Cut discretionary consumption expenditure instead of introducing taxes - Adongo to government

Discretionary consumption expenditure to increase by GH¢ 27 billion

Imposing more taxes as Ghana recovers from COVID-19 is insensitive, Isaac Adongo

Nothing to show for government’s GH¢ 530 expenditure

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, has urged the government to cut down its huge discretionary consumption expenditure, which would increase by GH¢27 billion, rather than burdening Ghanaians with taxes.

Speaking at a public forum on the 2022 Budget in Accra, Mr Adongo said the wage bill and interest payment, which are obligatory discretionary expenditures, could be cut.

“The government was expanding its discretionary by GH¢ 27 billion – this expenditure you do not need and can cut in order to save the people of Ghana," he said.

He noted that government's insistence on implementing the e-levy clearly showed how insensitive it was to the polite of Ghanaians.

“In the midst of a pandemic where business and households are struggling to stay afloat, the government is introducing an austerity measure that would make them worse," he said.

The MP lamented why the government would pursue Ghanaians for the e-levy and created the impression that without that the levy, government would be heading to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

According to him, the government has spent about GH¢ 530 billion since it came to power yet, the roads in the country were not fixed and there are still a lot of other issues to fix.

“If the money was used to fix our school our children would not be doing double-tracking and could have even been used to address the unemployment challenge the country we are facing," he added.