Accra, March 5, GNA - The government on Thursday reiterated its pledge to invest in people through the provision of better quality social services and create job opportunities and provide justice for all. It said it would also build capacities and energize the public sector to meet emerging challenges.

"We will do things differently and it will not be business as usual," Dr Kwabena Duffuor stated in the government's maiden budget to Parliament.

He said mediocrity, waste and profligate expenditures will not be countenanced, adding; "we will ensure good value for every Ghana Pesewa of the taxes we collect from the people of Ghana and utilize it to deliver better services".

To this end, he said, unnecessary expenditures, which did not inure to the benefit of Ghanaians would be curtailed. Delays in service delivery and payments would be reduced and quality of social services would improve.

"This is the change that we promised Ghanaians and we will deliver it." Dr Duffuor said the theme for the budget; "A Better Ghana" demonstrated the government's resolve to enforce financial rules and regulations to ensure accountable governance.

"Effectiveness and efficiency is what we demand from everyone. In that regard, we will monitor Government institutions to ensure that they deliver on their mandate. Special efforts will be made to refocus institutions to make them more results oriented and collectively, we will provide a better Ghana for Ghanaians."

Dr Duffuor gave the assurance that; "a year from now this country will be better than it is today, and their lives will be better". The minister said the priority measures, strategies and programmes that had been outlined in the budget were geared towards restoring security, discipline, opportunity, confidence and pride in the economic governance of the country.

"I reach out to both sides of the house in a non-partisan manner to support the implementation of the policies and measures outlined in this budget to ensure a better Ghana for all Ghanaians," Dr Duffuor said. He added: "We are fully capable and committed to deliver on our promise. These challenges are not insurmountable. Some are external and others are domestic. We do not have full control over the external ones but we will implement measures to mitigate them. On the domestic front we will do what is right, responsible and good for this country."