Accra, July 13, GNA - Alhaji Abubakar Siddique Boniface, Minister of Manpower Development, Youth and Employment on Thursday described the Supplementary Budget as a realistic attempt to make meaning of the President's vision of accelerating the economic growth of the country. He said the 4.3 trillion cedis to be spent on human resource development good governance and private sector development would trigger an appreciable growth in the economy within a few months.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency after the presentation of the Supplementary Budget in Parliament by Mr Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Alhaji Boniface said: "I am particularly happy because the youth would be receiving tremendous support in the coming months."

He said 1.3 trillion cedis would directly or indirectly go into the development of programmes that would offer employment and career development for the youth.

He said vacation employment, post-national service jobs and other programmes aimed at taking the youth from the streets would be pursued. The Minister said government's zeal to promote the development of the private sector has been given meaning by prepositions obtained in the Supplementary Budget.

According to Alhaji Boniface, 800 billion cedis earmarked for the energy sector would aid the national electrification programme. He said it would encourage the development of rural small-scale industries, which in turn create wealth and bring about the ultimate happiness "we all crave for in the rural setting."

He said budgetary allocation proposed for the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing would speed up the construction of affordable houses.

The Minister said most workplaces seem not to enjoy industrial peace because most "workers struggle to find a place to sleep which does not bring about the needed inner peace for smooth work".

Alhaji Boniface said government was about to invest heavily in sports infrastructure and development, which would provide jobs and an environment for talent hunt and development.

Mr. Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Information and National Orientation said; "I'm very excited today because very soon my ministry would be taking delivery of 150 cinema vans and other machinery to help us tell our story as a nation to all our peoples." He said those vans would not be used for political campaign purposes but to tell the people the "achievements and challenges we have as a nation".

He said government would be expecting a feedback from the people, which would lead to the formulation of better policies. 13 July 06