The British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, has cited the cost of refreshments as something that the Government of Ghana may want to consider to reduce public expenditure.
According to her, “it is an important place to start” with cutting down government expenditure.
Mrs Thompson said this in a yet-to-be-aired interview on JoyNews’ The Probe on Sunday.
She said her views have been made known to government officials during her interactions with them.
“One of the things that I talk to them about is my own experience as a UK civil servant. Over the years since I started, we have gradually seen the budget being tightened. And it’s quite at low levels. For example no more free coffee and tea for civil servants, no more biscuits in meetings for civil servants.”
She noted that although such measures may be protested by the beneficiaries, they send the right signal to the taxpayer that the managers of the economy have them at heart.
“Nobody expects that that should be provided. People think very hard about how tax payer’s money is spent in an appropriate way. And for me as a British citizen, the taxpayer shouldn’t be buying my coffee and tea.”
The issue of government expenditure has recently come under discussion. As a show of concern, government cut down the salaries of its appointees by 30%. The 2022 midyear budget also made significant cuts in expenditure.
The UK High Commissioner emphasised that although she cannot say for a fact that the Government of Ghana provides free coffee and tea to civil servants, such gestures, where necessary show concern for the plight of the taxpayer in these trying times.
“I am not saying that the Government of Ghana is providing free coffee and tea for civil servants.
“I am saying that really looking at the cost of government, is an important place to start. Because people need to say that we are in this together and that the pain that is undoubtedly going to remain for a while as the world comes through these challenges, we need to be sharing that plight,” she explained.
