Minority readies to reject budget
Asiedu Nketia appeals to majority to vote against 2022 budget
Parliament will today, Friday, November 26, 2021, conclude the debate on the 2022 budget statement presented to the house by the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori Atta.
The debate is set to be followed with a vote by members of the house
The finance minister on Thursday, November 18, 2021, delivered the budget statement containing government's fiscal and expenditure plans for the upcoming year.
Major policies
In all, the minister presented 12 main fiscal policy measures to underpin the 2022 budget.
Major among the policies are the;
Restoration of the benchmark values of imports by suspending a 50 percent discount on selected general goods and the 30 percent discount on vehicles;
Imposition of Electronic-levy (E-levy) of 1.75 percent on the value of digital transaction including Mobile Money transfers;
A zero-rate toll policy following the cessation of road and bridge toll collection across the country.
Response of Majority and Minority MPs to 2022 budget
The budget has, as expected, received massive endorsement from the majority side of parliament made up of members of the ruling New Patriotic Party.
The majority in its defense of the budget indicate that it has the potential to propel Ghana’s economic growth and achieve its theme of “Building a sustainable Entrepreneurial Nation” through “Fiscal Consolidation and job Creation.”
However the Minority on the other hand has issued notice that it will be voting to reject the budget.
For the minority, policies such as the E-levy are insensitive to the economic conditions of Ghanaians.
Opposition Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa last Friday indicated he will be voting against the approval of the budget.
Speaking on Friday, November 19, 2021, edition of Good Morning Ghana, Mr Ablakwa stated among other things that the budget is going to lead to job losses for some 43,000 persons in the health sector alone.
He faulted the budget on principle and on policy measures stating that his constituents will have a reason to take him on if he votes for the passing of the budget.
TWI NEWS
“The Ministry of Health between 2021 and 2022, more than 23,000 are no longer going to be there as part of this staff rationalization process and its so-called light sizing. All the euphemism to cover up for what is the obvious, thus the intent to do. So Dr, this budget - may my constituents never forgive me if I vote for this budget based on principle and on policy measures,” he told the host of the morning show, Dr Randy Abbey.
Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has urged members of the minority side to join the minority in voting against the budget in the spirit of patriotism.
