Accra, Nov. 18, GNA - The Government has given approval for the establishment of a National Plantation Development Programme (NPDP) that seeks to increase the forest cover, promote employment, and contribute to the fight against rural poverty.
Under this Greening Programme, 100 District Assemblies will actively be involved in the planting of trees in off-reserves areas beginning in the year 2010, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor said on Wednesday.
Presenting the government's budget and fiscal policy to Parliament, he said each District Assembly would employ 300 workers for the plantation programme.
"Thus, this will create 30,000 jobs within the period. By the end of 2011 more than 51,000 jobs would be created," he said.
On tourism, Dr Duffuor said it continued to be one of the most important and fastest growing sectors of the Ghanaian economy.
"Government seeks to use tourism as a tool for poverty reduction in view of its significant economic potential."
Dr Duffuor said Government realizing the potential of tourism to create jobs and tourism related industries at communities with tourist attractions found it prudent to commence the construction of receptive centres for the provision of information, catering services, places of convenience. Currently, seven centres under construction need to be completed.
The Minister said three new tourist receptive centres will be constructed at Paga, Axim and Kpetoe to enhance attraction of those places namely: Paga Crocodile Pond, Axim Transit Point and Kpetoe Kente craft village respectively.
On women empowerment, Dr Duffuor said the Government would formulate and co-ordinate policies to promote gender equality and equity, the empowerment of women, particularly the vulnerable, rural and urban poor as well as facilitating the survival, protection and development of the Ghanaian child.
In addition, Government will continue to support the training of Gender Desk Officers in all Ministries, Departments and Agencies, he said.
Budget is for "growth equity and sustainable development
The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor said on Wednesday that the 2010 budget gave effect to the Government's commitment to create a "Better Ghana" for growth equity and sustainable development for all.
He said the theme of this year's budget: "Growth and Stability," epitomised the Government's resolve to grow the Ghanaian economy in a sustainable manner to achieve a middle income status in an environment of stability and hope for the people of Ghana.
"I would like to assure fellow Ghanaians that our foundation is much better than it was in 2008, and most importantly, we remain endowed with an enterprising human resource.
"What we now need is to gather courage, adopt a positive attitude, and commit ourselves to moving forward in the right direction. It is only through our resolve and sustained commitment to tackling these challenges that we can restore our economy back to a higher and sustained growth path and eliminate poverty among our people."
Dr Duffuor said to achieve these goals, the government intended to broaden economic opportunities for all; significantly reduce youth unemployment and poverty, and deal comprehensively with regional imbalances.
"We plan to also confront head-on the governance challenges that continue to hold back our growth and development agenda.
"We must realize that we have no option but to collectively rise above our perceived inadequacies and stimulate our potentials with renewed commitment and determination to move our economy up the ladder of prosperity."
Dr Duffuor said "these challenges must be tackled now, and we must do so urgently, recognising that our economy and Ghanaians in general cannot afford any further delay".
Government to increase employee pension contributions by 0.5 per cent
Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, said on Wednesday that government would increase the salary contribution of employees from 12.5 per cent to 13 per cent to increase their pension benefits.
He said the increase would be under each of the three-tier new Pension Scheme.
Dr Duffuor who made this known in the 2010 Budget statement to Parliament said under the new Pension Scheme to be implemented in January next year, Ghana's economy would be stimulated with an injection of about one billion Ghana cedis being pension contributions.
He noted that the Scheme would enhance domestic savings, make available long term funds for investment, which would accelerate economic growth and development.
"The pension contributions would add further impetus to the development of the Ghanaian financial markets, and as a long-term investment fund, it would lead to increased demand for quality bond, equities and other investment products, "he said.
Government to revamp private sector
Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, on Wednesday stressed the need to develop incentive packages into the private sector to revamp it as an engine of growth for Ghana's economy.
He said it was imperative for Ghana to make headway in addressing some key growth challenges including equity and sustainability for the Government to continue creating an enabling environment for investment.
The challenges include necessary policy programmes, appropriate legal, social and regulatory framework for private sector investment.
Dr Duffuor announced this when presenting the 2010 Budget to Parliament in Accra.
He said the Government's strategies to develop the private sector included promoting public-private partnerships to accelerate the development and implementation of policies as well as the necessary legal and technical standards to support widespread implementation of e-commerce.
Other strategies are creating a diversified, innovative and fully integrated industrial sector with active participation of the private sector; reducing the economic and non-economic cost of doing business to enable the private sector to flourish; and enhancing the quality of dialogue with the private sector on macro-economic policy.
The Finance Minister said the Government would develop and implement training programmes for key decision makers and policy formulators on the role of private sector in the country.
He explained that the training would enhance the capacity of the public sector to make effective pro-private sector and pro-market decisions to support private sector development.
Dr Duffuor stressed that the Government would continue to undertake initiatives to enhance competence and capacity at the firm level, which would include the provision of business support and training, the extension of micro-credit, venture capital and export credit facilities to businesses.
"Government would in 2010 complete and launch an Industrial Policy which would focus on the development of small, medium and micro-enterprises to ensure Ghanaian entrepreneurs perform to the best of their abilities," he said.
GNA
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