 1 million tonnes, and yet, by the end of his tenure, it had dropped to barely 700,000 tonnes. Today, under my Government, it has risen to 900,000 tonnes, and yet you (Mahama) are going around, offering fake solidarity to the cocoa farmers, shedding crocodile tears in front of cocoa farmers, that you have done something to improve the lot of cocoa farmers. These are crocodile tears”.

Durbar of Chiefs at Daboase, Wassa East district, Western Region, 23rd July, 2019.

26. “Since assuming the reins of office in Ghana, two and a half years ago, I have been advocating and working for a ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’ because nobody needs to spell it out to us that the economic transformation we desire will not come through aid. For long enough, we have been on that trajectory and it has not happened. We are told there is aid fatigue. The tax payers of the aid givers have a right to decide how their tax money is spent”. “The truth is that even if there was no aid fatigue, and with the best will in the world, the most charitable governments in place in the so-called ‘donor countries’, there will never be enough aid to develop Ghana let alone Africa to the level we want and aid was never meant to be what bring us to the status of a developed nation or continent”. “We should seize the occasion, each one of us in our various positions, together, working with the people of Africa and with our educated, skilled, dynamic and youthful population, we can build a prosperous and self-confident Africa and Africa beyond aid. We can and should do so. Let us get to work”.

African Governors of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (African Caucus) meeting, 1st August 2019, Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel

27. “Undoubtedly the 4th of August is the most appropriate day to signify our recognition and appreciation of the collective efforts of our forebears towards the founding of a free, independent Ghana. It is worth bearing in mind that the victorious general of the American war of independence from British colonial rule and the first President of the United States of America, George Washington, is not held out as the Founder of the American Republic. The people described as the founding fathers of the United States were the persons who signed the Declaration of Independence and who promulgated the Constitution of the United States of America. It is this same respect for the collective work of our forebears in 1897 and 1947 that compels us to define August 4th as Founders’ Day as the most sacred day in our nation’s history”.

4th of August 2019 Founders’ Day Celebration Luncheon in honor of senior citizens, Forecourt of the Accra International Conference Centre, (AICC).

28. “It was decided to incorporate it largely into the reform of the Electricity Corporation of Ghana. One of the conditions of the money was that we should get a private electricity coordinator to partner with the nation to manage our electricity generation and distribution system”. “After a process of bidding and tendering which left us with one company in the field, an arrangement was made for that company to take over the running of the assets of ECG. Subsequently we discovered that some of the financial instruments the company put in place were not in order, and, as a result of that, we have had to suspend the concession until all the facts are established”. “It turned out that there are problems with this guarantee. Therefore, the protection that we should have in the transaction was not really there. The matter came to our notice, and we decided that the first thing to do was to protect the public assets by suspending the agreement with this private sector operator and returning the assets to the control of the ECG whilst a process of investigation was being carried out”.

Addressing members of the Ghanaian community in Angola, 8th August, 2019, Angola.

29. “Institutions such as the Bank of Ghana, the Registrar of Companies, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Insurance Commission, and the National Pension Regulatory Authority must see to the effective regulation and supervision of the entities within their remit. We have seen what the previous failure of regulation led to in the banking sector”.

Opening Ceremony of the National Conference on the Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement in Ghana, 19th August 2019, Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).

30. “If the Bank of Ghana, in the years before, had acted responsibly and dealt with some of these issues that they had to deal with, we would not have gotten to the situation we are now”.

Second meeting with Council of State, 20th August 2019, Jubilee House

31. “We, in Ghana, are taking steps to put our country onto a similar path. Maintaining a stable macro economy is fundamental to attracting private sector investment”. “We have restored fiscal discipline, our macroeconomic indices are pointing in the right direction, we have implemented tax cuts and incentives to stimulate the rapid growth of the private sector, and we are projected, according to the International Monetary Fund, to be the fastest growing economy in the world this year.”

7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), 28th August 2019, Japan.

32. “Despite being a beacon of peace, stability and democracy in a region that is plagued by the activities of terrorists and extremist groups, Ghana must know she cannot be immune from terror attacks. She is determined however to deepen the religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence that exists between the majority Christian and the minority Muslim religious groupings in the country. They are the hallmarks of our nation which we cherish”.

