More than Ghs 2.29 billion spent so far by government on health-related issues in fight against Covid

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Government of Ghana (GoG) is estimated to have so far spent a whooping Ghs 2.29 billion on health-related issues in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic last year.

Giving a breakdown of the monies spent by government in its ‘2020 Ghana Covid-19 Response Report’, the Oxford Business Group noted the following;

• Ghs 50 million spent on sanitation and market fumigation
• Ghs 80 million as 50 per cent allowance of basic salaries of frontline health workers
• Ghs 220 million on fumigation of schools and PPE for education sector
• Ghs 600 million for health infrastructure (District and Regional Hospitals)
• Ghs 1.34 billion on Covid-19 Preparedness Plan 1 & 2

On government relief packages given out on the back of growing awareness of the adverse economic and financial impact of the outbreak of the pandemic in the country and the subsequent implementation of lockdowns in parts of Accra and Kumasi to mitigate the effects on Ghanaians and businesses, the Oxford Business Group in its report, noted an estimated 4,086,286 households and 686,522 businesses benefitted from government’s Covid-19 relief packages last year.

Among the relief packages given by government include; a temporary 50 per cent subsidy on electricity at a cost of Ghs 1 billion, free supply of water to 522,864 domestic and 10,763 commercial customers of Ghana Water Company, Ghs 600 million Coronavirus Alleviation Programme for businesses among others.

According to Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Ernest Addison, the overall amount spent in the provision of relief and stimulus packages amount to Ghs 11.2 billion.

“So far, in terms of stimulus package deployed to moderate the adverse socioeconomic consequences on the households and businesses, is estimated at over Ghs 11.2 billion,” he noted.