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Bullet points of President John Dramani Mahama�s first State of the Nation Address delivered as the elected President of Ghana on Thursday at the sixth Parliament of the fourth republic. - Article 67 of Ghana�s Constitution which requires the President of the Republic of Ghana to deliver to Parliament a message on the State of the Nation at the beginning of each session of Parliament. - Extending on behalf of Ghanaians, congratulations to all our Members of Parliament. - Acknowledge newest Members of Parliament and extend to all a warm welcome of partnership in shaping the destiny of the country. - Expressed personal gratitude to all Ghanaians for the trust and confidence reposed in him. - Pledged to work hard to place Ghana on the right path and lead the country over the hurdles and the obstacles that might threaten us. - The first President of the 4th Republic, Jerry John Rawlings, delivered the first State of the Nation Address under the 4th Republican Constitution. - Ghana�s democratic credentials were given further impetus with the election of John Agyekum Kufuor and later Professor John Evans Atta Mills of blessed memory. - The recent Presidential and Parliamentary elections have been adjudged by both domestic and international observers as by far the most credible, transparent free and fair since 1992. - As Ghanaians, we must be proud of this achievement. - The Electoral Commission must take credit for organizing six successful elections since our return to Constitutional rule. - The EC have conferred victory where victory was due without fear or favour in the critical periods of 2000, 2008 and 2012. - Ghana has witnessed impressive socio-economic developments in the last two decades. - We will embark on an ambitious but realistic programme of building new roads and bridges; expand electricity generation to energize the economy and society; improve access to good drinking water and health facilities; and improve sanitation and human security. - We aim to transform our schools, colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age with emphasis on technological innovation. - A well-designed and efficient public sector working in partnership with the private sector will be instrumental in our objective to deliver a prosperous nation. - The next four years, we will build an economy that rewards hard work and nurtures Ghanaian entrepreneurs and businesses whose prospects are not tied to political cycles and patronage. - I will focus on delivering on the following, which constitute the vital pillars underpinning our national development programme; Putting People First; A Strong and Resilient Economy; Expanding Infrastructure; and Transparent and Accountable Governance QUALITY EDUCATION - Towards this end we will: Prioritize and expand access at all levels; Aggressively address quality enhancement and outcomes at all levels by putting in place measures to monitor quality of educational service delivery especially teaching and learning at all levels of our educational system. - Reward outstanding educational service providers to boost morale in the sector; and Work to achieve gender parity in education. Work towards standardization and affordability in fees. - Basic education, we will ensure that every child gets a head start by working to effectively and practically integrate kindergarten education into the existing system. - We intend to enforce compulsory basic school attendance and deepen pro-poor interventions like the distribution of free school uniforms, free exercise books and free computers. - The school-feeding programme will be progressively expanded to all public basic schools in rural communities to satisfy the basic nutritional needs of the pupils. - Tackle challenges facing education at the secondary level - To address the limitations imposed on access to secondary education we will, over the next four years, construct a total of two hundred new community day Senior High schools, giving priority to Districts, which currently lack such schools. - Roll out a special sandwich teacher educational training programme targeted at our unemployed graduates, in preparation for the full implementation of our access to secondary education programme. - Lead a process to modernise and increase the number of colleges of education with special emphasis on deprived areas and communities. - Design and implement a distance education programme for teachers with ten decentralized satellite campuses across the country. - In the area of Special Education, government will facilitate the completion of ongoing construction of Assessment Centres and equip our special education units with the necessary teaching and learning aids including devices for the hearing and visually impaired. - By the third quarter of 2013 initiate a Bill for Parliamentary consideration towards the establishment of a new University in the Eastern Region, committed to Sustainable Environmental Development and Research. - The 10 existing Polytechnics will receive special support while expanding degree-awarding courses. HEALTH