body-container-line-1

Major Highlights Of 2019 Budget

By GNA
Major Highlights Of 2019 Budget
16.11.2018 LISTEN

The 2019 Budget and Financial Policy Statement of the Government highlighted some key projects and interventions that are intended improve infrastructural development and better the lots of Ghanaians.

Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Minister of Finance, who presented the Budget Statement to Parliament, in Accra, on Thursday, outlined the following projects:

Health Sector:
The Government would secure 275 ambulances for each of the 275 constituencies.

The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) phase one has commenced; while Parliament has approved a-50 million dollar-loan for Phase Two.

Ho Regional Hospital to be upgraded to a Teaching Hospital status, while Hohoe Municipal Hospital to become a Regional Hospital.

The Government intends to construct 15 Community-based Health Planning Systems (CHPS), in the following regions: Brong Ahafo - five, Eastern- three, Western-three, Ashanti - two and Greater Accra - two.

Additionally, the Western Region is to benefit from a district hospital and five polyclinics, while four district hospitals in the Easter Region are to be equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment.

They are at Aburi, Kyebi, Atibie and Mampong.

On the employment front, government has rolled the Nation Builders Corp (NaBCo), which has engaged 100,000 unemployed graduates in seven modules, while more are expected to be enrolled in 2019.

The government has plans to revive the agricultural sector through the Planting for Food and Jobs with the supply of free fertilisers to one million farmers.

Government also announced plans to allocate oil blocks from hitherto opaque allocation.

Incentives for business
Government has announced plans to pay more attention to production of goods and services; instead of increasing taxation to rake-in revenue, and ensure reduction in electricity tariffs.

It would also review the Income Tax Band from above GH¢10,000 at 35 per cent to above GH¢20,000 at 30 per cent.

It will also implement the withholding tax policy on small scale mining, support the textile industry by extending the tax stamp policy to imported textile products.

body-container-line