In an economy where inflation is at its highest, taking a critical look at the government’s spending is something that should be monitored sternly.
Ghana is in a serious economic crisis. In just four months, fuel prices have witnessed rampant increments. As at the beginning of June this year, a litre of diesel was selling at GH¢12.20 while that of petrol was at GH¢10.
Currently, the price of diesel has ballooned to GH¢23.49, almost double the price some five months ago, while petrol has also jumped to GH¢17.99.
As expected, whenever fuel prices increase, the cost of transportation and food items are also affected. From the middle of October to the first week in November, transport fares have seen increases, more than three times.
Many people have started parking their cars and resorted to using public transport, due to their inability to fuel their vehicles.
The usual fights that ensue between drivers, mates, and passengers have toned down a bit, because the Ghanaian commuter is a witness to the incessant increases in fuel prices.
It is a fact that people try to take advantage of situations like this to make supernormal profits. With the current crisis some traders keep increasing the prices of their goods each passing day, and the rate of depreciation of the currency leaves little to be desired.
Many have attributed the hardship to the irresponsible borrowing of the government and have demanded the removal of key people in government.
This is why The Chronicle cannot believe that despite all these agitation from the citizens, the government is still doing business as usual.
The Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, is reported to have said that Ghana would be sending a delegation of over 320 persons to the ongoing 27th Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC (COP27) in Egypt.
According to the Minister, the number of people attending the conference on the ticket of the government is 150, while the rest belong to Non-Governmental Organisations and Climate Vulnerable Forums.
We are of the view that the 150 delegates going on the ticket of the government are too many and must be trimmed down. In our opinion, 20 key people can represent the government and the rest be made to watch the programme virtually, if they indeed have to participate.
Last year, we were told that aside MESTI, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Land and Natural Resources and Energy attended the program.
It is our submission that, MESTI should be made to attend the conference with five delegates, including the Minister, while the remaining three Ministries as well as the Environmental Protection Agency , Local Government and Rural Development and the Media are to nominate two or three persons each to represent them.
We are in an economic crisis and we do not need this wasteful spending of the little money that we have left in our coffers.
Desperate times require desperate measures they say, so let us behave like a country that wants to come out of a crisis by cutting down on some of these unnecessary spending.
