A member of government communication team, Kofi Tonto says the government respects opinions from the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) but cannot heed suggestions of stopping the Free Senior High School (SHS) Policy and others on the back of current economic crisis.
The GPCC has submitted a letter to the government through the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah to cut down on expenditure and halt some flagship programs that drain the government’s finances.
GPCC also demanded that the government should listen to the outcry of the Individual Bondholders Forum calling for an exemption from the program.
According to the council, these proposals will instill confidence in the people to share the burden considering the economic turmoil the nation finds itself in.
However, commenting on this statement by the GPCC on Starr Today Thursday, Mr. Tonto said the government will study the proposals and make the necessary adjustments.
“Government has made several cuts as far as this expenditure is concerned. When it comes to cutting certain expenditure on flagship programs. We respect the call but the question is let’s take free SHS for example. If the government is to cut down on Free SHS, what it means is that the burden will go back to the Ghanaians.
“Remember if the government says that we are no longer going to afford the boarding school so we pay the school fees so parents pay the boarding school, what does it do, what it means is that it is the parents now who have to come up with a substantial amount of money to pay for boarding fees,” Mr. Tonto stated
He continued: “Government takes these feedbacks in good fate. I think it is important that as a government we listen because it is not from nothing that a big institution like the Pentecostal Church will come out and make such pronouncements. It is imperative that we as a government sit down to read the documents they’ve provided and definitely make efforts to show that we are listeners and we are making efforts”.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Bernice Mensah
