We have no intention to roll back on Free SHS – Ken Ofori-Atta

On the back of recent economic downturn in the country, several calls have been made for a review of some major government policies including the Free SHS.

But speaking at a press conference on Thursday to outline some measures adopted by government to address the current economic challenges, Mr Ofori-Atta, while tagging the Free SHS policy as the most ambitious social welfare policy in Ghana, emphasized that the government has no intention to look back on the policy.

He noted that the government rather intends to do more to improve the policy.

“Let me say this, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has absolutely no intention to roll back on a major policy like Free SHS. We see education as the best enabler for sustainable economic growth and transformation and will do more to improve on it for it to serve more and better our children,” the minister said.

Mr Ofori-Atta’s address follows a cabinet meeting conveyed by President Akufo-Addo over the weekend to consider measures aimed at saving the Ghanaian economy.

Among other things, the measures outlined by the finance minister on Thursday, March 24, 2022, are to address: recent rising in fuel prices, rising inflation and cost of living; exchange rate depreciation; rising interest rates; and revenue mobilization challenges.

These issues over the past weeks have become topical among Ghanaians as people point to their glaring existence in their daily interactions and activities.

However, speaking at the press conference, the finance minister pointed out that the current situation was largely an effect of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak as well as the recent conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

He also linked the situation to the failure of Parliament to pass the Electronic Transactions Levy bill into law to the current economic challenges pointing out that the levy was one of government’s main revenue sources in the 2022 budget.

“However, three (3) things that we did not (and could not) predict hit us: (1) that Parliament would approve Government’s 2022 Budget Statement and its expenditure plans and then turn around to vote against one of the key revenue generation measures that was being introduced, the e-levy. (2) That the unyielding stance of the Minority in Parliament against the Elevy would gravely affect investor confidence in our capacity to implement our programmes and settle our debts, triggering a downgrading by credit rating agencies, and now leaving the cedi vulnerable as we could not access the International Capital Market,” Mr Ofori Atta-said.