Maiden Kofi Annan Peace and Security Forum, 4th September 2019, Movenpick Ambassador Hotel

33. “Full digitization of Agriculture will present numerous opportunities for the youth along the agriculture value chain. The average African youth is technology savvy in the use of mobile phones and computers. The digitalization of Africa’s agriculture, therefore, presents a fertile ground for business opportunities for our youth”. “Digitalization is a revolution that is here with us and has surely come to stay. Africa has no excuse but to make the most of it”.

Africa Green Revolution Forum, 5th September 2019, AICC

34. “I have great confidence in the Ghanaian sense of enterprise, creativity, innovation and hard work. I believe firmly that given an enabling atmosphere, the sky is the limit for us. The promoters of OMNIFERT provide the evidence”.

Commissioning of the OMNIFERT Fertilizer Company,6th September 2019, Dawhenya, Community 25.

35. “It is not my job to clear or convict any person accused of wrongdoing, or of engaging in acts of corruption. My job is to act on allegations of corruption by referring the issue or issues to the proper investigative agencies for the relevant enquiry and necessary action. That is exactly what has been done since I assumed the mantle of leadership on 7th January 2017. If an appointee is cleared of any wrongdoing, the evidence adduced and recommendations made by these agencies, after the investigations are concluded, are what clear the accused persons, not myself. None of these agencies has ever indicated any pressure from the Executive over their investigations”.

Bar Conference of the Ghana Bar Association, 9th September 2019, Takoradi, Western Region.

36. “Politicians are not the only persons who make mistakes. Media practitioners, like all human beings, can also make mistakes, and, when they do, they should have the humility to acknowledge their error, and not have their misdeeds atoned under the guise of ‘media freedom’. Irresponsible media practice is an abuse of freedom of expression, not its manifestation”.

Bar Conference of the Ghana Bar Association, 9th September 2019, Takoradi, Western Region.

37. “There are sections of the Ghanaian community that have attempted to stigmatize you and the Commission as being inefficient, incapable of being able to run this institution efficiently and all of that. It’s going to be a big test for you to disprove these allegations and be able to show that whatever arrangements you put in place at the end of the day are efficient and enable therefore the Commission to deliver on its mandate in a manner that is incontestable”.

Courtesy call by the Chairperson of the EC, Mrs. Jane Mensa and other members of the Commission, 12th September 2019, Jubilee House.

38. “Once they dawn the uniform, the population and I expect them to carry out their duties impartially without any political coloration. That is the basis on which I have proceed since I assumed office on 7th January 2017. I do not know the political leanings of any of the commanding officers of the various security agencies including the police service nor have I sort to know, for that is not my concern. My concern is their ability to deliver that is the best way we can build a credible security and police system”.

49th Cadet Officers Graduation Parade, 14th September 2019, Police Academy, Police Depot, Tesano.

39. “The doctor, dentist population in our country remains very unsatisfactory after sixty-two years of nationhood. We currently do not have the right numbers of doctors, dentists and health care professionals with the right mix of skills and expertise in our regions, districts and deprived communities especially for the newly created regions and districts. I encourage you our newly inducted practitioners to follow the exemplary example of Dr. Evans-Anfom and accept postings to accredited regional and district hospitals where your services are needed most particularly during your second year of houseman ship”. “Feel privileged to work amidst the mysteries of life, be prepared for continuous learning. Gain the trust of patients and treat each one with dignity. Respect all your colleagues and I do not mean just your fellow doctors, but all colleagues in the health care chain, and that means technicians, nurses, clerks, cleaners. Listen to them and give them respect. You will be surrounded by death, but remain human and do not lose your emotions. People will die, but many will be healed. Complications will occur but make sure you stay true to science, the truth and reason. In doing so, never lose your faith in God”.

Special induction ceremony of the Medical and Dental Council, 14th September 2019, Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).

40. “Hopeful this fund, when properly managed and selectively invested, will over the period of time erase that image and give us a new architecture in the mining industry which includes significant Ghanaian players”. “It shouldn’t be the case that Newmont, Anglo gold Ashanti and all these others are the only players in the Ghanaian industry”.

