The 2020 Presidential Candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. John Dramani Mahama has said he disagreed with the oft-repeated position that the public sector is full and has no room for more people as claimed by Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori Atta.
According to Mr. Mahama, the Human Resource Gap (HR Gap) study conducted on the public sector last year, revealed gaping shortages in specific segments of the public sector.
Delivering a public Lecture dubbed “ThankGhana” in Accra, the former president said the Ghana Education Service and the Ghana Health Service have human resource gaps of almost 100,000 (98,650 actual) and more than 70,000 (76,795 actual) respectively.
Similar gaps were also identified in the security services: Ghana Police Service – 35,020, Ghana National Fire Service – 30,136, Ghana Immigration Service – 3,522, and Ghana Prison Service – 7,925.
He said what is lacking are innovative strategies of financing these human resource gaps, adding, the time has come for the government to bite the bullet and take the bull by the horn.
Mr. Mahama said many of these sectors can be made self-financing to improve the capacity to employ, once they are allowed to use portions of their Internally Generated Funds instead of depending solely on the consolidated fund.
“Similarly, the informal sector, which includes the creative arts industry and sports also deserve attention. Sports and creative arts are powerful life-changing endeavors. Azumah Nelson, 20-year old Samuel Takyi of Tokyo 2020 fame, Abedi Pele, Professor Francis Dodoo, Adjoa Bayor, the late Nana Kwame Ampadu, Amakye Dede, Kojo Antwi, modern-day musicians, actors, and actresses have transformed their lives and that of their families and communities through their talents.”
“Government must always keep in mind that their trade can only be enhanced if, and only if, the appropriate infrastructure and the enabling environment is created for them. After all, traders at our various food markets need good roads to cart farm produce from the farm-gate to the market to sell and make an income, while importers – like my friends at Abossey Okai – need a favorable exchange rate regime and a reduction in taxes at the port for their businesses to thrive.”
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Kofi Atakora
