The Minister for Finance and Economic planning, Mr Yaw Osafo –Maafo has stated that the government will take necessary measures to ensure that “ghost names” do not appear on the Payment Vouchers (PVs) again. He warned that perpetrators of such economic crimes would be prosecuted when caught.

The Minister said “it was wrong for someone to reap where he or she had not sown” while genuine workers toiled in vain without benefiting from their labour. Mr Osafo- Maafo said these when he addressed the 12th regional rally of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over the weekend.

The Finance Minister who is also the MP for Oda said the government had good policies and programmes but needed time and patience from the electorate to execute them. “This is not a government that will renege on its campaign promise. It has fulfilled almost all except the implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme” (NHIS), he explained.

“President Kufuor cherishes development and will do everything within his means to make Ghana a better country to live in”, he said.

The Finance Minister assured cocoa farmers that they would enjoy the benefit of 70 per cent of their produce when sold at the international market and urged them to continue with their hard work.

He sympathized with traders whose wares were destroyed in the recent fire outbreak at the Oda Market and said plans were afoot to help them bounce back.