News:
July 29, 2021
The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta has assured Ghanaians that the nation’s transformational agenda is very much on course.
Presenting the Mid-Year Budget Review in Parliament on Thursday, July 29,2021, he said with COVID-19 still with us, the recovery is only the beginning; “a beginning that requires our collective sense of responsibility and action as citizens to guide, protect and participate in the recovery efforts.”
“Mr. Speaker, this Mid-Year Fiscal Policy Review that I am presenting does not come with a supplementary budget, and our revised fiscal framework for 2021 is kept within the fiscal target of 9.5 percent of GDP. We are staying within the 2021 Appropriation.”
He also allayed the fears of the house that he did not come to the house to ask for money. “Mr. Speaker, let me repeat. I am not here today to ask for more money. I have not come to ask for more taxes. I have come to update the House on the performance of the economy for the first half year of 2021 and our plans for the unexpired term of the year, consistent with section 28 of the PFM Act.”
He also sympathizes with job loses that characterized the COVID-19 pandemic but said efforts are underway to create more jobs. “One of the serious impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the loss of jobs, which has exacerbated the unemployment problem, particularly among the youth. As such, Government is ready with a comprehensive programme to tackle this intractable problem. The goal is to create employment opportunities for a million of our young people over the next two and a half years by igniting a high spirit of entrepreneurship. We will count on the support of this august House.”
Ghanamps.com