Jonathan Abdallah Salifu, the Upper East Regional Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has expressed his support for the 2025 national budget presented by Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson on March 11.
He praised the budget, describing it as focused on social interventions aimed at improving the welfare of citizens, particularly in education, health, and job creation.
Speaking in an interview on A1 Radio, Mr. Salifu highlighted that the budget’s emphasis on addressing hardships and improving key sectors such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure will benefit many, especially parents, students, and job seekers. He described the budget as “people-centered” and considers it one of the best in recent years.
“Just look at the budget. It is focused on jobs, it is focused on reducing hardship, it is focused on making education better, it is focused on improving health, and then a little bit of infrastructure.”
Of particular interest to him was the significant increase in funding for education. Compared to the 2024 budget, the 2025 allocation for education has risen by 30%, which Mr. Salifu believes will help resolve issues related to feeding students in Senior High Schools (SHS). He also noted that food suppliers for SHS students have not recently raised concerns about unpaid debts, a sign of improved management of resources in the sector.
“Judging by what has been allocated versus what was given in 2024, there’s a 30 percent increase. Fantastic. If we are able to get the releases done properly, I think we shouldn’t have a problem with feeding the students anymore.”
The NDC official also spoke about the decentralized approach to managing the Free SHS program, marking a shift from previous centralized procurement methods. He sees this change as a key factor in the ongoing improvement of the program.
“It is all because we, more or less, did not give so much attention to Free Senior High School. The way things were being procured also contributed largely to the challenges because we centralized it. This time, we are decentralizing it.”
Additionally, Mr. Salifu commended the introduction of free sanitary pads as one of the most innovative initiatives in the budget, recognizing its potential to positively impact the lives of young girls across the country.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Gifty Eyram Kudiabor|Bolgatanga
