Report by Nana POKU
A top consultant at one of the ministries in Ghana has predicted that very soon no sector ministry will be given any subvention to run their operations.
The official who chose to remain anonymous painted a bleak picture of an imminent blackout future for the ministries, departments, and agencies who depend on the government’s subvention for their operations.
Speaking to this reporter in his office, the officer stated that for the greater part of this year, the government has been struggling to pay only salaries and nothing else for other commitments.
“Look I am a hired consultant for the past two years for important project work and for 10 good months l have not been paid my fees and other allowances and my colleagues elsewhere are facing a similar challenge. The ministry doesn’t have money to pay certain statutory expenses and it’s all over,” he bemoaned.
This reporter can categorically confirm from other government agencies that he spoke to that they are facing the same or similar challenge that is militating against their day-to-day operations. Some organizations have their subventions in arrears for as many as 6 months. This is seriously hampering their smooth operations.
In some ministries, there’s agitation for downsizing the staff figure because it’s becoming evident that the organizations cannot meet their pay regimes.
“As I am talking to you, if the organization or agency doesn’t generate its own internal income, it will be extremely difficult to make headway. My prayer is that this doesn’t affect salaries, then we are doomed. But this cannot be ruled out, things are very tough my brother, we are in serious crisis,” he postulated.
The reporter has been randomly speaking to some government workers who have corroborated the officer’s fears and they are all in a serious panicking quandary and are not sure of their future.
In some ministries, simple working tools are in short supply and the situation is a dire one. It is envisaged that the world economic meltdown is affecting Third World countries like Ghana and the government must as a matter of urgency rise to the challenge before the country grinds a halt.
