The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta yesterday presented to Parliament the 2024 budget and economic policy.

We present to you some highlights of budget indicating initiatives in selected sectors.

The Controller and Accountant

General’s Department in collaboration with NIA integrated 504,063 out of 703,665 mechanised GoG employees NIA numbers into the IPPD2 Payroll
System to prevent the recurrence of unapproved workers on government payroll.

93. The Public Procurement Authority enrolled 828 public entities from MDAs and MMDAs onto the Ghana Electronic Procurement System (GHANEPS) and trained 1,060 procurement staff
    to use the System to conduct procurement activities.
    Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development
94. The Ministry under the Ghana Productive Safety Net Project (GPSNP) II supported 14,324 beneficiaries through the productive inclusion component to implement 529 sub-projects, comprising community plantations, feeder roads and small earth dams.

The project also supported 8,064 Labour Intensive Public Works (LIPW) unskilled labour beneficiaries and25,426 were provided with indirect jobs. In 2024, the Ministry will continue the implementation of GPSNP II, which will employ additional 15,046 beneficiaries under the productive inclusion component and another 34,574 unskilled labour wage earners under the LIPW component.

Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs

95. The Ministry activated processes that engendered debate on the possible review of the 1992 Constitution, and inaugurated a Consultative Committee to oversee the review. The activities
    included organising consultative meetings with constitutional experts, elderly statesmen, and members of the Council of State.

Ministry of Food and Agriculture

96. Government undertook a comprehensive review of the first phase of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) flagship programme in April this year to anchor on successes and address the
    gaps and challenges identified over the six-year period of implementation. This culminated in the introduction of PFJ 2.0, a five-year transformative initiative anchored on four main principles: private sector focused, value chain approach, market driven and inclusivity. The PFJ 2.0 is designed to accelerate Government efforts towards the modernisation and competitiveness of the food and agricultural sector.
97. Since the launch of PFJ 2.0, the Ministry facilitated the procurement processes for the provision of 9,827.5MT of seeds comprising 5,000MT of Maize, 450MT of rice, 300MT of sorghum, 4,071MT of soya, 1.3MT of pepper, 1.2MT of tomato and 4MT of onions seeds for distribution under the Input Credit Model.
98. In addition, the Ministry facilitated the procurement of 5.5 million Day Old Chicks, 24,750MT of feed and 16.5 million doses of poultry vaccines for 16 Anchor and 500 out-grower farmers
    to raise broiler chicken for local consumption during Christmas and New-Year festivities.Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources
99. The Ministry organised the third edition of the Green Ghana Day Initiative in June, under the theme: “Our Forests, Our Health” with 11,531,914 seedlings including forest, fruit, ornamental and multi-purpose trees distributed for planting. Out of the seedlings distributed, 7,125,955 were for planting in the forest reserves whereas 4,404,717 were for the off-reserve
    landscapes.

In addition, the Ministry established a total area of 3,132ha of forest plantation under the National Afforestation Programme. In addition, 5.8 million seedlings, including
ofram, emire, wawa, kokrodua, teak, cedrela, gmelina, cassia, eucalyptus and mahogany species were supplied and planted.

100. The Ministry installed 69 tracking devices to track the movement of earth moving machines and mining equipment nationwide, in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Regulations 2020 (L.I. 2404).
101. The Minerals Commission procured and distributed 5,087,706 hybrid oil-palm seedlings and
     1,750,000 coconut seedlings to beneficiary farmers in the Ashanti, Central and Eastern Regions under the Alternative Livelihood Project. In addition, the Commission reclaimed a
     total of 462.01ha of degraded mined-out areas in the Ashanti, Central and Western North Regions. In 2024, the Commission will continue to reclaim more degraded mined-out areas.

Ministry of Trade and Industry

102. Government’s flagship, One District One Factory (1D1F) Initiative, has 169 projects currently

Ministry of Trade and Industry

102. Government’s flagship, One District One Factory (1D1F) Initiative, has 169 projects currently
     operational increasing from 126 in 2022 resulting in 160,823 direct and indirect jobs creation.
103. Rana Motors commissioned a state-of-the-art assembly plant to produce KIA brand of
     vehicles in Ghana. Currently, six of the major global vehicle manufacturers have assembly
     plants in Ghana producing 11 brands of vehicles.
104. Toyota Ghana partnered the School of Engineering Sciences of the University of Ghana to
     establish a modern auto engineering training centre for students and the industry to acquire
     applied auto engineering training. Similarly, KIA Motor Company of Korea has also donated state-of-the-art equipment to Rana Motors’ West African Vehicle Academy which trains
     students and practitioners from across the Auto Industry.
105. Fifty-one Ghanaian companies received AfCFTA Rules of Origin Certification for 300 products
     in 2023. In addition, 63 companies were assisted to successfully undertake market
     exploration missions to Kenya to engage with prospective buyers. Products initially identified
     for the East African market include cosmetics, processed foods, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, coconut oil, shea butter and garments.

Ministry of Tourism

106. The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park was redeveloped, modernized, and commissioned by H.E the President in July 2023. Since opening in 1993, the Park had the highest number of
     98,000 visitors in 2019, during the Year of Return. However, four months after the recent face-lift in July, the number of visitors increased to about 150,000. Revenues subsequently
     increased from a paltry GHC30,000 per month to an average of GHC 1 million per month.

Ministry of Works and Housing

107. The Ministry continued with the implementation of the National Flood Control Programme
     across the country to improve drainage and mitigate the disaster risks associated flooding.

A total of 301 out of 312 desilting contracts, representing 96 percent, were completed while 42 out of 114 construction works, representing 37 percent, were completed.

108. The Ministry commenced the implementation of the National Rental Assistance Scheme in
     February 2023. The Scheme disbursed GH¢13,785,597.00 to cover the payment of rent advance for 1,105 individuals in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Northern, Eastern, Bono East
     and Western Regions. In 2024, the coverage of the Scheme will be expanded from the
     current 6 to 10 Regions.

Compiled by Edem Mensah-Tsotorme