Member of Parliament for the North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has described as utterly shocking, the budget statement read by Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta for the year 2018. According to him, the contents of the statement are absolutely fictitious, a complete contrast to what the actualities are in Ghana today.
Mr. Ofori-Atta in his statement before parliament highlighted several areas of the economy which he maintained had been transformed by the NPP government. Macroeconomic stability, reliable electricity supply, GDP growth, and reduced inflation among other things were projected as the feats attained by the NPP since their assumption of office. The Finance Minister as a matter of fact lauded his government for having “achieved in less than a year, what could not be achieved in 8 years”.
Mr. Ablakwa said, “Listening to the honourable Finance Minister, one wonders if he lives in Ghana with us because a lot of the claims he was making, we were really, really dumfounded, utterly shocked”.
The North Tongu MP cited the Minister as having touted government’s achievements in the railways and the energy sector for instance when the situation on the ground proves otherwise. The resolution of ‘dumsor’ as being ‘hyped’ by the NPP, he said, was only true to some extent and even that was by courtesy of the foundation laid by the NDC.
“He says that the railway sector has been transformed, where? Which part of Ghana? Can the honorable Finance Minister show us one inch of rail line that has been added to our railway system, just one inch, he should show us, where in Ghana? He says dumsor has been resolved, where? Only last night there was dumsor. Yes you can talk about some improvement because of the investment that the President Mahama administration made. Karpower, Ameri, as we speak, this government has not added 1 megawatt to our power generation.”
“The honorable Finance Minister says one million dollar per constituency has been achieved, at where? I’m a Member of Parliament, no 1 million dollars has arrived in North Tongu so you wonder if the honorable minister is living with us in Ghana. He says that the Zongo Development Fund, monies have been released that it has been achieved, he says that 1-D-1-F, we promised, we have delivered, at where? Can you point to one district in Ghana, the 216 districts in Ghana, which of them has seen this 1-D-1-F? 1-village-1-dam, he says that we have achieved our promises, at where? The honorable Finance minister should come home and live with us”, he said.
Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta on Wednesday November 15 presented the budget for the year 2018 before the house in Parliament.
The budget themed: “Putting Ghana Back to Work, according to Mr. Ofori-Atta, will stabilise the economy and offer reliefs including reducing electricity tariffs to make the private sector truly competitive and create more employment.
Provisions he said, will also be made to promote economic opportunities for women, special considerations would be given to women in Government’s procurement, prioritise investment in the agriculture sector to increase production and ensure food security as well as provide jobs through its flagship program; planting for food and jobs, reduce electricity tariffs in the country, lessen tax burden on compliant taxpayers through the implementation of tax compliance measures, among others.
