Trending GH: Reduce ridiculous ‘pure water’, petrol prices – Ghanaians tell gov’t ahead of 2019 Budget reading
As usual, expectations are high and critics are keenly awaiting the presentation of the 3rd Budget under the Akufo-Addo administration.
Many Ghanaians are anticipating what ‘goodies’ government will provide in its 2019 budget to ‘save’ them from the economic hardships they are currently facing. Government has, particularly in recent times been criticized by civil society groups, opposition parties and ordinary citizens for the ‘hard’ state of the economy.
Things have not exactly been the best in recent times as the price of fuel has increased tremendously, many still are unemployed even with the introduction of NABCo, the Ghana cedi is losing its value against the US dollar, even the price of drinking water has increased.
Interventions including the Free SHS, the Planting for Food and Jobs, One-District-One-Factory though were introduced by government and significantly have contributed to some change, undoubtedly still have challenges that have to be tackled.
And despite the scrapped taxes and other allocations in the ‘Asempa’ and ‘Adwuma’ budget, Ghanaians still insist they see very little reflection in their lives.
Considering budget presentations every year come with interesting names and provisions, Ghanaweb took to the streets ahead of the reading to see what Ghanaians are expecting differently from the 2019 Budget.
Many persons who spoke, touched on the economic hardships they are facing with their hopes on provisional measures from government to subsidise the prices of goods in the country.
"I can’t fathom why the price of sachet water has been increased when the quantity is still the same? I plead on government to put in measures that will work well for Ghanaians’’ one stressed.
A trotro driver who also spoke to GhanaWeb lamented how their businesses have been affected due to the continuous increase in fuel prices. He said though prices have increased, its quantity is substandard and makes it difficult to account to their bosses at the end of the day.
‘‘We as drivers are finding it hard to even make sales as the fuel we buy is not enough to take us on the same route we used to use some years ago. Before now, the fuel was good but as we speak it has been mixed so it’s inadequate to last on our journeys, he said.
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta will on Thursday, November 15 present the 2019 Budget statement to Members of Parliament in accordance with Article 179 of the 1992 constitution.
Meanwhile, Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Casiel Ato Forson has asked Ghanaians to brace themselves for a ‘Ghana beyond hell’ as the NPP government has failed woefully to stabilize the economy.
