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Deputy Finance Minister, Abena Osei Asare, has implored Ghanaians to continue to have confidence in President Akufo-Addo's administration believing the government will alleviate the economic burdens on them.

The Deputy Finance Minister, who doubles as Member of Parliament for Atiwa East, assured the citizenry the economic measures announced by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, during a press briefing on Thursday, March 24, are the surest way to restoring the country.

Expenditure Cutting Measures

The Finance Minister, delivering a speech at the press briefing, listed some measures by the government to resolve the economic challenges which he noted are as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia/Ukraine conflict.

The Minister mentioned:

1. Discretionary spending is to be further cut by an additional 10%. The Ministry of Finance is currently meeting with MDAs to review their spending plans for the rest of the three (3) quarters to achieve the discretionary expenditure cuts;

2. these times call for very efficient use of energy resources. In line with this, there will be a 50% cut in fuel coupon allocations for all political appointees and Heads of government institutions, including SOEs, effective 1st April 2022;

3. with immediate effect, Government has imposed a complete moratorium on the purchase of imported vehicles for the rest of the year. This will affect all new orders, especially 4-wheel drives. We will ensure that the overall effect is to reduce total vehicle purchases by the public sector by at least 50 percent for the period;

4. again, with immediate effect Government has imposed a moratorium on all foreign travels, except pre-approved critical/statutory travels;

5. Government will conclude ongoing measures to eliminate “ghost” workers from the Government payroll by end December 2022 among other measures.

Speaking in an interview with Nana Yaw Kesseh on Peace FM's morning show ''Kokrokoo'', Hon. Abena Osei Asare reiterated the measures stressing ''our measures on expenditure will give us about 3.5 billion and the savings on the fuel coupons alone will give us a sum of about 62 million'', thus will help the government to generate adequate revenues as well as cut down on the high commodity and fuel prices affecting Ghanaians.

" . . we're doing everything possible for the prices to come down and when it reduces, I'm sure we will be relieved," she emphasized.

She also noted that another key factor to developing Ghana, which the government is focused on, is ''industrialization. Once we industrialize and we depend on what we produce here, our consumption of foreign exchange will come down and that will also boost the strength of our cedi''.

Hon. Abena Osei Asare was optimistic that the Akufo-Addo government will not disappoint Ghanaians.