Government is set to embark on a program to rationalize the size of the public sector workers by 2017, a new IMF staff report on Ghana has announced.
The 87-page report, gives details of Ghana’s program with the IMF, including the conditions that the country is expected to meet before further disbursements are made.
According to the report, Government will undertake; with the assistance of the development partners, a comprehensive plan to rationalize the size and increase the efficiency of the civil service and allied service on the payroll.
The related strategic plan will be ready in December 2015 and will inform the actual rationalization of staff, which is expected to begin in 2017.
“The Government will undertake, with the assistance of development partners, a comprehensive plan to rationalize the size and increase the efficiency of the civil service and allied services on the payroll. The related strategic plan will be ready in December 2015, the results of which will inform the actual rationalization of staff, which is expected to begin in 2017,” the report stated.
The report also indicates that Ghana should get its next disbursement of 144 million dollars by July 15, another one in November if Government meets certain conditions.
Even though the program will end in 2017, the last tranche will be advanced to Ghana in March 2018.
Running mate of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia had in a recent lecture at the Central University College, predicted a massive retrenchment come 2017 after Government surreptitiously baits Ghanaians to get their mandate in 2016, a report recently confirmed by the IMF.
“My understanding is that Government wants the IMF agreement to delay the worker layoffs until after the 2016 election. I wonder why? I suppose the message is ‘vote for me before I fire you’,” Dr Bawumia postulated in a 70-paged presentation in March.
“It will be underpinned by strengthened fiscal consolidation efforts that hinge on prudent public expenditure management, enhanced domestic revenue mobilization, public sector reforms, with particular emphasis on staff rationalization in the public service and better controlling the wage bill,” the IMF report said.
Credit: myjoyonline