FOR ALL: - Work towards improving access, service quality, increased personnel, enhance working conditions across the various professions in the health sector. - Construction an ultra-modern, 600-bed Teaching Hospital for the University of Ghana. - Start the processes for the establishment of Regional hospitals in the Eastern and Upper East Regions. - Continue work on the Regional hospital project in Wa in the Upper West Region. - Upgrade the Central and Volta regional hospitals into teaching hospitals to expand the scope for training medical doctors and other healthcare specialists. - Commence work on six District Hospitals at Dodowa, Abetifi, Fomena, Garu, Kumawu, and Sekondi. The refurbishment of the Takoradi European hospital will commence in earnest. - Initiate work on phase one of the Specialist Emergency Centre at Korle-Bu Teaching hospital. - Establish an additional 1,600 CHIPS compounds across the country by the end of 2016. This will be consistent with our record over the last four years. - Initiate the necessary processes towards the construction of Polyclinics especially in the Districts as well as regions that currently lack such health facilities. - Review of the operations of the NHIS. Our goal is to ensure a more efficient, expanded and sustainable delivery. - Establish a University of Allied and Health Sciences - Transforming the Kintampo Rural Health Training Institute into a University College to support the training of Physician Assistants for our ambulance and emergency services as well as the training and deployment of clinical psychologists and environmental Health Inspectors. - Scaling up the training of midwives and nurses and allied health workers to fill the gap created by ageing health professionals. HIV/AIDS - National Response to HIV will require GH�180 Million to continue with effective implementation of the Strategic Plan. This will enable the Ghana AIDS Commission enrol over 220,000 Persons Living with HIV on the National Health Insurance Scheme Free of Charge. Some additional 15,000 will be initiated on Anti-Retroviral Therapy. Most importantly, over 625,000 expectant mothers will be tested for HIV. SOCIAL PROTECTION - Design programmes to protect those who require permanent protection and empower through training and activation those who can be reintegrated into the labour market. - Initiate a process to track, monitor, assist and address the diverse needs of the vulnerable in Ghana. - Take stock of all the existing social protection programmes, and relocated them directly under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection. YOUTH AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT - Tasked handlers of the National Team to undertake the necessary post mortem in order to ensure our qualification for the World Cup in Brazil next year. - Adopt the necessary changes to ensure the building of a more formidable team that will not only qualify for the World cup but will surpass the achievements of their predecessors in previous World Cups. - Roll out a number of policies to unearth and develop sporting talents to feed our various National teams. - Complete the Cape Coast Stadium as promised by our late President John Evans Atta Mills - Restructure and re-orientation of the National Sports Authority to enhance its efficiency and effectiveness in the discharge of its mandate - Fashioned out comprehensive youth programmes including but not limited to: a GH�10 million Youth Jobs and Enterprise Development Fund which will be launched to encourage and support young people to become successful entrepreneurs and create sustainable job opportunities Job and Enterprise Centres (JEC) will be established in all regions to help unemployed youth and those about to enter or prepare for the world of work. - Develop Youth Recreation Centres in Districts to facilitate youth meetings, interactions, cultural programs, conferences and inputs into District Assemblies� deliberative mechanisms continue with the Young Achievers Awards, which I introduced last year to institute and encourage Young Achievers. SADA & WESTERN CORRIDOR - Etablishing the Western Corridor Development Authority, comprising Western and Central regions. The implementation framework for WACDA is currently under development. STRONG AND RESILIENT ECONOMY - Work to sustain economic growth rates at a minimum of eight per cent in line with the goal of moving the country from a lower middle-income status to the upper middle-income bracket. FISCAL CHALLENGES - Personnel emoluments portion of the Budget has tripled in the last three years, from GH�2.5 billion to GH�7.5 billion. This has been mainly due to the Single Spine Salary Scheme (SSSS). We now spend a staggering 60.9 percent of our entire national revenue to pay public sector salaries. - Government remain committed to boosting the morale of public sector workers of Ghana, whose incomes were low compared to their counterparts in the private sector. CORRECTIVE MEASURES - Our primary concern for the poor and vulnerable has necessitated a widening of mitigation measures, such as the introduction of