The Minister of Finance, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, is expected to present the 2010 budget statement to Parliament on Wednesday, November 18, 2009. TODAY sampled the views of regular Ghanaians on their expectations on the Budget.
Amankwaah, a taxi driver;
I am expecting the government to reduce petrol prices because the moment fuel prices increases, prices of goods and services also go up in the market.
Doris Agyekum, petty trader;
I am not very much involved in this kind of things because what I will say might not be even be factored in the budget. Nonetheless, I expect government to reduce the price of petrol and I pray that that stays for a considerable number of period.
Twum Barima, trotro driver;
The NDC is in power now and we believe they are going to bring out a budget that will profit all Ghanaians as a result anything that they will bring shall be well accepted by me. I don’t think my input can change what government intends presenting in the budget statement.
Akos, orange seller;
For me, I would want them to reduce the price of petrol, this is because if it is not reduced the drivers who bring us foodstuffs from the villages might not be able to bring us the food that we require in the cities and guess what might happen to us: We would go hungry!
Mensah, a driver;
I want the government to make construction of roads, especially feeder roads a priority in the budget statement. Aside the fact that the regular maintenance of such road will enable foodstuffs to reach every part of the country, I also believe improvement in our road networks will minimize road accidents.
Victor, an engineer;
In Ghana today one of our major problems is education, recently in the news, I saw two teachers teaching in a single classroom at the same time. Do you think in such a situation the students or pupils will be able to pay attention to what is being taught them? Government should do something very drastic and urgent about the situation.
This is because it is the same children that will be the fulcrum of our future development and if they don’t get that quality education, how would they be able to lead the country in the future. I therefore expect the budget to capture seriously the direction of the country’s education system.
Ibrahim Alhassan, Mechanic
If the budget presented will affect the prices of goods and services but will seek to address the plight of the people then we have nothing to worry about.
On the other hand, if the budget will deepen our woes then come 2012 we all need to advise ourselves and vote the NDC out of power.
Richard Ankrah, Student
In moments like these, we expect the government to provide a budget that will address our present economic doldrums.
Everywhere you go now, you would hear people complaining so much that there is no money.
The NDC government led by President John Evans Atta Mills should sit up because we don’t even know the direction we are heading towards.
The budget must simply bring some economic relief so that Ghanaians can have something to lean on.
COMPILED BY RITA ADU-GYAMFI, MELODY CEASAR ,MILLICENT YARO AND BEATRICE DEDE ASIEDU