Dansoman Drivers, Hawkers React To State of Nation Address

A survey conducted by Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the second State of the Nation's address by President John Mahama on Wednesday was characterised by mixed reactions from drivers and hawkers at Dansoman in Accra. Some of the drivers expressed satisfaction with the address, which touched on the free education for senior high school in 2015/2016 among other national issues. They contended that the initiative was key to national development since every country needed education to develop and the foundation of quality education started from the basics. Some of them embraced the President's statement on the current economic turbulence that it was temporary and would therefore be surmounted in the coming weeks; and said it was a step in the right direction, since Ghanaians were going through hard times. Others expressed skepticism and disappointment about the address, saying President Mahama failed to focus on the functions of the judiciary despite the perception that the justice system was geared towards favouring the affluent in society at the expense of the vulnerable. They appealed to the President to assure Ghanaians that justice would be delivered irrespective of the status of an individual in society. Both drivers and hawkers suggested that in future President Mahama's address should be backed by action and geared towards realistic job creation for the youth, since there were not enough jobs in the country.