solar lanterns, expansion of life-line threshold on energy for poor households and deepening social protection initiatives to cover a wider net of poor households to cushion them from the effects of these price increases. - Take strict measures to curtail MDAs spending beyond their budgetary allocations. - Set new mechanisms of strict monitoring by the Minister of Finance - The Ghana Revenue Authority and other agencies task to help raise tax and non-tax revenues to levels - Engage with Development Partners (DPs) through the Consultative Group (CG) on how to manage the transition to an upper middle-income status in an orderly manner to balance the need for growth. - Inaugurate the Ghana Development Partners� Group to coordinate the implementation of a 10-year compact for this transition. THE PRIVATE SECTOR - Partnership with the private sector for accelerated growth and development of the economy. - Re-locate private sector coordination under the Office of the President, and designated a Minister of State in the Presidency to coordinate and supervise Private-sector initiatives. ACCELERATING AGRICULTURAL MODERNIZATION FOR JOB-CREATION - Accelerate agricultural and aquaculture development through Modernization. - Hydroelectric power and irrigation development will receive further boost in the Sissilli-Kulpawn and the Pwalugu Multi-purpose dam in the Upper East region. COCOA - Continued payment of at least 70 per cent of the world market price of cocoa to farmers - Distribution 20 million hybrid cocoa seedlings free of charge over the next several years. FERTILIZER - Work ongoing on a $1.2 billion ammonia-urea based fertilizer processing plant with an annual capacity of one million tons in Nyankrom in the Shama District of the Western Region. TOURISM, CULTURE AND CREATIVE ARTS - Committed to using Tourism as an instrument for the full realization of the economic potential of our culture and creative arts. - Restructure the National Commission on Culture - Reactivate the Culture Trust Fund. EXPANDING INFRASTRUCTURE - Government will use information technology to support infrastructure development, urban renewal, land use management and environmental protection. ROADS - Introduce public-private partnership models on commercially viable routes along the Western, Eastern and Central Corridor roads. - Complete many of the ongoing road projects including the Kpando- Worawora- Dambai, Asankragwa- Enchi, Navrongo- Tumu and the Achimota- Ofankor, Madina- Pantang, Nsawam- Suhum-Apedwa, La- Teshie and the Apaaso- Kintampo roads. Sefwi Bekwai- Eshiem- Asankragwa, Bomfa Junction- Asiwa- Bekwai, Tetteh Quarshie-Madina and the Berekum- Sampa roads. RAILWAY - Revamp and modernize the railway sector - Government has commissioned the immediate exploration of plans for the construction of a new international airport in Accra, and complementary expansion of the airports in Kumasi, Tamale, and Takoradi. - Continue to expand the infrastructure at the Tema and Takoradi ports Takoradi. - Ministries of Transport and Finance review the fees and charges at the ports. HOUSING AND URBAN RENEWAL - Government will in the next three years work with all stakeholders to ensure that the National Housing Policy is approved by both Cabinet and Parliament - Government will initiate a pilot scheme to combine social housing with improved sanitation and water supply. - Massive investment in new water delivery infrastructure and timely maintenance like the ongoing works at the Kpone head works. MINING - Undertake reform to ensure that we move towards economically and socially sustainable mining. - The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has been tasked to ensure that mining in Ghana is undertaken responsibly and meets community needs and expectations. - Government will rigidly enforce the laws of Ghana by addressing the illegal invasion of foreigners in our small-scale mining sector. ENERGY AND PETROLEUM - Government expect the addition of over 500 MW of installed generation capacity this year. - 132 MW from the Takoradi 3 Thermal Plant by end of March - 130 MW from the Bui Hydroelectric Power Project by end of April and increased to 400MW by end of September - 2 MW from a Solar Park at Navrongo by end of February - Work has also started on a 161 kV Tumu-Han-Wa transmission line in the Upper West Region. Other projects are the Kpando-Kadjebi Transmission Project, a new 330KV transmission line from Aboadze�Prestea-Kumasi- Tamale- Bolgatanga among others. - Government�s overall objective for the energy sector is to ensure reliable, stable and progressively cheap power for economic development in the country and the wider West African region. - Gas from our Western field provides us with enough flexibilities and cost-efficient ways of additional power generation. - Work is progressing steadily on the Gas Infrastructure Project at Atuabo in the Elemebelle district of the Western Region. - Government will continue during the year, to support the utility companies to carry out distribution system improvement projects and increase electricity access to all parts of the country