Government's Public Private Partnership 12

Accra, 16 Nov. GNA - Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, has said under the public-private partnership (PPP), a Project Development Facility will be used to finance upstream investment appraisal, value-for-money assessment and other feasibility and safeguard studies.

He said Viability Gap Schemes "will also be used to provide financial support for PPP projects that are economically essential but not commercially viable".

The Minister, who was presenting the 2012 budget to Parliament in Accra on Wednesday, said Infrastructure Finance Facility would be used to raise the requisite long-term local currency financing for on-lending at commercial rates to private sector partners for PPP projects.

On Local Content Enhancement, the Minister said Government "will develop a local content policy for the whole economy to significantly enhance the level of participation of Ghanaians in the economy.

He said the Ghana School Feeding Programme would be expanded to cover additional 500,000 pupils while the National Youth Employment Programme would recruit some 692,000 people under its 15 modules and projects, and create 500,000 new jobs over the next four years.

Dr Duffuor said Government would review the import regime in consultation with the Tariff Advisory Board and intensify on-going infrastructure development in the energy and water sectors; support the Ghana Stock Exchange to create an alternative market.

He said Government "will establish a Centre for Entrepreneurship Employment and Innovation and support the establishment of the Ghana Centre for Entrepreneurship Employment and Innovation.