Flagship programmes being reviewed to check efficiency – Ofori-Atta

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has revealed that the government has commenced moves to assess some of its flagship programmes to ensure how best to boost the country’s finances.

According to him, to this end, plans are underway to determine how the various social intervention initiatives will be efficiently rolled out.

“I think we are doing a review to look at the efficiencies of all of these programmes and that has already kicked off. And as we then continue, we will make sure that these are run efficiently,” the Minister added on Tuesday.

Ken Ofori Atta made this known when the government announced that it had reached a Staff-Level Agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the financial bailout being sought.

The Staff-Level Agreement on economic policies and reforms is to be supported by a new three-year arrangement under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) of about $3 billion.

However, some Ghanaians have begun wondering about what could happen to some of the government’s much-touted social intervention programmes after the IMF conditionalities become effective.

Speaking to the journalists on Tuesday, Mr Ofori-Atta emphasized the importance and the need to preserve some of the initiative.

Touching on the Free Senior High School programme, the Minister said “the issue of human capital is something that the government of President Akufo-Addo is completely committed to and clear about that because that always remains our future and also ensures social mobility for every Ghanaian.”

“The sense of citizenhood is important,” he added.