Cutting down ministers, staffers for Coronavirus Alleviation Programme irrelevant – Ofori-Atta

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has responded to calls to reduce the number of Ministers and Presidential Staffers to raise funds for the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP).

According to him, the move is not necessary as it will not make any significant change in the country’s fight to control the spread of the virus and its impact on the economy.

Speaking on Citi TV’s ‘The Point of View’, the Finance Minister said the government needs a more effective proposal.

“Clearly, in times like this, nothing is a sacred cow but honestly, when you are faced with an issue of this proportion, I think what the Minority is talking about is much more of symbolism than quantum. In my analysis, the quantum is immaterial. President himself has said he will put his three months’ salary as a sign. That same vein he spoke about, parliamentarians who have said they will cede an amount of their resources so that we feel as a nation that is moving in tandem. But this is not the time when you see these disturbing pictures to be political about this. We need to see effective stuff here.”

The Minister’s response comes after the Minority opposed government’s plans to use money from the Heritage Fund to finance the CAP. The side insisted it will resist every attempt by government to go ahead with the plan, insisting that reducing the size of government is the way to go.

“In these difficult moments, when ordinary Ghanaians are suffering, when hotels and businesses are laying off workers in order to ensure that they cover their cost, this is the time for President Akufo-Addo to reduce the size of the ‘bloated’ Ministers we have in this country. The President must demonstrate leadership and commitment. He must send a signal to the people of Ghana that he is indeed in charge and prepared to sacrifice for Ghana. We cannot ask the ordinary Ghanaian to tighten their belt when we [the government] do not even have holes in our belt,” Ranking Member on Parliament’s Finance Committee, John Jinapor stated on Monday.

This was after the Finance Minister proposed the amendment of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act to allow the government to utilize portions of the Heritage Fund in the fight against COVID-19.

The Heritage Fund which currently holds an asset of $521,827,648.13, was set up by the Petroleum Revenue Management Act 2011 to save oil revenue for the future generations of Ghana.