IN our part of the world, governments often tout their economic achievements to highlight new initiatives that they have rolled out for the benefit of the people.
The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta did not depart from this trend as he laid bare government’s 2019 Mid Year Budget Review before parliament in Accra yesterday.
In all fairness and without going into specifics related to the various plans and programmes outlined by the Finance Minister, it is clear that the economy is on the right trajectory and this is in something we all should take pride in.
Apart from the imposition of some specific taxes which we think are unavoidable, the micro and macro indicators appear to be pointing in the right direction.
The impressive macro economic achievements, no doubt, have restored the integrity of the economy and demonstrate that indeed the economy is on the mend.
Infact, the statistics and the positive outcomes of the programmes proves the point that the country is poised to address the issues surrounding jobs, agriculture, education, health, infrastructure and undertake many other reforms for the benefit of the people.
The Ghanaian Times is confident that with the right fundamentals, the country has the capacity to effect real change and capable of accomplishing promises made to the citizenry.
However, to a lot of the people, the economic achievements coupled with the announcement of new taxes for social services, mean paying more taxes.
The question therefore, is, whether or not the impressive economic achievement would result in improving the socio-economic conditions of the ordinary people?
This is an immensely important question that should not be discounted because the welfare of the people is one of reasons why governments are elected to govern the people.
So regardless of the macro economic achievements, it is the duty of the governments to translate those achievements to impact the ordinary people of the country.
That notwithstanding, the government can revel in the achievements and take great pride in the economic success chalked so far.
We are hopeful that the government can now use its achievement for real, specific social changes and not just show off good statistics which are valueless to the ordinary man.
Until then, let us all applaud the government for its economic achievements.
