Government achievements high – Finance Minister

Mr Seth Terkper, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning on Friday said government has performed tremendously well in the management of the economy as he presented the 2016 budget statement and fiscal policy on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama.

He said over the past three years government perused prudent economic policies which led to transformation in the education, health, road and water infrastructure sectors, stressing that “the country is on the right path of development”.

The 2016 budget is on the general theme: “Consolidating progress towards a brighter medium-term,” which is focusing on accelerating and sustaining growth to maintain confidence in the Ghanaian economy and outlined policies to bring down the deficit.

It also detailed achievements for the year 2015 and government’s policy objectives and financial estimates for the medium term.

Mr Terkper noted that the country having successfully executed the elimination of schools under trees was now on track to completing its 123 Community school projects.

The ruling National Democratic Congress in its 2012 Election manifesto promised to build 200 state of the art community schools that will be completed in 2016.

The Minister said the remaining schools are at various stages of completion.

He said the government has also added two new functioning universities in the Volta and Brong Ahafo Regions all geared towards improving tertiary education in the country.

On health, the Finance Minister said government was on track to providing a total of 6,000 hospital beds in 2017, as a result of the expansion projects at the University of Ghana and the Ridge Hospitals to guarantee improved health delivery in the country.