FROM Ho to Sekondi-Takoradi, Bawku to Wa, the chorus is the same as President John Dramani Mahama takes the stage to deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA) to Parliament today.
In the regions, citizens are expectant of decisive action and demand practical solutions to insecurity, unemployment, food security, and rising living costs.
Ken Afedzi reports from Tema that the former President of the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF), Mr Kwabena Ofosu-Appiah, called for a decisive reset of Ghana’s international trade governance architecture to unlock efficiency and boost revenue mobilisation.
He said expectations ahead of the SONA were anchored on clarity, structural reform and measurable execution within the trade and logistics ecosystem, which he described as a key driver of national competitiveness.
Despite its importance, he noted that the sector continued to underperform due to fragmented governance and uneven policy implementation, recalling that by the end of 2016, Ghana had begun transitioning towards a coordinated framework aligning port operations, customs processes, transit management and trade facilitation.
However, he said that momentum had waned, with agencies now operating in silos, resulting in duplications, compliance bottlenecks and avoidable costs for traders.
He urged the President to signal a comprehensive reform agenda based on a whole-of-government trade governance model, with strong inter-agency coordination, data integration, and accountability across the cargo clearance and transit value chain.
Meanwhile, a businessman and convener of CEOs Hangout, Rev. Justice Sagoe, urged government to prioritise fiscal discipline to safeguard recent macroeconomic gains, including moderating inflation, easing policy rates and stabilising the exchange rate.
He said sustained single-digit inflation and currency stability would create room for lower lending rates, making credit more affordable for businesses.
According to him, reduced borrowing costs would enable businesses to expand operations and create jobs, stressing that macroeconomic stability must translate into tangible growth and employment.
From the Volta Regional capital, Ho, Samuel Agbewode reports that residents expect the President to address the high cost of living, rising prices of building materials such as cement, and youth unemployment.
A Divisional Chief of the Mafi Akorto Clan and Chief of Mafi-Atitekpo, Togbe Akpo Wusu Kasa IV, said the President needed to assure Ghanaians of concrete measures to reduce the growing number of unemployed youth.
He urged government to outline plans to revive factories that had collapsed over the years, noting that adding value to local raw materials for export would create jobs and reduce the social and economic impact of unemployment.
A retired broadcast journalist, Mr Andrews Kofi Appoh, called on the President to address national and regional security concerns, particularly following recent attacks on Ghanaian tomato traders in Burkina Faso that led to the death of some traders.
He said Ghanaians were disturbed by reports of such attacks and expected the President to reassure citizens of government’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property both within and outside the country.
In Takoradi, Clement Adzei Boye reports that residents of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis expect the SONA to address cocoa pricing, farmers’ welfare, women development banking, food security and cross-border trade issues.
A resident of Effia, Mr Kafui Avevor, said recent developments in the cocoa industry, including pricing concerns raised in Parliament, had negatively affected farmers and their families, with some children unable to pursue further education.
He urged government to act urgently to protect the welfare of cocoa farmers and restore confidence in the sector.
Another resident, Ms Mildred Siabi-Mensah, called for updates on the establishment of the Women Development Bank, irrigation and greenhouse farming initiatives, and measures to address cross-border challenges affecting food security.
She also urged the President to speak to workers’ welfare, anti-corruption efforts and social interventions that would improve living standards and restore public confidence.
From the Upper East region, Francis Dabre Dabang reports that while President Mahama is receiving plaudits for the strides made in key sectors of the economy, residents have stressed the urgent need for targeted interventions to accelerate development and improve livelihoods.
A journalist with Dreamz FM in Bolgatanga, Prosper Wooma, urged the government to expedite work on critical road projects, particularly the Bolgatanga–Bawku–Pulmakom road and the Bolgatanga–Tumu–Wa road.
BY TIMES REPORTERS
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