Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, says the Government is under no illusions as to the economic challenges of the nation but said he is confident policy measures contained in the 2022 physical policy will help ameliorate these problems.
He said the budget under the theme, “Building a Sustainable Entrepreneurial Nation: Fiscal Consolidation and Job Creation, ” was focused on how to ease the sufferings of Ghanaians, transform the economy to create jobs and share the expected wealth across all households.
It focused on broadening the tax base, keep a grip on expenditure, protect the public purse and at the same time build with urgency the needed infrastructure, collecting revenue, and managing the nation’s debt.
The Minister observed the social, economic and health challenges, among others, of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has culminated in the rising standard of living is not lost on the Government.
He said: “We have been there with the people, playing the difficult but necessary balancing act of managing an economy put under extreme distress by the pandemic and, at the same time, supporting households and businesses to cope,” adding that the Government’s response to COVID 19 thus far, had earned domestic and worldwide acclaim.
Thanking God for his grace and mercies the Minister extended the empathies of the Government to families who lost loved ones during the pandemic; private school teachers who lost income for 12 months; business owners who lost earnings; and thousands of hospitality and tourism sector workers who were laid off.
Mr Ofori-Atta said in all these, “Not a single Ghanaian public sector worker was laid off as a result of the impact of the pandemic on our public finances and we have managed to pay them monthly.”
Menawhile Hawkers at the Kasoa and Moree tollbooths in the Central Region are up in arms against the government for its decision to close the tollbooth, citing the lack of jobs and general hardship in the country.
According to them, the decision would have scathing effects on their lives, as most of them are single mothers and trying their wits-end to make ends meet.
Mounting protests, the hawkers with red arm and headbands, chanted war songs and screamed on top of their voices in disappointment.
Maame Esi, who sells assorted drinks, called on the government to rescind the decision or at least suspend it for a month.
“They should wait for us to sell what we have in stock. We voted for this government to come to power and this is how they pay us back,” she lamented.
At Moree, Sandra Ntsiful, a pure water seller asked the Government how she is going to fend for her family without a job.
Irate customer service providers manning the booth, also expressed disappointment that they are not given prior notice while no alternative arrangements have been made to absorb them.
Mr Emmanuel Abaidoo, leader of the service providers expressed shock over the issue, stressing that they are in a fix because most of them are people living with disabilities who earn their living from that job.
Source: GNA