Author: newsfilegh

The Akufo-Addo government has credited itself for ending the years of electricity crisis that crippled Ghana’s economy and led to the collapse of businesses and job losses. Though the Mahama-led government had before exiting office on January 7, 2017 announced the end of the erratic electricity supply, which was locally referred to as dumsor, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta on Wednesday suggested otherwise. In December 2015, the then Power Ministry announced it had fixed an electricity supply deficit that caused years of frequent blackouts resulting in loadshedding management across the country. The crisis which began in 2012 became a talking point…

The Finance Minister, ken Ofori-Atta says government is likely to end the 2017 fiscal year with a fiscal deficit of 6.3%. “We resolved to be fiscally disciplined and respect the limits that Parliament set for us. I am glad to report that we are on course to end the year with the fiscal deficit of 6.5%,” Mr. Ofori-Atta told Parliament on Wednesday when he delivered the 2018 budget statement and economic policy of government. In July this year, when the Finance Minister presented the mid-year budget review to Parliament, he told the house that the overall fiscal deficit has been…

Ahead of today’s presentation of the 2018 Budget to parliament, the Ministry of Finance has been touting some of the key policy initiatives in the 2017 budget that have been achieved by the government. The government said it has used the 2017 budget to sow the seeds for growth and Jobs, noting it has set the stage for industrialising Ghana from the ground up using the One District, One Factory, One District, One Warehouse and the National Industrial revitalisation programme. According to the government, prudent debt management outlined in the 2017 budget has led to some success. Launched a GHC9…

Government says claim by the Minority National Democratic Congress in Parliament that mobile money transactions would be taxed is false. A Deputy Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah told Media General’s Bright Asempa of Onua 95.1FM on Wednesday that government has no intention to tax that sector now, at least not in the 2018 budget. At round table discussion on the 2018 budget, the Minority criticised the government for planning to impose tax on the thriving mobile money business, describing it as “retrogressive”. “The intention to tax mobile money transaction must be abolished immediately, since it constitutes a serious threat to financial…

The Member of Parliament for Tamale North Constituency in the Northern Region, Alhassan Sayibu Suhuyini, has warned government not to turn the sanitation marshals into vigilantism. The MP said the nation has witnessed acts of vigilantism which was unauthorized so with the authorization of marshals to fight against filth in the country, it will be easy for those who would be recruited to abuse their position. The President, Nana Akufo-Addo at the launch of the National Sanitation Campaign on Monday announced the formation of National Sanitation Brigade, a re-branding of the feared ‘town council’ in the 80’s. The personnel of this outfit…

Zimbabwe’s military has seized state TV, saying it is targeting people close to President Robert Mugabe for causing “social and economic suffering”. A statement read out by a general on air denied it was a coup and said Mr Mugabe was safe, but did not say where. Heavy gun and artillery fire could be heard in northern parts of the capital Harare early on Wednesday. The army action comes after Mr Mugabe sacked Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, amid a row over succession. There was no immediate word from Mr Mugabe but Zimbabwe’s envoy to South Africa, Isaac Moyo, said the government…

The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta will present the Akufo-Addo-led government’s second budget statement and economic policy to Parliament today, November 15, 2017 for the 2018 fiscal year. The budget is expected to focus on industrialization, agriculture as well as consolidating gains made since taking office on January 7, 2017. The first budget of this government under theme “Sowing the Seed for Growth and Jobs” was read on March 2, 2017 in which the Free SHS Policy, Planting for Food and Jobs, One-District-One-Factory policy and other landmark social intervention programmes were announced. The finance minister highlighted among others the withdrawal…

READ: Akufo-Addo will need GHC60.8 billion to run Ghana in 2018

The much-awaited bill that will see the establishment of an independent special prosecutor to spearhead the prosecution of public and political officials engaged in corrupt practices has been passed by parliament. Members of Parliament from the political divide on Tuesday night unanimously passed the bill after the legislators made final amendments, 3FM’s Mercydalyne Lokko reported Over 30 amendments were made to the bill after which the Attorney General moved for the third reading of the bill and subsequently passed. The bill was laid before the House on July 19, 2017 but has suffered setbacks until Tuesday night when the roadblocks were…

The government plans to allocate some GH¢1.2 billion to the implementation of the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme in 2018. The amount is three times higher than the GH¢400 million that was allocated to the programme in its first year of implementation in 2017. Next year’s allocation is to be announced Wednesday, when the Minister of Finance, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, presents the 2018 Budget and Economic Policy Statement to Parliament. The amount is expected to benefit over 100,000 students compared to this year, when the GH¢400 million catered the needs of some 424,092 students. President Nana Akufo-Addo said the…