President John Mahama has called on critics of his government to join him develop the country rather than “venting their frustration” in the media.

According to president Mahama, it is the responsibility of every Ghanaian, to contribute towards building the nation in unanimity. Addressing the 120th Anniversary of Accra Archdiocese of the Catholic Church at the Independence Square, the president said; “the quest to build a desirable, prosperous and better Ghana is the responsibility of all of us”.

“It doesn’t pay to vent our frustration on radio talkshow programmes; if we must build a better and prosperous nation all of us need to come together and act in consent,” he stressed.

Fiscal discipline

President Mahama maintained that the 2014 budget has enough measures to help check government’s rising expenditure.

The state is expected to spend nine billion Ghana cedis more than the expected revenue generated by the end of 2014, after spending a similar amount in 2013, resulting in an unprecedented budget deficit of almost 12 percent of the value of the economy.

Government has come under heavy criticism for not coming up tougher measures to check the budget overruns.

But Mr. Mahama said next year’s budget has some initiatives that would address the challenges facing the economy.

“This budget is significant because it seeks to realign our financial management and to reform fiscal policy and stimulate local content and also to bring about discipline in our expenditure.

“The reforms began with the budget of 2013 and are being consolidated in the budget of 2014 and this will ensure that we avoid the cyclical loss of macroeconomic stability every four years as we have seen,” he said.

Source: myjoyonline

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