Swearing in of Governing Board of the newly established Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), 4th October 2019, Jubilee House.

41. “Our political opponents went as far as making unfortunate statements such as ‘the drones will be used to take pictures of women bathing in the villages’. Today, we can all see how impactful this service has been, just within the past five months of its operations”.

Commissioning of 2nd Medical Drone Distribution Centre, 10th October 2019, Mampong, 3-day tour of the Ashanti Region.

42. “I am giving you the strongest assurance that this matter is of grave concern to me, and I will ensure that, whatever has to be done to ensure that the good times once enjoyed by this mine are restored, will be done”.

Working visit to the Ghana Consolidated Diamonds Ltd, 13th October 2019, 3-day tour of the Eastern Region.

43. “Ghana remains committed to its obligations under the Rome Statute and the work of the ICC. However, we are yet to adopt the implementing legislation that will give effect to the Rome Statute domestically. This has been long overdue and it is time that we remedied it. I want to say that we shall remedy it very soon”.

Inaugural annual public lecture in International Criminal Justice, 15th October 2019, at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) organized by African Centre of International Criminal Justice (ACICJ)

44. “Thus far, the NABCO module implementation partners have fulfilled their part of the bargain. I commend them for their partnership of the scheme and will appeal to then to recognize and reward the sacrifice made by trainees. They should be the first to be considered when opportunities for permanent employment come up”.

One Year Anniversary of NABCO, 17th October 2019, National Theatre.

45. “It is thus in our own interest, to fight decisively climate change. The recent report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change concludes that the global community has only 12 years to stop climate change and this requires us to deal with the phenomenon more aggressively than we have in the past. The time has come for us to direct our energies to what we can and should do to counteract the change and stop unnecessary arguments”.

Climate Chance Summit (Africa 2019), 17th October 2019, Accra International Conference Centre

46. “But I have no doubt that the promoters of the conference wanted more than just to fulfil the dreams of political freedom and independence of the peoples. The promise implicit in the drive for liberation was that freedom will inspire the rapid enhancement of the quality of life of their people and banish the Spector of mass poverty bequeathed to us in Africa by the long period of colonial exploration”. “Alas, that has still not happened for a variety of reasons, internal and external. Be that as it may, our generation has an opportunity to re-dedicate ourselves to guarantee the liberties and freedoms of our peoples and eradicate mass poverty in Africa.” “The socio-economic transformation of Africa is imminent, which would permit us to build a new progressive Africa on the values of freedom and justice and allow us to make our own unique contribution to the growth of world civilization. It is within reach if we in Africa work together”.

18th Non-Alligned Movement (NAM) conference, 25th October 2019, Baku, Azerbaijan.

47. “In Côte d’Ivoire, twenty-six percent (26%) of infertile women compared with three percent (3%) of fertile women have never been married. In Ethiopia, it is said that eighty-five percent (85%) of childless marriages end in divorce in five years. In Tanzania, a childless widow may not inherit her husband’s wealth. In South Africa, a survey conducted revealed higher levels of anxiety, depression and anger amongst infertile women. In Ghana, a woman who is infertile risks being treated as an outcast and having her marriage ending. These cases, I believe, are not peculiar to these countries only but are also representative of the unfortunate situation prevailing on the continent. It must end.”

6th annual conference of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary, 29th October 2019 Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel

48. “I am committed to fiscal rectitude becoming an essential feature of our DNA in the management of our public finances and national economy”.

Ghana Economic Forum, 30th October 2019, Tang Palace Hotel

49. “Stay true to your own principles. I think there are two types of people in this world. There are those who walk to the sound of other people’s drums and those who walk to the sound of their own drums. I much prefer those who walk to the sound of their own drums. So listen to yourself and make sure that the decisions that you are going to make are decisions that are in consonance with your understanding of what is best for Ghana football.”

Courtesy call by Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku, 30th October 2019, Jubilee House.

