Supplementary Budget to create more jobs

Accra, July 14, GNA 96 Government on Thursday said it would invigorate investments in infrastructural development including roads, ports and railways, energy and water to improve the momentum of its development efforts and achieve the growth rates it was aiming at so that Ghanaians could have jobs, and to further reduce poverty.

Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, who was presenting a Supplementary Budget Statement to Parliament said: =93We also propose to put resources into environmental management including work on the Korle Lagoon and Keta Sea Defence project.=94 Other investments proposed are in Tourism and the Food and Agriculture Sectors; the Micro-Credit Sector will receive resources to promote job creation and generate incomes cutting across all sectors. Government is seeking supplementary estimate of 4,280.3 billion cedis.

Mr Baah-Wiredu said in support of good governance, additional resources were being provided to the Ministry of the Interior, the Judiciary, the Legislature, the Justice Ministry and the Ministry of Defence.

For Human Development, which is a critical pillar in the drive for growth and development, we are investing in school infrastructure and providing resources to enhance the exemptions program at the Ministry of Health.

He said the Ghanaian economy continued to be stable as it was progressing with the medium term goal of achieving middle income status.

"There are great challenges which we continue to face - the issues of the size of the public sector wage bill; the continued agitation for salary increases and improved conditions of service, the brain drain, the massive investment requirements in infrastructure among other things."

Mr Baah-Wiredu said "nevertheless, Government is determined to face these challenges squarely and put in place the requisite measures to enable us achieve the desired results."

He said the Government was streamlining expenditures to enable her meet the aims of the 2006 Budget.

"The supplementary estimate presented to this House for approval focuses on increased resources to some critical areas in the three pillars of the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) II - Private Sector Development, Human Resource Development and Good Governance. =93Government is convinced that these revisions to the 2006 Budget by providing additional resources to some critical areas will enable us to achieve the growth and poverty reduction objectives of GPRS II.=94 Mr Baah-Wiredu said the Appropriation Bill covering the Supplementary Estimate would be submitted to the House in conformity with Article 179 (9) of the Constitution.

This states that: 'Where in the case of a financial year, a supplementary estimate has been approved by Parliament in accordance with clause (8) of this article, a supplementary Appropriation Bill shall be introduced into Parliament in the financial year next following the financial year to which the estimates relates, providing for the appropriation of the sum so approved for the purposes specified in that estimate.'

Mr Baah-Wiredu requested Parliament to endorse the overall economic performance for 2005 and outlook for the rest of 2006; and to approve the supplementary estimate of 4,280.3 billion as laid in conformity with Article 179 (8).