John Abdulai Jinapor has challenged the government for pegging the fiscal impact of coronavirus expenditure at GH¢18 billion when the claim is not accurate.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Yapei-Kusawgu stated that although the amount was the budgeted figure, only GH¢1.7 billion was used based on the government’s own 2021 budget statement presented to Parliament.
He made this known in a statement, explaining that it is even quite difficult to understand why the government will pretend to have heavily spent to manage the health crisis and then attribute current economic challenges to the pandemic.
“Of the total amount utilized, only GH¢1,734,530,274.99 billion representing 9.4% of the total utilized expenditure was for COVID-19 Expenditure. The remaining 90% was utilized for other purposes including interest payments and amortization. It is therefore inaccurate the claim by some government officials that GHs9 billion was used for COVID-19 related expenditures”, he wrote.
According to Citi News, further checks of the appendix of the budget also show that GH¢16.4 billion out of the GH¢19 billion budgeted for the coronavirus expenditure was spent on deficit financing.
John Abdulai Jinapor added that the narrative being told of the expenses the government made during the pandemic cannot be true, accusing it that its reckless expenditure is to be blamed instead.
“Government cannot engage in reckless expenditures and turn around to blame COVID-19 for their own failures”, he added.
Read the full piece from John Abdulai Jinapor below:< /b>
From Table 12B, Page 274 of the 2021 Budget Statement, only GH¢1,734,530,274.99 billion of the Programmed GH¢19,300,600,000 billion was utilized for COVID-19 Expenditure.
The remaining amount of the GH¢16,460,365,131.54 billion was used to pay interest, Principal and other regular budgetary Expenditures.
Indeed, of the GH¢19,300,600,000.00 allocated, a total amount of GH¢18,194,895,406.53 representing 94% was utilized.
Of the total amount utilized only GH¢ 1,734,530,274.99 billion representing 9.4% of the total utilized expenditure was for COVID-19 Expenditure.
The remaining 90% was utilized for other purposes including interest payments and amortization.
Indeed, from Appendix 2C of the 2021 Budget Statement, a total amount of GH¢11,162 million was programmed for total Covid-related expenditures for 2020. At the end of the year, provisional actual expenditure on Covid-19 amounted to GH¢8,123 million.
These include expenditures on security, health workers, etc.
It is therefore inaccurate the claim by some government officials that 19 billion was used for COVID-19 related expenditures.
Government cannot engage in reckless Expenditures and turn around to blame COVID-19 for their own failures.
John Abdulai Jinapor
MP Yapei-Kusawgu
John Jinapor is MP for Yapei-Kusawgu