50. “We couldn’t progress as a nation if we continued the hemorrhage of our human capital. 100,000 on the average every year for over ten years, one million young Ghanaians would grow up with the knowledge that they have at the Junior High school level and that’s it? That’s no way our future could be bright”. “I don’t have any regrets whatsoever about committing the oil revenues of our country to preparing our nation for the future. It is the best, most efficient, most equitable way all of us can participate in those revenues”.

Mawuli Senior High School, 5th November, 2019, day two of 2-day working visit to the Volta Region

51. “With AfCFTA covering a market of 1.2 billion people with a combined GDP of 3 billion United States dollars across the 54 member states of the African Union that have signed up to the agreement, it will serve as the vehicle for us [Ghana] to trade with other member states in a more modern and sophisticated manner.”Empowered Ghanaian businesses and enterprises should be frontline actors in this new exciting journey in Africa’s economic history”.

First CEOs Executive Forum, a Public–Private Dialogue organized by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, 6th November 2019, La Palm Beach Hotel

52. “In several other areas, whether it is gold or diamond or whatever, our direct take from them is largely minimal and nominal. We want to change that narrative and that is why we have brought the nine of you together to spearhead this new era in the country’s development.” “You can imagine the significance of Ghana being able to produce steel itself without having to import it or depend on others. You can imagine the implications that will have in driving the industrial development of our nation.” “You have not been put there for your own personal benefit and welfare. You have been put there to serve the interest of the people of this country and that should be your guiding principle.

Swearing in of the Board of the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDC). 7th November 2019, Jubilee House.

53. “I find it anomalous that in a democracy, a multi-party state, that you have the concept of state media. The possibility of that media being an instrument for party propaganda in a multi-party state is very strong. To the extent that you are concerned about having a proper definition of the role of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, I think those concerns are well founded and well placed. Every effort should be made to assist you to proceed with the review.”

Meeting with the Board of the National Media Commission (NMC), 7th November 2019, Jubilee House.

54. “When I talk about Ghana or Africa Beyond Aid, I am simply insisting that we use our resources to build robust economies that will propel us into the likes of the developed nations of the world. I am insisting that we stop believing that our deliverance will come from benefactors. I am insisting that we take our fate in our own hands and work to bring us to where we do not look for or expect charity.”

UNDP High Level Dialogue with African influencers, 7th of November, 2019 Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel.

55. “I urge all members of the community five district of The Apostolic Church and all other faithful disciples of Christ to rise to their religious responsibilities and stimulate the desired motivational spirit of renewal and transformation towards effective nation building. The growth of the Church should be measured not only in the number of its followers, but also in the quality of its members who are dedicated to upholding the spiritual virtues of Jesus Christ and who want to help build a progressive, prosperous Ghana strongly anchored on the love of God.”

Celebration of the 20th anniversary of the English Service and dedication of the Children’s Church Complex, 10th November 2019, Tema Community five Assembly of The Apostolic Church.

56. “My administration believes that it is time to build the bridge across the Atlantic with our kith and kin both in the Americas and the Caribbean”. “We have to find the measures and the mechanisms to enable us to reach out across the Atlantic to solidify and build on that relationship”.

State visit to Ghana by Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley, 15th November 2019, Jubilee House.

57. “We are very committed to this view. There are many things that we have done ourselves here in Ghana to try and instill the spirit of entrepreneurship and promote enterprise and promote a sense of enterprise amongst especially our young people”. “We believe that that has to be the way forward in the life of our country”.

Courtesy Call by Jack Ma, the internationally acclaimed businessman and co-founder of Alibaba Group, 16th November 2019, Jubilee House.

58. “Great developments in Dagbon are ahead, and it is critical, therefore, that there must be peace. My government is determined to open up the country with the provision of adequate road, rail and air networks, so that no part of the country can be said to be too far from anywhere”.

Damba Festival, 16th November, 2019, Yendi, Northern Region

59. “Your decision to take up Ghanaian citizenship means you have agreed to respect and abide by the laws of Ghana and live in accordance with the tenets of Ghana’s Constitution. You have the responsibility of preserving and promoting the image of a country whose reputation amongst the comity of nations is today high”. “In all your actions, I urge you to guard jealously our country’s image. It is a charge I am confident you will uphold”. “I suggest that to facilitate the process of reintegration, you learn at least one Ghanaian language of your choice, Akan, Ewe, Dagbani, Hausa or Nzema, amongst others”.

