Government Asked to Privatise GCB And GCAA

Mr. Craig Murray, Deputy British High Commissioner to Ghana, has called on the government to speed up the divestiture of state enterprises to raise more revenue to meet its obligations and reduce interest rates.

Mr. Murray said during a recent tour of the Volta Region that the speedy privatisation of some public utilities will reduce government's over reliance on taxes.

"For a start, government organisations like the Ghana Commercial Bank and Civil Aviation could be privatised to make substantial gains for the country," Mr. Murray further suggested. His suggestion that government should privatise Ghana Commercial Bank could generate a lot of debate because government is reluctant to loosen its grip on the bank which has a wide network and plays an important role in the government's development plans. The government is reported to have told World Bank officials pushing for the bank's divestiture that it does not favour its wholesale privatisation.

The proposed privatisation of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority in the past raised security issues with many people arguing that as a first line of security the airport should not be left in the hands of private operators. In a post budget lecture recently, Mr. Amonoo Neizer of Data Bank Brokerage Limited said the government's position on the future of Ghana Commercial Bank is conflicting and asked the government to make its position clear.

The Deputy High Commissioner described the 100 days of the government in office as "positive" and "remarkable" especially its adoption of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and the increases in petroleum prices which, he said, are the right steps in straightening the economy.

Known for his frank comments on national issues Mr. Murray said he agreed with the government's directives to some public officers to proceed on leave pending the outcome of investigations into their stewardship, adding that it would ensure transparency in the public sector. The government's decision has attracted condemnation from the opposition NDC which claims most of the managing directors asked to proceed on leave were victims of political witch-hunting. The government has however explained that almost all the officials dabbled in politics and used their positions to siphon money to finance NDC's election expenses.

"Transparency is always what combats corruption," he stated. Murray was also reported as saying that despite supporting the NDC government, the Volta Region remained under developed. For this frank comment, he has been attacked by some opinion leaders and NGOs operating in the region. One NGO said Murray had lost his focus as a diplomat and that his comments on local issues were becoming undiplomatic. In the run up to the 2000 general elections Murray was one of few diplomats who challenged the unwise decision of the past government to use thumb printed ID cards despite a successful photo ID card registration sponsored by foreign donors