Former Finance Minister, Seth Terkper is urging government to put in place proper measures to finance the Free Senior High School (SHS) project.
According to him, the high cost of the project is already throwing government’s budget out of gear.
“For me I’m looking at the figures…Out of GHc240 million that was going into the ABFA [Annual Budget Funding Amount] to be used for good and services, GHc211.11 million went into the free SHS…So is that which is causing some of the misalignment in the budget,” he added.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Monday, March 26, 2018, Mr. Terkper warned that other critical sectors of the economy, such as health, risks being cash starved if allocation meant for them are diverted to finance the Free Senior High School project.
“Free SHS helps a lot of poor people, no question about that. But what is the cost? We have taken a lot more of our oil revenue there. We said we will raise revenue for Free SHS, now we are using the traditional sources of revenue,” he stated.
He recalled that all the measures government outlined to sustain the project have not materialized.
Mr. Terkper pointed out for example that government promised to set a special fund to support the project but it yet to be done.
“We said that we would create an education fund for the Free SHS. What is the status of that fund? We have capped statutory funds and others and we are using it”.
He warned that capping some statutory funds is already affecting other areas of the economy which also urgently need funding.
“We are seeing a misalignment of the budget. We have to start putting things together. Ministers are out there saying their allocations are not adequate. Where is the money going at a time that we are getting more oil from the TEN fields and Sankofa field?”.
Mr. Terkper observed that there must be a new approach to save the program from collapsing since government has not put in place a long term policy to sustain it.
Source: citifmonline.com
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you don't see nothing yet. free shs will succeed with Ghana on top. you greedy guys embezzled so much money and denied the poor tax paper a little of the oil money. you bunch of ***barred word***. never will you taste power in Ghana. buy the way have you purchased your gari for nsawam before talking this ***barred word***?
During your time your budget went out of gear and you run to the World Bank to bail your budget... due to corruption.....
we like it that way my friend. in ur case it was the stealing that threw the budget out of gear. we prefer this one. who even asked for his opinion
It's better to have Free SHS and the budget thrown out of gear than nothing is happening (social intervention) yet all our existed social interventions collapsing. At least we hear and read about huge debts being paid. Isn't it a relief if all these are going on as compared to the previous. Why is it that a particular party is so much against free shs. Don't they seek the well being of the children. Other countries did similar interventions and today look at how far they've left us. Aba.
Please, fellow Ghanaians, let us put these two items to the vote. FREE SHS V. JUDGEMENT DEBT PAYMENTS. Which is more beneficial to the country we call Ghana?
Where have you been all these time? Mr Terkpe if you were anything Ghana wouldn't have been where we are now. Prif. Mills inherited a healthy economy which you in the ndc used to pay yourselves dubious judgement debts and left the national coffers dry, therefore ndc are not the first to comment on anything, if you people think you can make this country ungovernable you will run leaving your boxer shorts around. Mo mkwas*asem no! Do you think Ghana belongs to you ***barred word***? You people are worsening your problems and disaffection, if your tartans is to disturb the peace of the country and think that will help you people back you lie, opposition is your permanent and comfortable abode. We Ghanaians will never give back our country to thi*ves and incompetent fo*ls. Liars, wicked and evil people, even in opposition they are still incompetent. Ghana hate ndc as much as ndc hate Ghana, ndc is anti-Ghana, ndc nation wreckers, ndc don't belong to Ghana and they don't deserve to live in Ghana satanic agents. Ghana will be built, Ghana will prosper and progress, Ghana shall survive all these hate from the ndc. IN GOD WE TRUST, THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S!
EVERY NDC member is against FREE SHS! You too? Is it not better to have FREE SHS throwing budget out of gear than having DUBIOUS JUDGMENT DEBT doing that under the watch of you and NDC?