under the �Energy for All� programme to ensure universal access by 2016. - Install Solar systems for remote Public Institutions and Community Lighting in off-grid communities. - Government will implement pilot mini-grid electrification for lakeside and island communities. - Distribute over 20,000 solar lanterns to replace kerosene lanterns and reduce indoor air pollution in remote rural homes. - Security for oil and gas will continue to be a major priority. - The Navy, Air Force and Army have been retooled to establish a safe and secure corridor for our oil and gas. TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNANCE - Government will continue to support the Electoral Commission to carry out its programmes and reforms. - Government will continue to partner with community-based organisations and civil society especially in the areas of public service delivery. - Government will develop mechanisms for promoting citizen-based monitoring and evaluation of public policies and programme - Work with the National House of Chiefs, the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs has been re-aligned to provide more vigorous interface between chieftaincy and tradition. - Strengthening Parliament is also a crucial element in managing a successful transition to middle-income status. - Establish the Democracy Fund proposed by the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) to provide sustainable funding for Parliament, Independent Governance Institutions and other pro-democracy governance bodies. - Strengthen the Committees of Parliament by ensuring that the Chairpersons and Ranking Members of Parliament are accorded recognition consistent with their status and responsibilities as recommended by the CRC. DECENTRALIZATION AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE - Cabinet office to ensure that Cabinet meetings rotate between Accra and the Regional capitals. - Election of Chief Executives will be given the needed impetus. - Mainstream the concept of Local Economic Development (LED) to facilitate, develop and implement employment creation programmes based on the natural resource endowments and the comparative advantages of every district. - Continue to strengthen decentralized local governance system by implementing the programme to establish the remaining seven decentralized Departments of the District Assemblies and identifying new Departments for decentralization whose capacities are needed by the District Assemblies such as the Departments of Women and of Children and the Statistical Service. THE MEDIA - The Broadcasting Bill will be pass - Operationlised the newly established Media Development Fund - Support the National Media Commission to enact the needed Regulations that will establish an organizational framework and standards to ensure balance, fairness, access, opportunity and objectivity in the media. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS, JUSTICE AND THE RULE OF LAW - implement the recommendations of the Constitutional Review Commission. - Transform the Legal Aid Board into an independent constitutional body - Implement the recommendation for CHRAJ�s decisions to be made directly enforceable, and introduce the recommended weekend and small claims courts. COMBATING CORRUPTION - Revise the Criminal Offences Act to redefine corruption to include the more expansive definition covered in the UN Convention Against Corruption and the AU Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption. - Implement the Freedom of Information Act as soon as it is passed by Parliament. - Set up a Committee of Inquiry to investigate untoward land dealings in the past especially in relation to public lands situated in Accra and Kumasi. FIGHTING NARCOTICS TRAFFICKING AND CONSUMPTION - Pursue programme for the legislative conversion of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) into an autonomous Commission. - Strengthen inter-agency coordination mechanism involving NACOB, the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Police, BNI, the Food and Drugs Board, Aviation Security and the Immigration Service and ensure increased international cooperation especially for surveillance. NATIONAL SECURITY - Continue to resource and adequately equip the security services to ensure that no Ghanaian feels unsafe in their lawful pursuits. - Provide critical support capable of augmenting the developmental service mix of our armed forces while providing adequate security for our citizens. FOREIGN POLICY - Pursue foreign policy of positive neutrality with emphasis on economic diplomacy which will hinge on our national interest. - Commitment to peace and security in the West African Region is paramount in our foreign policy considerations. - Ghana will not serve as a haven to destabilize any country - Uphold national commitments to the UN, the AU, the Commonwealth, ECOWAS and other international organisations to which we belong. - Continue to take all necessary measures, in cooperation with relevant international agencies, to fight against international terrorism, money laundering, narcotic and human trafficking.