The Director of communications at the Office of the President, Eugene Arhin, has asked the Catholic Bishops’ Conference that its criticisms of the works on government should be well grounded in facts.
He averred that factual criticism is the only way an honest conversation devoid of malice and propaganda can be held.
Responding to the claims made by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference that Nana Akufo-Addo has reneged on his promise to protect the public purse, he described their claims as baseless and further questioned what it said was a lack of empathy from the government towards Ghanaians.
“In as much as this administration is extremely tolerant of divergent views and welcomes criticisms of its works, we believe that this criticism should be well founded and grounded in fact. You all recollect the President took the Oath of Office on 7 January 2017 and again 7 January 2021 and on both occasions, he pledged to protect the public purse and that is exactly what he has done and he continues to do”.
Eugene Arhin
Evidence points to a healthy economy
Mr. Arhin stated that the presidency contends that the evidence on the ground points to healthy economic conditions. He said government’s ability to employ new teachers, health workers and implement the Nation Builders Corps policy, among others, was evidence of good governance.
“The transformation that is taking place in all aspects of national life points to an economy that has been well managed [and] a public purse that is being well protected. 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”.
Eugene Arhin
In addition, Mr. Arhin reminded the Catholic Bishops Conference of government’s welfare interventions and efforts to ensure the economic well-being of the citizens in 2020 following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic
“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?”
Eugene Arhin
Catholic Bishops on the Public purse
The Catholic Bishops Conference, at a plenary assembly of the association in Wa on Monday, November 8, 2021 suggested that the government had lost touch with Ghanaians and had reneged on its promise of protecting the public purse.
The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev Philip Naameh, at this year’s plenary assembly of the Catholic Church in Wa accused the President of failing to honor his promise of keeping the public purse.
He stated that though poverty stares citizens in the face, it appears lost to those with power. He added that the commitment by the President of the Republic to protect the public purse, which citizens welcomed seems to be an illusion now.
Most Rev Philip Naameh questioned if those managing the public purse are not concerned about the waste and misapplication of resources that belong to all Ghanaians and referred to it as irresponsible use of power.
