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Oil find will
not save Ghana if.... Says Expert
Abdul Salam Sule, Ghanadot
Accra, March 9, Ghanadot - Dr Kwaku Osafo, an economist and
Presidential hopeful of the Convention People Party, (CPP)
has revealed that, the oil that Ghana has found in
commercial quantities would not save the country from its
economic woes if inefficiency and corruption is not dealt
with.
According to him, Nigeria has for a very long time
discovered oil in commercial quantities but it has yet to
pass on the wealth to the citizenry.
"Despite their discovery of oil in commercial quantities,
the living standard of a Nigerian is like that of a Ghanaian
and there is no benefit that the citizens are getting from
the oil", he added.
This he said was due to corruption and inefficiency that the
government of Nigeria had failed to address in the oil
industry.
He has therefore advised the government of Ghana to promote
efficiency and create no room for corrupt officials in the
oil industry, saying it would help to raise the standard of
living of the ordinary Ghanaian.
Dr Kwaku Osafo said this today when he was commenting on the
budget which was read by the Finance Minister and Economic
Planning to Parliament last Thursday.
On the whole, Dr Osafo described the budget statement as
pro-poor budget.
He said, the government intention of reducing taxes on
petroleum products and providing free note books and school
uniforms to students at the basic level would have a
positive impact on the ordinary citizens.
He also commended the President, Prof John Evans Attah Mills
for leading the way by reducing the size of his presidential
convoy, saying, it would trickle down to all state agencies
to cut down waste.
"The action by the President would also restore the hope of
Ghanaians that politicians are not liars but people you can
trust", Dr Osafo revealed.
Ghanadot
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