'Gov't programmes have put GH¢12.2 billion in Ghanaians' pockets'

The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, says government’s initiatives and social intervention programmes have directly and indirectly put monies into the pockets of Ghanaians.

According to him, the interventions which have been implemented from 2017 to date have put at least GH¢12.2 billion in the pockets of Ghanaians.

Presenting the 2020 Budget to Parliament on Wednesday, Mr Ofori-Atta said Free SHS has saved parents a total of GH¢1.8 billion in the last three years.

Below is a breakdown of initiatives and programmes he deemed to have put monies into the pockets of Ghanaians

• Planting for Food and Jobs has saved farmers a total of GH¢844 million over the last three years for subsidized fertilizer;
• A total of GH¢357 million have been put into the pockets of Teacher trainees within the last three years in the form of allowances;
• A total of GH¢336 million have been put into the pockets of Nursing trainee within the last three years in the form of allowance;
• Subsidy for the BECE registration fee has saved parents a total of GH¢65 million over the last two years;
• The electricity tariff reductions effected by the PURC effective March 15, 2018 resulted in savings of GH¢1.8 billion for a year for residential and non-residential customers;
• The reduction and abolition of taxes (including the 50% reduction in import duty) has saved taxpayers a total of GH¢4.1 billion over the last three years;
• The over 350,000 jobs that have been created in the public sector (including the 100,000 NABCO graduates) has provided total earnings to them of GH¢2.9 billion.

Mr Ofori-Atta also alluded that the financial sector clean-up saved the deposits of 4.6 million depositors who would otherwise have lost their deposits