Former finance minister Seth Terkper
"So-called Mahama teachers' arrears is mockery of government's self-acclaimed fiscal consolidation", that is according to former finance minister Seth Terkper.
Teacher unions embarked on a strike to pile pressure on government to have arrears they have termed as ‘Mahama arrears settled’ before the returned to the classroom.
The money being demanded by the three teacher unions namely; Ghana National Association of Graduate teachers, Ghana Association of Teachers and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers were incurred from former President John Mahama’s time.
The Dailyguide reports that there is closure to the strike action embarked upon by teachers in public schools as government releases GH¢49,998,626.72 for the settlement of outstanding arrears which the teachers have termed ‘legacy debt’.
"On Wednesday, the Ministry of Finance ordered the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) to release the stated amount to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to the affected teachers.
A correspondence dated December 11, 2019 signed by the Deputy Finance Minister, Abena Osei Asare, said, “You (CAGD) are hereby authorised to release the sum of GH¢49,998,626.72 to enable the Director-General, Ghana Education Service, to pay outstanding transfer grants and other allowances to qualified staff of GES,” Dailyguide reports.
Reacting to John Mahama being blamed for the debt, the former finance minister took to Twitter and made some interesting revelations.
According to him, the “2017 budget data shows government “overpaid" the ghc17, 446 million arrears. This he says was Ghana's first net positive arrears.
"Don't blame Mahama but rather question NPP's fiscal Consolidation and claim of arrears", he added.
Below are the tweets
1) So-called Mahama teachers' arrears is Mockery of Govt's self-acclaimed fiscal consolidation. 2017 Budget data shows Govt "overpaid" the ghc17,446 mill. arrears (incl. ghc7.03 bill sent to the Auditor-General) by Ghc2,715.3 mill. Infact, this was Ghn's 1st net positive arrears. https://t.co/wFndDhOwuw
— Seth E Terkper (@SethTerkper) December 13, 2019
2) Hence, 2017 arrears was only ghc1,247.2 mill (compare to ghc17 bill at end-2016). The Deficit of 9.3% fell to 4.8% (record fiscal consolidx in recent memory). Govt has ignored NDC 3-year protest that it "offset" (NOT paid) Ghc5.035.6 mill to achieve these "impressive" results.
— Seth E Terkper (@SethTerkper) December 13, 2019
3) Arrears fell to only c858 mill (2018 Budget) and c730 mill (2019 Budget). Note, 2017/18 arrears were "paid" to exact pessewa!! 2020 arrears is only c1,443 mill, yet Govt in Pl'mt NOW to borrow US$2 bill to partially pay energy arrears of abt $1 bill, despite ESLA!!
— Seth E Terkper (@SethTerkper) December 13, 2019
4) Don't blame Mahama pls, QUESTION NPP's Fiscal Consolidation and claim of arrears pmt (or NON-PMT/Offsets) from 2017 to date!!! @joyonlineghana @Citi973 @STARRNEWS @GraphicBusines @Class913fm @radiogold905fm @NDCYouthWing @NDCChangeAgenda
— Seth E Terkper (@SethTerkper) December 13, 2019
Endorsed. The revised 6.1% (or 6.3% as stated elsewhere) was even read in the 2020 Budget Speech; it removes the "offset" (not payment) of Ghc5.03 billion that accounts for the deficit being stated as 9.3 percent in the 2017 Budget. https://t.co/Lu3h1ZZUQ1
— Seth E Terkper (@SethTerkper) December 13, 2019
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