As part of his administration’s continuous efforts to cut public spending, President John Dramani Mahama has immediately cancelled paying and allocating fuel allowances to all political appointees.
The news was made on Tuesday, July 15, in a formal presidential declaration signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister of Government Communications.
The release states that the directive’s goal is to reduce government expenditure and reroute money to important priority areas.
The statement underlined the administration’s resolve to set an example despite the current economic challenges by stating that “the President believes that leadership must also bear its part of the sacrifices it is calling on the people to make.”
The Mahama administration has implemented a number of austerity measures, this one being the most recent.
Recent actions include the termination of satellite TV subscriptions for the Presidency and other state institutions, as well as a major decrease in the size of government through the appointment of fewer ministers and presidential staff.
This decision was made just twenty-four hours before the GHS1.00 levy, which is anticipated to be applied to each litre of fuel bought at the pump, goes into effect.
According to the administration, the main goal of the tax is to give the Ministry of Energy enough money to buy fuel for the production of electricity.
