The government will prioritise stalled projects to prevent waste and ensure taxpayers’ money is put to good use.
In that regard, the government has allocated GH¢13.85 billion for infrastructure development in the 2025 budget, with funds directed towards roads, hospitals, schools and housing projects.
The Minister for Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, disclosed this when he presented the 2025 budget to Parliament on Tuesday in Accra.
The Minister stated that many of the funds would be invested in the road sector, particularly in urban road expansion and major highways that facilitate trade.
He noted that major projects such as the Accra-Kumasi Highway expansion and key interchanges in Accra and Kumasi would be fast-tracked.
According to the Minister, the government also plans to resume construction of uncompleted hospitals, including the La General Hospital and the Shama District Hospital, which were stalled due to a lack of funding.
In the education sector, he pledged that new senior high school buildings would be constructed and existing ones expanded to accommodate the rising student population.
Dr Forson assured Ghanaians that the costs involved in the project would be closely monitored to prevent inflated contracts and financial mismanagement.
“Infrastructure is central to economic growth, but we must ensure that every cedi spent results in real development that benefits Ghanaians,” he said.
The Minister announced the abolishment of the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy) and the 10% tax on lottery winnings also known as the betting tax.
The Minister also announced the cancellation of other levies, including the Emissions tax.
“In an attempt to review the Value Added Tax system, the government will also eventually abolish the COVID-19 levy,” he disclosed.
Sompaonline.com/Nana Yaw Boamah