"Reduce your prices

" Reduce your prices - Akufo-Addo to service providers \r\n\r\nPresident Akufo-Addo\u00a0has charged service providers such as manufactures, traders and transport operators in Ghana to reduce their\u00a0prices\u00a0to reflect the appreciating cedi.\r\n\r\nPrices of goods and services did go up rapidly when the cedi was depreciating in record levels, according to President Akufo-Addo, however, due to measures being implemented by the government, the cedi has seen record levels of appreciation over the weeks. \r\n\r\nPresident Akufo-Addo was speaking at the congregation of the Ga Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) at the Independence Square (Black Star Square) to commemorate their centenary celebration on Sunday (18 December).\r\n\r\n\u201cThe theme for this celebration, \u201cgrateful for our heritage, forging ahead in unity and faith\u201d recalls for me, the difficult times in which we find ourselves as Ghanaians and the reason why we should hold on firmly to our faith as Christians and why we should never stop believing in the Power and in the Grace of Almighty God.\r\n\r\n \u201cYou will agree with me that the last three years, 2020, 2021, and 2022, has proven to be very challenging years for Ghana, as they have been for virtually all countries,\u201d President Akufo-Addo said.\r\n\r\n Keeping hope alive \r\n\r\nBefore making his call to service providers, President Akufo-Addo noted that \u201cfor the avoidance of doubt, let us remember that every country on earth is going through difficult times. Indeed, we have been confronted with spiraling freight charges, high fuel cost, high food prices and steep inflation spikes\u201d.\r\n\r\nThe depreciation of the cedi according to the President \u201cin the last few days in November, reached record lows and the jury was out on my government. In the height of our challenges, there were some who doubted the capabilities and resolve of my government and I to return our nation back unto the path of progress and prosperity and lift us out of our current problems\u201d. \r\n\r\n\u201cIn those dark moments, my fellow Ghanaians and member of this congregation, I could only recount the words of St. Matthew 19:26 which says, \u201c But Jesus looked at them and said to them, with men, this is impossible, but with God all things are possible\u201d. \r\n\r\n \u201cWith appropriate policy, determination and hard work on our part, things are beginning to turn around. What seemed impossible yesterday, is now becoming possible\u201d President Akufo-Addo said.\r\n\r\n \u201cWe are definitely not yet out of the woods, however today, the cedi is rapidly in appreciation against the US dollar and all major currencies, making up for its loses and the prices of petroleum products are reducing at the pump\u201d he added.\r\n\r\n Deliberate policies \r\n\r\nEmphasizing on the \u201cstrengthening of the cedi\u201d President Akufo-Addo indicated that it \u201chas not happened by chance but through the implementation of deliberate policies by government in collaboration with the Bank of Ghana\u201d. \r\n\r\nThese deliberate policies of government the President said \u201cinclude cedi liquidity tightening measures resulting in the off-loading of forex as a store of value by speculators, the improvement of forex inflows from remittances and the mining sector and the reaching of the Staff Level Agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for three billion United States dollars\u2019 package\u201d. \r\n\r\n \u201cAll these have combined to bring the cedi to an improved position and I can assure you that government will continue to work hard to maintain and sustain the gains made. \r\n\r\n \u201cIndeed, in the weeks ahead, the back of Ghana will continue with the purchases of forex from the mining and oil sectors to enhance liquidity supply to the market, continue with the single unified forex forward auction and some modest targeted bilateral support to critical imports and the implementation of the gold for oil swap transaction which will significantly remove forex pressures on the cedi\u201d Akufo-Addo noted.\r\n\r\n Direct appeal \r\n\r\nTo this end, President Akufo-Addo, pointed out that \u201cit is in view of this that I add my voice to those of GUTA, GRTCC and others, to appeal to manufactures, traders, and transport operators, who at the height of the cedi\u2019s recent depreciation, increased prices of goods and services, to reduce their prices now that the cedi is regaining much of its strength.\r\n\r\n \u201cI believe this is not only a fair request, but also, a just one and I urge all of you to join me in this clarion call so at the very least, we can have a more pleasant Christmas\u201d President Akufo-Addo said.\r\n\r\n Further relief \r\n\r\nIn his address to the congregation, which had in attendance the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev. Prof. Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, the President assured the Church and by extension, Ghanaians, that his \u201cgovernment is determined to bring even further relief\u201d to the citizenry and \u201creturn the economy to the high rates of growth that characterized\u201d the country\u2019s \u201cdevelopment in the three year preceding the COVID outbreak in 2020\u201d which made the economy \u201cone of the fastest growing in the world at the time\u201d.\r\n\r\n \u201cWe can only do so if we forge ahead in unity and in faith and have the believe that by the Grace of Almighty God, the fortunes of Ghana under the presidency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will be restored. I will thus appeal to you to bear with government in this difficult period as we work to chat a path out of the storm\u201d Akufo- Addo stated.\r\n\r\n \u201cI know times are hard, which is affecting all of us, but this government will not shirk its responsibility to the people of Ghana to make the hard decisions which hard times demand which may be painful just like injections, but we have to take them if we are to be well again and get our economy back in a good place. The policies and programmes we are implementing, are meant to address the challenges and I am sure they will\u201d he added.\r\n\r\n National Cathedral \r\n\r\nThanking the Presbyterian Church of Ghana for the support it continues to give for the construction of the National Cathedral, President Akufo-Addo stated that, upon completion, the National Cathedral will serve not only as the country\u2019s collective thanksgiving \u201cto the Almighty for the blessings He has bestowed on our nation, sparing us the ravages of civil war that have bedevilled the histories of virtually all our neighbours, and the outbreak of deadly mass epidemics, but also as a rallying point for the entire Christian community of Ghana, which represents seventy plus percent (70+%) of the population.\u201d \r\n\r\nThe President, therefore, asked the Ga Presbytery, and, indeed, all Christians, to continue to pray for Ghana\u2019s peace and unity, so the nation can move forward in unity.\r\n\r\n \u201cI need the support of every Ghanaian, together with the prayers of the Church, to help me and my government carry out our mandate successfully. \r\n\r\n \u201cPray for me so that Almighty God will continue to give me wisdom, strength, courage and compassion to enable me execute my duties as a good leader. \r\n\r\n \u201cWith Him, all things are possible, as the Battle is the Lord\u2019s!! For this too shall pass!!\u201d, President Akufo-Addo said."

"Reduce your prices

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