The Guide says the two-day national economic forum which takes off today, is expected to hear promises by President Rawlings about controlling his government’s expenditure. Under the heading: “What Rawlings will say at today’s economic summit!”, the Guide says sources close to the office of Dr Tony Aidoo of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) have indicated that the Commission has in a memorandum to President Rawlings, recommended to him to seriously consider short-term measures to control and reduce recurrent expenditure. According to the Guide the memorandum includes new budgetary and monitoring procedures jointly conducted by the Ministry of Finance and NDPC to ensure that heads of government agencies and district assemblies do not place orders or enter into contracts not included in the budget approved by Parliament. The memorandum, the paper says also recommends increasing the scope of tax audit to raise additional revenue fron rent, property and other incomes. The Guide says the sources, however, indicated that the areas the NDPC has advised President Rawlings to really cut down on government expenditure are the expenses relating to “mobile telephones, four wheel vehicles and excessive payments for travels. GRi
