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The Deputy Minister for Finance, Fifi Kwetey, has given the assurance that government will not go overboard regarding its expenditure on developmental projects in the remaining months before the December elections. According to him, ruling governments, especially in an election year have great difficulty in managing its expenditure because �every government in power would want to do its possible best to consolidate power and this mostly affects the expenditure of government thus negatively affecting the economy.� President John Dramani Mahama at a breakfast meeting in Accra on Tuesday outlined some critical policy actions to be taken by the NDC government before the expiration of its first term. He stated that he will ensure the maintenance of discipline in government expenditure so as to avoid unbudgeted expenditure that can distort the economy. Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday, Hon. Kwetey explained that �in an election year, everybody clamours for development and a lot of that clamour are projects that have not been budgeted for, so the tendency most of the time is for you to lose that discipline because you really are desperate to win power.� He added: �President Mills set a tone and in setting that tone, he did not only verbally instruct all the Ministers to make sure that they stick to the approved budget, he also directed them to writing. But now that Prof Mills is no more, President Mahama is saying that, that important directive which had to do with restraining ourselves to the approved budget and not going beyond it will continue.� Hon. Kwetey stated �we are not going to have the 2008 situation where we completely went overboard and landed the economy in crisis and we now had to struggle from 2009 to resuscitate the economy; that is not going to happen.� He also clarified that although the NDC government formerly led by the late President Mills had a clear cut policy on governing the country, President Mahama had to inform Ghanaians about how he intends to finish the unexpired term of the late professor. Sections of the public have described the President�s critical policies as unnecessary as the late leader already had one put in place to govern the country. Others have also accused him of using the opportunity to campaign ahead of the December elections. But Mr. Kwetey stated that �even twins have differences in style. It is true that President Mahama and President Mills have quite a lot of things that are very close but they are unique human beings and there are definitely going to be different styles so it was a necessary step.� �A lot of the things that the late Professor did are great things and President Mahama has actually explained the fact that there is a need to consolidate them and to try to improve them if need be. Where of course there have been challenges, clearly efforts will be made to resolve it.� According to him, the message was meant for both the Ghanaian community and the international ones saying, �the international community, donor communities, development partners are also looking on. They need to have a clear direction so it is not just assuring Ghana, but the international community as well.