Technocrats, students, attend Radio Gold maiden Breakfast Series on 2017 budget

The maiden edition of Radio Gold Breakfast Series on the 2017 Budget statement kick started Thursday at the campuses of Methodist University College at Dansoman in Accra.

The programme which featured the Deputy Information Minister-designate and Member of Parliament for Ofoase Ayeribi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and some key lecturers at the Methodist University attracted huge attendance from students of the university.

The aim of the programme was to afford students the opportunity to appreciate and understand the implications of government budget statement and its effect on their individual lives.

Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah set the ball rolling by giving highlights of the budget presented to parliament by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta.

In his presentation, he indicated that the new government had earmarked an amount of 100,000 dollars for the implementation of the government much hyped free Senior High School policy.

According to Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Akufo-Addo government was bent on fulfilling its electioneering campaign promises.

However, some lecturers of the institution who were guest speakers at the programme were not enthused with the elephant–size of the President Akufo-Addo’s government.

The lecturers said it was economically unwise for the President to appoint 110 people to serve as ministers and deputies given the fact it will invariably have negative effect on the limited public purse.

The Dean of the Faculty of Social Studies at Methodist University, Professor John Nee Djan Dodoo said: “I was disappointed after 54 extra deputies and ministers were announced. We were hoping that he will keep to a very sizable government say 50 or 60 because we all recognized that Ghana is facing challenges, but all of a sudden 110. That is too much.”

Another Economist who doubles as the Dean of students of the university, Professor Charles Daniel Kwadwo Opoku, was also not inspired with the President’s decision to go with 110 ministers.

“Let me be frank with you as an economist. I am not happy with that number. I don’t think that this is something we should do,” Professor Charles Daniel Kwadwo Opoku told this reporter.

He called for a review of the 1992 Constitution to put a limit on the number of ministers a government could appoint.

Meanwhile, participants at the programme lauded Radio Gold for the initiatives and appealed to the Management of the station to extend the programme to other institutions of higher learning.

By: Coffie Emmanuel/