The adoption of raft of measures by the government to cut expenditure and save the economy about GH¢3.5 billion for the rest of the year dominates the headlines of Ghanaian press on Friday.
The Graphic reports that the government has adopted a raft of measures to cut expenditure and save the economy about GH¢3.5 billion for the rest of the year.
The measures include an additional 10 per cent cut in discretionary spending, mostly on goods and services of all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), a 50 per cent cut in fuel coupon allocations for all political appointees and heads of government institutions, including state-owned enterprises (SOEs), from April 1, this year, and a moratorium on all foreign travels, except pre-approved critical/statutory travels.
The 10 per cent cut on discretionary spending adds up to the 20 per cent which was announced earlier in the year by the minister, bringing the total expenditure cut in discretionary expenditure for MDAs to 30 per cent.
The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, who unveiled the interventions at a press conference in Accra yesterday, also announced measures to mitigate fuel prices, improve domestic revenue mobilisation, the completion of the process for the removal of ‘ghost’ names from government payroll and encourage burden sharing among stakeholders.
He also announced some revenue mobilisation measures, including the passage of the Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy) Bill, the Tax Exemptions Bill and the Fees and Charges Bill, to rake in the needed cash.
The measures come in the wake of the economy experiencing some difficulties that have led to rising fuel prices, inflation, exchange rate depreciation, the high cost of living and revenue mobilisation challenges.
The minister expressed the confidence that the measures would address challenges currently confronting the economy in the wake of recent global and domestic events and help the country remain steady towards the achievement of the 7.4 per cent deficit target set in the 2022 budget.
The newspaper says that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is expected to be the keynote speaker the maiden Ghana CEO Vision Project that seeks to pitch Ghana to the rest of the world.
The event, which would take place on Friday, April 29, 2022 at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel in Accra, seeks to recognise and reward leadership excellence across all industry and business sectors in Ghana while celebrating achievement, innovation and leadership brilliance within the business environment.
It is also aimed at providing the biggest pitching platforms for CEOs who have used the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately, the country.
The Project Lead at the Ghana CEO Vision, Latif Abubakar, who gave details of the project in Accra, said the Ghana CEO Vision, sought to provide a thriving platform for CEOs to stay connected, relevant, and ahead of the game and to be celebrated while creating opportunities and celebrating visionaries.
“The Ghana CEO Vision will pitch Ghana and its various business sectors to the world, document and share innovative successes chalked up by CEOs and celebrate those who have transformed lives and the country,” he said.
Mr Abubakar said the President had been chosen as the keynote speaker to lead the project because of his role as the CEO of the country.
“The President doubles as the CEO of our country, and it just sits right that you have no other person lead this kind of project than the CEO of CEOs,” he said.
The Graphic also reports that a challenging task awaits Ghana’s Black Stars as they battle the Super Eagles of Nigeria in the first of a doubleheader tie in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying playoffs at the Baba Yara Stadium at 7 p.m. today.
It will be a clash of two continental heavyweights whose rivalry on the pitch has often been fierce, irrespective of the level of competition.
Ahead of today’s game, the Skipper of the Black Stars, Thomas Partey, has calmed down nerves of Ghanaians, promising a good performance to atone for their shambolic outing during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Cameroun which saw them exiting at the group stage.
Even more significant for the Black Stars is the opportunity to redeem their image after missing out on the last gathering in Russia and the quest to establish their supremacy over their West African rivals.
Yesterday, the skipper admitted that the team was in high spirits which is refreshing news from the Black Stars camp despite losing Moldova-based Edmund Addo from camp, after complaining of pains in the thigh while training last Thursday.
His absence notwithstanding, Partey said, the team was ready to meet the Nigerians, although they foresaw a tough game. He said he and his teammate were ready for the Super Eagles.
“We know we are meeting a good team, but we are ready and prepared to meet them,” the midfielder said.
He called on the supporters to turn out in their numbers and give the team the necessary support today.
The Ghanaian Times says that Ghana is expected to experience more acute climate hazards such as flooding, as well as more frequent and intense drought, a report on Ghana’s roadmap for resilient infrastructure in changing climate has revealed.
The 165 page report said, the consequence of the country’s climate change, has the potential to threaten the socio-economic development that had helped strongly to position Ghana as a middle-income country.
For instance, the report said, within the water sector, the climate risks included drought and flooding exposure that had the tendency to affect major water assets such as the Weija, Akosombo, Bui, Tono and Vea Dams.
In addition, river and other water resources which served as households use, often in smaller and rural districts were expected to experience droughts due to reduce river runoff.
This, according to the report which was put together within 24 months, in partnership between the Government, through the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), the Global Centre on Adaption (GCA), the United Nations Environment Programme, and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), said, the reduce river runoff was likely to affect up to 1.3 million Ghanaians.
The Chief Executive Officer of GCA, Professor Patrick Verkooijen,who handed over the report to the Minister of MESTI, Dr Kwaku Afriyie yesterday in Accra, said, the increase in drought would further affect over 242,000 people who relied on natural environment for household energy generation through wood fuel.
He mention Wa East, Banda, Sissala West, Lawra and Wa West as the top five districts to be affected, with disproportionately large impact on women and girls who were often responsible for fuel collection.
GIK/APA