The Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), has in time past urged the government to seek funding from other sources instead of relying solely on the oil revenue to finance its FSHS policy implementation.
PIAC believes that though it is a good social intervention policy, the over reliance on the petroleum revenue as a key funding source for the Free SHS programme is a panacea for disaster, should anything truncate the revenue mobilization from our natural resources.
In an interview with FiilaNews, the Chairman of PIAC, Prof, Kwame Adom-Frimpong indicated that the arrival of covid 19 last year, goes to support their call for other sources of funding for the free SHS programme.
According to him the country lost a total of 32% in petroleum revenue in 2020 compared to the previous year, due to the covid 19 pandemic.
He attributed government’s inability to implement most of its promises to Ghanaians, due to the reduction in revenues mobilized in 2020.
Prof Kwame Achampong believes if there are other supporting sources of revenue mobilization, government will always have a way out .
“We shouldn’t put all our eggs in one basket in running our country”.
He made this know during a forum organized by PIAC, on 10 years of the management and use of petroleum revenue for the northern belt.
Participants included stakeholders from the five regions of the north, thus; Northern, Savannah,North East,Upper East and Upper West Regions.
On her part the Queen mother of the Bunkpurugu traditional area in an interview with FiilaNews, is optimistic the people of bunkpurugu will someday have their share of the oil revenue.
She is advocating for a girls school for her area, which according to her will help increase female enrollment in the areas.
Source:Fiilafmonline/ShawanaYussif