Conferment of Ghanaian Citizenship on126 Members of the African-American Diaspora Community, 28th November 2019, Banquet Hall, Jubilee House.

60. “Today, we begin the process of realizing this pledge. Today, we start the process of helping to bring respite to the people of the Northern Regions of our country, and to lay the foundation for the sustained growth and development of the area”.

Sod cutting for the construction of the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam and Irrigation Project, 29th November 2019, Northern Region.

61. “You should always remember that there are some powerful political actors in our country who never wanted, and still do not want the policy. They described it as a gimmick, declared it attainable only after twenty (20) years, said it was too expensive, and now they are saying when they come back, God knows when, they will review it,”

70th anniversary celebration of Prempeh College, 30th November, 2019, Kumasi, Ashanti Region.

62. “Every child must be offered the opportunity to bring out her inherent talents for innovation. It is in the laboratories and workshops that young people get the opportunity to expand their imagination, and develop the skills that would equip them for the modern world. We need to modernize all aspects of our lives, and we need skilled people to lead the modernization process”.

Sod Cutting Ceremony for the Construction of the Creative Arts Senior High School; J.A. Kufuor Senior High Tech. School, 1st December 2019, Kwadaso, Ashanti Region.

63. “I beg you, concerning light fishing, please put a stop to it”

Durbar of Chiefs, people and fisher folks of Ga Mashie, 3rd December 2019, Odododiodioo Constituency.

64. “People cannot take the law into their own hands and enforce the law. If we do that, Ghana will become chaotic. We have to be careful about this phenomenon of taking the law into our own hands about situations that government is yet to resolve”.

Stopover at Makola while addressing leadership and members of Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA), 3rd December 2019, tour of the Greater Accra Region.

65. “The interest rates charged by banks which certainly is not in the interest of traders in our country is a very important issue to me. I have started talking with the Bank of Ghana and the bankers, I am hopeful that in no time, we will have some changes in that regard”

Addressing traders, market men and women of Kantamanto, Makola and Okaishie, 3rd December 2019, tour of the Greater Accra

66. “It is obvious that rail transport is environmentally friendly, it is efficient, it is less costly and it is generally a more intelligent way of moving people and goods than any other form of transport. Other people have got first-class railway systems in the world. Ghana, we are going to have a first-class railway system in our country”.

Stopover at the Ghana Railway Company Limited (GRCL), Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) workshop shed, 4th December 2019, Tema

67. “It is not everyone in this country that is happy about this Free Senior High School policy that the NPP government and I are pursuing. There are political forces in our country that are strongly opposed to the policy. They began by saying that it was a gimmick. They then said that it could not be done for another twenty years. They then said it was too expensive and now they are telling us that when they come back to power, only God knows when they are going to review it. The word review means cancel”. “The people of Ghana are not going to stand by and watch these dreamers come back to power”. “What I am hoping for and I am sure you will fulfil, is that in the exams that you are going to do in May and June next year, conduct yourselves in such a way that everybody will see that indeed the Free Senior High School policy is a positive policy for the country and shame all the detractors and those who did not want it to happen”.

Stopover at St. Mary’s Senior High School, the second day of a three-day tour of Greater Accra Region, 5th December 2019, Ablekuma South Constituency

68. “As your Commander-in-Chief, I am taking steps to ensure that your needs are met”. “I urge you to continue to collaborate with the Ministries of National Security, the Interior, Foreign Affairs, Finance, and with the Ghana Revenue Authority as well as all relevant agencies to help maintain a resolute, robust front that will deter potential aggressors from having any thoughts of attempting to destabilize our country or derail our socio-economic gains we have chalked so far,”

Presentation of eighty-four (84) multi-purpose vehicles to the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), 6th December 2019, Abugah Square, Gondar Barracks, Burma Camp.

