Gov’t cuts fuel allocations for appointees by 50%

Starting April 1, 2022, fuel allocation coupons for all government appointees and State-Owned Enterprises  (SOEs)  will be reduced by 50 per cent, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, has said.

According to him, the measure is part of the government’s efforts to reduce the cost of managing the country’s economy.

“These times call for very efficient use of energy resources. In line with this, there will be a 50% cut in fuel coupon allocations for all political appointees and heads of government institutions, including SOEs,” he said.

Fuel prices have crossed the ¢10 per litre mark amid the free fall of the value of the cedis compared to other major currencies.

Addressing the media on Thursday, March 24, 2022, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta blamed the current situation on the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and the inability of parliament to approve portions of the 2022 budget.

“We are calling for the spirit of burden sharing, recognizing that this is a trying time globally,” he said.

Dispelling claims by the minority in parliament that measures rolled out by the government to cushion the economy are cosmetic, the minister said, ” We are dealing with investor confidence and you are assured that these measures will cushion the Ghanaian economy”.

The minister further announced a temporal ban on imported vehicles for the rest of the year.

“With immediate effect, the government has imposed a complete moratorium on the purchase of imported vehicles for the rest of the year. This will affect all new orders, especially 4-wheel drives. We will ensure that the overall effect is to reduce total vehicle purchases by the public sector by at least 50 per cent for the period”.

For him, the moratorium on the purchase of imported vehicles will reduce the total vehicle purchases by the public sector by at least 50 per cent for the stipulated period.