‘Give education, revenue generation priority in 2014 budget’
A number of people in Accra have underscored the need for the government to focus more on education in the 2014 Budget expected to be presented to Parliament next week.
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They also suggested that issues of revenue generation, high utility tariffs, investments, facilitating business and infrastructure development should engage the attention of the government next year.
A number of people randomly spoken to were of the opinion that education was critical to the development of human resource, which was also fundamental to national development.
They said in improving education, resource factors such as institutions, teachers, teaching materials, teachers’ accommodation and means of transportation would have to be given priority attention.
A security officer, Mr Emmanuel Alitchobey, wanted more resources to be channelled into education to help Ghanaians acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to help in nation-building.
More resources for education
His suggestion was supported by Ms B.M. Bonney, a teacher, who advocated that the budget should allocate more resources to the educational sector, particularly the welfare of teachers to forestall industrial actions.
Nana Konadu A. Baffour, a student, urged the government to introduce measures to promote the welfare of teachers to encourage them to teach effectively.
“More educational facilities should be established to check the unnecessary pressure on facilities in both secondary and tertiary institutions,” he added.
Mr Fiifi Sam, an accountant, told the Daily Graphic that appropriate mechanisms must be put in place to facilitate increased revenue mobilisation.
For instance, he said, there was the need for the government to ensure that more people, especially operators in the informal sector, paid their taxes to generate more revenue for national development.
A marketing officer, Mr Kweku Dovie, said the budget should prescribe measures to make procedures at the ports easy.
Specifically, he suggested to the government to expand and decongest the ports to reduce the delays associated with clearing goods.
A procurement officer, Mr Patrick Mensah, said the budget should contain a road map for the Kasoa Interchange and plans for quality healthcare delivery.
Mr Godsway Atror, a public servant, said the budget should make provision for job creation for graduates especially.
“The unemployment situation confronting graduates is a critical issue which requires the attention of the government,” he stressed.
Mr Kwodjo Acquah, a public servant, said the budget should solve the unemployment canker in the country and make provisions for more projects.
For his part, Mr Courage Karikari, a National Service person, said the budget should address the increasing agitation among workers against increases in utility tariffs and the migration onto the single spine salary structure.
Daily Graphic/Ghana
A version of this article appears in print on November 8, 2013, on page 32 of the Daily Graphic with the headline: ‘Give education, revenue generation priority in 2014 budget’.