General News of Thursday, 9 April 2020

Source: rainbowradioonline.com

Tax waiver for health workers, water, sanitation bills to cost Ghc441 million - Minister

Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta play videoFinance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta

The government of Ghana has announced its decision to use GH¢200 million to cater for bills on water and sanitation, and an additional GH¢241 will cover tax waiver for health personnel.

This was made known by the Finance Minister when he presented before parliament the policy on the government’s poverty alleviation programme for the fight against COVID-19.

According to Ken Ofori Atta, GH¢280 million will go into food packages and hotmeals while GH¢40 million to the National Buffer Stock Company.

Explaining further, he said GH¢80 million will be spent on the allowance for health staff, GH¢2 million will be used to cover transportation for health workers GH¢600 million will be disbursed as soft loans to businesses.

The policy document on the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP), is seeking approval to spend ¢1.2 billion.

The Minister expressed the government’s profound gratitude to Parliament for working expeditiously to approve the proposal to lower the cap on the Ghana Stabilisation Fund from US$300 million to US$100 million. This has enabled us to transfer of the cedi equivalent of US$219 million into the Contingency Fund.