
Audio By Carbonatix
Ghana can receive a $1.2bn budgetary support promised it by the World Bank only if the country is able to meet certain tough pre-requisites set by the bank.The World Bank Country Director, Ishac Diwan on Thursday addressed the Parliamentary Select Committee on Finance where he outlined a tall list of conditions the country must satisfy to benefit from the bank’s facility.Mr Diwan prescribes Ghana conducts a “mid-term review of revenues and expenditure and ensure that budgetary deficits are on target. Where they are not, the necessary decisions have to be taken to bring them back.”The bank requires the country to publish fiscal accounts every quarter with at least one quarter account at large.To be able to realise these, the bank suggests the Mills-led government adds another ministry to be in charge of public sector reform apparently to sift public sector payroll of ghost names.Government has also been requested to implement the Freedom of Information Bill, which has yet to receive parliamentary review and approval.The Ministry of Energy must also complete a proposed Electricity Sector Financing Bill to ensure that the sector is financially sustainable.The World Bank wants the draft legislation on the Ghana Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Oil and Gas Fiscal Regime completed.Mr Diwan however promised the bank’s willingness to give Ghana the needed technical assistance on the various bills.Ghana must also “revise the classification of pro-poor expenditure.” Mr Diwan said the country must devise effective ways of utilising funds meant to alleviate poverty and improve the livelihoods of the citizenry.Meanwhile government is yet to respond to the proposals from the Breton Wood institution.Finance Minister Dr Kwabena Duffour announced earlier that the support from the bank was strategic in meeting the medium to long term targets of the new administration.Play attached audio for excerpts of Mr Diwan's directive to GhanaStory by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Latest Stories
-
GTA supported A Plus’ Gomoa Easter Carnival – Abeiku Aggrey
31 seconds -
GRA to tighten controls on importation of right-hand drive vehicles
19 minutes -
You can’t leave a bigger legacy than Petroleum Hub project – Western Regional Chiefs tell President Mahama
20 minutes -
Lawra MP cuts sod for GH₵11m multipurpose dining hall construction at Birifoh SHS
22 minutes -
Ghana defend African Schools Football Championship title after shootout win over Burkina Faso
25 minutes -
Ghana’s education system must evolve or risk becoming irrelevant – Patricia Obo-Nai warns
32 minutes -
Ghana Health Service responds to dead fish incident at Tema Port
44 minutes -
David Vondee lauds Mahama for emergency Cabinet meeting and key resolutions
51 minutes -
Universities should focus on churning out impactful graduates rather than merely adding new programmes — UEW VC
54 minutes -
Publican AI system is speeding up trade, not slowing it — GRA Boss
57 minutes -
Government to construct a FIFA category 2 stadium in the Volta Region – James Gunu
1 hour -
CAF to introduce reforms to fix AFCON final controversies – Patrice Motsepe
1 hour -
EOCO defends probe into Kwamigah-Atokple
1 hour -
Fuel tanker accident at Breku Forest spills thousands of litres of diesel
1 hour -
IEAG backs Publican AI system after concerns addressed
1 hour