Member of Parliament for South-Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, has revealed that government will struggle in its 2023 budget presentation scheduled for tomorrow, November 24, 2022.
According to him, the finance minister will be confronted with detailing progress on some “grave concerns” government identified of which it proffered some economic measures. He indicated that the finance minister identified areas such as increasing inflation rate, increasing interest rates, burgeoning debt portfolio, dwindling revenue levels and general increase in price of commodities and fuel.
Among other things, Mr Dafeamekpor recounted that government equally came out with measures after a lot of consultations. This, he explained includes, ensuring that fuel coupons for government appointee were cut by 50% for government to make some gains, government appointees salaries cut by 30%, ensure all ongoing projects completed, high fuel prices reduced, innovative revenue mobilization found, inflation is stabilized and imports duties paid before clearance.
“I was hoping that these measures were implemented from about April. So, as a people, government ought to be telling us what were the gains of these policy measures that were implemented… Nearly all the measures the finance minister came out with on the 24th of March 2022, that they will roll out to bring economic comfort to the people hasn’t happened; not a single one of them. Government will struggle to bring a budget tomorrow and I don’t see any recovery in sight.”
Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor
Presentation of budget by finance minister
Commenting on government’s preparedness to present the budget tomorrow, Mr Dafeamekpor stated that the budget presentation is a constitutional imperative. As such, whether or not government is prepared, it has to be undertaken. He emphasized that the constitutional mandate will have to be fulfilled.
Additionally, Mr Dafeamekpor opined that the potential talks on increment of VAT will be a “sad day” for Ghanaians and everyone, should government decide to increase it. He explained that as part of the component for charging VAT, it includes payment of statutory funds like GetFund and NHIS, and government has since collateralized the statutory deductions of payment for GetFund.
“So, any attempt to increase the VAT rate, won’t go straight to GetFund. It is going to go to the institution that we collateralized the Fund for. So, it won’t serve the purpose.”
Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor
Subsequently, Mr Dafeamekpor expressed chagrin in the majority side for backing down in its original position of demanding the resignation of the finance minister. He indicated that the minority believing in their conviction, equally took concrete steps to move a motion of censure, which is currently in progress, to back the majority.
Mr Dafeamekpor highlighted that “press conferences do not remove a minister of state” because they are declaration of intentions and have very little effect.
“Yesterday, I woke up to a statement that the majority has reached some arrangement with government to back down on their initial demands… The constitution mandates you in article 82 to do what you think in law can ensure a minister is censured; they are not willing to support us. So, I have said that the majority MPs simply threw dust into our eyes.”
Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor
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