The Member of Parliament (MP) for Fanteakwa, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo has commended the Minister of Finance, Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo for his capable management of the economy to achieve remarkable macro-economic stability and reduction of inflation last year.

He, however, urged him to work harder this year to ensure growth in the industrial and commercial sectors to raise the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) above the projected 4.5 per cent proposed in the budget.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo was contributing at a forum on the budget organised by the Budget Advocacy Centre (BAC), a non-governmental organisation at Koforidua on Tuesday.

"God smiled on Ghana last year as, unlike 2000 when the country faced a crippling price hike in crude oil against a plummeted cocoa price, the year 2001 saw a dramatic improvement in the prices of both commodities."

He said despite the "harsh budget inflicted on workers last year through the imposition of numerous high taxes, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government was lucky to have enjoyed goodwill from organised labour, as the nation saw no strikes."

He expressed the hope that this year, "something favourable will be done to bring respite to workers for the notable sacrifices they were making to sustain the economy".

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo called on the government to come out with a farmers' insurance scheme to assist them in times of natural disasters and bushfires and embark on irrigation schemes to boost food production.

He also urged the government to take urgent steps to check the high rate of exodus of health personnel through improved conditions of service.

The Programme Co-ordinator of the ADC, Mr Vitus Azeem, called on Ghanaians to show more concern about the government's use of their taxes to benefit them since they voted it into power to provide their priority needs.

He said they could do so through organising forums to articulate their views or by sending memoranda to their MPs.