69. “We must eat what we grow to motivate our farmers and support the development of the local food industry. Indeed, Rebecca, my beautiful wife, our First Lady, insists that we eat local rice at home, and has made sure of it. I call on all Ghanaians to follow my example, and eat local rice”,

35th Farmers’ Day celebration, 6th December 2019, Jubilee Park, Ho, Volta Region

70. “The business in Ghana where we go forward and stumble and then go back, we want to put that behind us by making intelligent arrangements in all sectors of our national life, especially in our energy sector, so that from now on when we are going forward, we can keep on going forward and forward and forward”.

Commissions of First Gas for Karpowership, 8th December 2019, Sekondi Naval Base, Western Region.

71. “To you the young people of the ‘Jalo fraternity,’ I advise you to take the guidance of your Sheikhs seriously. Muslim youth cannot continue to be the ones who are used for violent purposes. I want to make this appeal to you. In 2020, do not allow yourselves to be used by irresponsible politicians to engage in acts of destabilization and violence”.

Inauguration of National and Greater Accra Regional Executives, Tijaniya Muslim Council of Ghana, 15th December 2019, Trade Fair Main Auditorium.

72. “It will be remiss of me on such as occasion not to draw your attention to recent events that shook public confidence in the Judiciary, and that is the exposé conducted by the well-known investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas into Judicial Corruption which led to the removal of several judges. The people of Ghana cannot and will not tolerate the repetition of the abysmal dismal tale of acts of corruption that were revealed. You have a big duty to demonstrate integrity in all your dealings if public support in the Judiciary is to be maintained”.

Swearing in of 11 Court of Appeal and 34 High Court Judges, 17th December 2019, Banquet Hall, Jubilee House

73. “The post-1966 Supreme Court has developed a positive reputation for the quality of its constitutional jurisprudence and I am hopeful that you who have already had a good experience of high judicial office in the Court of Appeal will help strengthen the development of our nation’s constitutional and other jurisprudence in the Supreme Court”.

Swearing in of three new Supreme Court Judges, 17th December 2019, Banquet Hall, Jubilee House

74. “Shai Osu-Doku like the rest of Ghana is going to see the serious transformation in the period of the Akufo Addo Presidency”.

Commissioning of $23 million dollar tomato processing factory at Shai Osu-Doku Constituency, 19th December 2019, Greater Accra Region under One District, One Factory (1D1F)

75. “We have to do everything we can to enhance our self-reliance and capacity to drive our industrial and economic transformation ourselves, and that is the project of “Ghana Beyond Aid”. “That is why we are launching this major project to help emphasize the importance of TVET, and redeem the misconception that technical and vocational education is inferior, and patronized only by less endowed students”. “I am hopeful that our students will take advantage of the immense opportunities being made available to them to hone their skills in order to contribute more effectively to the creation of a confident, skilled population, in a soon-to-be prosperous society”.

Sod ceremony for the commencement of work on the upgrade and modernization of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system in Ghana, 19th December 2019, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), East Legon

76. “We are told that the Nigerian industry, Nollywood, earns annually, one billion United States dollars ($1,000,000,000.00) for Nigeria. Ghallywood, the Ghanaian industry should be able to do likewise for Ghana”. “I urge industry stakeholders and all of us to rally behind, work with and support the Governing Board of the Authority”. “Our commitment to the development of Ghana’s creative art industry is absolute”.

Swearing in of Board of Governors of the National Film Authority (NFA) 20th of December 2019, Jubilee House

77. “We know how important a well-resourced and efficient Police Service is to the maintenance of peace and order in our nation. So over these three years, including today, we have been able to bring six hundred and seventy six (676) additional vehicles to the Police Service”.

Presentation of Vehicles to the Police, 23rd of December 2019, Forecourt of the Police Headquarters Accra.

78. “Let us all remember that the destiny of all black people no matter where they are in the world is bound up with Africa. We must help make Africa the place for investment, progress and prosperity and not from where our youth flee in the hope of accessing the mirage of a better life in Europe or the Americas”. “As we draw the curtain on this bold initiative, we should now look beyond the return and build on the dividends chalked. The time has come to engage Africans in the Diaspora and all persons of African descent more positively in areas such as trade and investment cooperation and skills and knowledge development,”

Launch of the “Beyond the Return” Initiative, December 27, 2019, Kempinski Hotel