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Govt launches 2016 Budget in 7 local languages

Finance Minister Seth Terkper, in an address at the launch of the document in Dodowa, said, the document is a summary of the 2016 Budget and Ecoomic Statement to deepen the understanding of the larger document.

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The Ministry of Finance has launched the local versions of the 2016 Budget and Economic Statements in seven languages in a bid to widen education on the countries financial and economic policies.

The seven languages include in which the document has been printed are Asante Twi, Ga, Dangme, Dagbani, Gonja, Nzema and Ewe in a project dubbed " Citizens' Budget".

Finance Minister Seth Terkper, in an address at the launch of the document in Dodowa, said, the document is a summary of the 2016 Budget and Economic Statement to deepen the understanding of the larger document.

“The ministry has taken pains to design the document so that it can reach out and be understood by a large segment of the Ghanaian population. I am sure that this document will enhance government-citizen dialogue on national policy and plans and in reflecting the priority and needs of the people,” he said.

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The Ministry of Finance with the support of the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) published the Citizens’ Budget which informs citizens in a very simplified manner on how the government makes use of resources.

It is also aimed at enabling active participation of citizens at all levels to hold government responsible.

Mr Terkper explained that the Government was resolved to promote budget transparency and accountability by making budget information more accessible, adding that “we hope that this will give opportunity to the good people of Ghana to exercise the democratic rights by demanding accountability and prudent management of state resources.”

He, however, explained that the Citizens’ Budget should not serve as a replacement for the detailed annual budget documents, but was rather an important supplement. The detailed budget, he said, was available on the Ministry of Finance website for any interested person.

The 2016 budget, he said, would focus on consolidating the progress made with the home-grown policies and under the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

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“Key strategies to do this will include improving Public Financial Management (PFM). A new PFM bill which will provide sanctions for infringing on any of the laws is underway,” he said.

“A Greenhouse Project to train farmers, the youth, women and agriculture graduates in commercial and modern greenhouse vegetable production in the country will commence,” he said.

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