World Bank leads review of free SHS - Adomonline.com

Mr Ofori-Atta said the review was part of efforts to streamline government expenditure.

It is understood that the review is one of the actions that the government is undertaking to ensure and assure of fiscal prudence in the quest for a $3 billion support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

While stressing that a decision will be made on each of the programmes only after the outcome of the exercise has been made known, the minister said he was convinced that the exercise would not collapse the free SHS and the School Feeding Programmes.

The minister was optimistic that the exercise would be concluded soon for a document to be issued next year.

On why the government settled on the World Bank to lead the exercise, Mr Ofori-Atta said it was to allow for a fresh eye on the initiatives.

He said after implementing the various programmes for about six years, it was only proper that a comprehensive assessment of how they had fared, the cost and results of each initiative were undertaken to inform the next line of action.

At a joint press conference last Tuesday to announce the preliminary agreement with the IMF for a $3 billion extended credit facility (ECF), Mr Ofori- Atta explained that the review of the social interventions was also to ensure efficiency.