‘GHS12.2bn in your pocket’ comment smacks of arrogance

‘GHS12.2bn in your pocket’ comment smacks of arrogance – Prof. Gatsi

Dean of the School of Business at the University of Cape Coast, Professor John Gatsi

The Dean of the School of Business at the University of Cape Coast, Professor John Gatsi, has said that the government’s assertion that it has put GHS12.2 billion into the pockets of Ghanaians will be seen as arrogance in the political arena considering the hardship Ghanaians are going through.

The economist is of the view that Ghanaians are not feeling the impact of the government’s efforts to improve the economy, adding that opposition politicians will not take the comment by the Akufo-Addo lightly.

“I believe the politicians will interpret that to be arrogance to the plight of people,” he told Valentina Ofori-Afriyie on Class91.3FM’s 505 news programme on Wednesday, 13 November 2019.

“You ask the people whether they have it in their pocket and they will answer, ‘No’”, the lecturer said after he was asked by the host of the programme if he has any money in his pocket placed there by the government.

Delivering the 2020 budget statement in Parliament on Wednesday, 13 November 2019, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta disclosed that the Free SHS policy has saved parents a total of GHS1.8 billion over the last three years.

According to him, the Planting for Food and Jobs programme has saved farmers a total of GHS844 million over the last three years for subsidised fertiliser and a total of GHS357 million have been put in the pockets of teacher trainees within the last three years in the form of an allowance.

Mr Ofori-Atta said nurse trainees have also received a total of GHS336 million in the form of allowance within the last three years while the government continues to subsidise the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) registration fee which has saved parents a total of GHS65 million over the last two years.

The Finance Minister further mentioned that electricity tariff reductions effected by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) effective 15 March 2018 resulted in savings of GHS1.8 billion a year for residential and non-residential customers which is money in the pockets of many Ghanaians.