He said the various interventions and initiatives implemented by the government has provided financial relief for many Ghanaians.
These impact of the social interventions, he said, include the largest ever reduction in electricity tariffs and the implementation of the Free Senior High School policy.
Dr Bawumia made the statement when he gave the Keynote Address at the 2018 National Policy Summits at Kumasi on Monday, July 23, 2018.
“Government’s economic policies have not only seen an improvement in the macroeconomic indicators, it has also provided relief to ordinary Ghanaians such as parents, kayayei, the elderly teacher trainees, nursing trainees, unemployed graduates and many more”, he said.
Enumerating some of the interventions, and the financial benefits that have been transferred to the pockets of many Ghanaians, Vice President Bawumia stated: “If we take the reduction in electricity tariffs and quantify the amount involved, we would realize that for 2018 alone, the overall expected average annual savings on electricity bills for Residential and Non-Residential customers as well as industries will amount to over GHC1.8 billion. This is money that government has put in people’s pockets indirectly.”
“As government pays for the cost of flagship programmes such as Fertilizer subsidy, Planting for Food and Jobs, subsidy for BECE candidates, Free SHS, the expanded school feeding programme, the expanded livelihood empowerment against poverty (LEAP), restoration of nursing and teacher trainee allowances, national entrepreneurship and innovation programmes for start-ups, it is directly and indirectly putting money in people’s pockets,” he said.
“The total amount of money that government has saved the Ghanaian people from paying for these particular programmes is in excess of GHc2 billion”, Bawumia added.
He noted that the abolition of, and reduction of about 15 taxes in the 2017 budget provided relief to Ghanaians amounting to GHS 1.4 billion. Also, an increase in peace-keeping allowances from $30 to $35 and an increase in the share of DACF paid to persons with disability, have directly put monies in their pockets to the tune of about GHS54.6 million, Vic- President explained.
“The sum total of all the above is over GHS5.4 billion. This is significant relief to ordinary Ghanaians,” Dr Bawumia stated.