Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has stated that the government will fast-track the implementation of the US$200 million Jobs and Skills Program to enhance the creation of jobs in the country . According to him, this intervention is designed to facilitate and expand private sector businesses to employ more people. An intervention, he believes, is more sustainable than the expansion of the government’s employment schemes.
He revealed this in a press briefing at the Finance Ministry today, Sunday, May 9, 2021. Meanwhile, this forms part of areas the government wants to address as part of concerns raised by the #FixtheCountry campaigners.
“In the coming days, we will move swiftly to address some of the issues that the #FixtheCountry have raised. We are fast-tracking the implementation of the US$200 million jobs and skills and economic transformation program to enhance job creation significantly. This intervention is designed to facilitate and expand private sector businesses to employ more people. This, we believe, is a more sustainable way to rebuild this economy instead of expanding government employment schemes”.
Also, the minister stated that “I’m working with the ministers for water and sanitation to immediately ensure potable water to areas of critical need. Second, I’m working with the ministers of roads and highways, transport, and the interior to address the congestion around major highways”.
CARES Program
Furthermore, he pointed out that beginning from this month, the government will roll out about 8 interventions under the CARES program. This will cover health, agriculture, tourism, trade, digitization, science, and technology.
Meanwhile, he expressed the government’s commitment to solving the problems facing the country to set the country on its right path. He indicated that he has been following the healthy conversation over the past weeks on social media. He pointed out that the #FixtheCountry campaign isprimarily initiated by the youth.
Moreover, Mr. Ofori-Atta stated that the government had met the conveners to understand and explore collective solutions to their demands.
“In extraordinary times, we should expert exceptional leadership from your government. I truly believe we cannot exercise exceptional leadership without the collective efforts of all of us. So, I commend the youth for calling on the government. They have elected us to solve the problems that face this country. We will continue to work with you and other stakeholders to do just that”.
Rising debt
Also, he pointed out that the government was on the right path to achieving its objective of stabilizing and growing the economy. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 has had a severe impact on the economy. Nevertheless, he pointed out that the government has been able to protect jobs in the public sector despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We acknowledged that as a nation, we need to do more to ensure decent incomes for all Ghanaians. However, even at this level, compensation to public sector employees represents 52.45% of our domestic revenues”.
Additionally, he touched on the investment in the western railway lines and the construction of interchanges across the country. He indicated that the rate of growth of public debt has been lower in this administration than in previous governments.
Furthermore, he spoke on the various interventions that the government rolled out to cushion businesses and households. He pointed out that they are also fixing the debt situation in the country which currently stands at 76.1% of GDP as of End-December 2020. He pointed out that the rate of debt growth has been lower in this administration than in previous governments. Ofori-Atta Ofori-Atta Ofori-Atta
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