By Edzorna Francis Mensah
As President Akufo-Addo prepares to address the nation in line with Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, Members of Parliament are expressing expectations ahead of his arrival.
The President will on Wednesday, March 8, deliver the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Parliament in fulfillment in compliance with Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution.
President Akufo-Addo is expected to use the occasion to touch on key policy objectives of his government for the year as well as provide information on how the government intends to address the current economic conditions.
The said Article says the President shall deliver a message on the State of the Nation to Parliament at the start of each session and before the dissolution of Parliament.
It was earlier scheduled to be delivered in February, 2023 but was postponed to March, 2023, “after extensive discussions, the address has been shifted to the 8th of March. It is for good reason that the President agreed to the date”, the Speaker, Alban Bagbin, explained on the floor.
According to the Speaker, the 6th is an important date for all of us and there will be a national event in Ho and the President is expected to be there. On the 7th also, definitely, for good reason, it cannot be held, “so, we have agreed to sacrifice some assignments and do the SONA on 8th”.
In an interview with Charles Akwasi Agbeve, MP for Agotime-Ziope Constituency on his expectation, the MP said, the President has nothing new to say to Ghanaians. He is expecting to come and announce his resignation on the floor, and pave ways for others to continue, “I don’t see anything good coming from him again. I wish we calculate all his salaries with other benefits of the 15 months and pay him off”.
“Because sack your Finance Minister or better, reshuffle him or change the economic Management team with new faces with fresh blood so that we can see that new energy for better work”, He added
But MP for Anyaa-Sowutuom Constituency, Greater Accra Region Dickson Dr. Adomako Kissi thinks differently. According to him, Ghanaians are lucky to have the current President and his team at this crucial time to be managing affairs in health, education and co-“I still have faith in the current leadership and I hope they will drive us to safer higher ground”.
He said the President will reassure Ghanaians tomorrow as he believes that, the president represents hope and he “strikes me as somebody who always gives hope, and he will not disappoint Ghanaians-he will tell us what the reality is, and the hope for the future for the financial market to respond. Long and short, we have heard from the finance minister, with regard to the budget this year leading up to what the country is struggling with now and the recent past is bond and related matters”.
