2024 Mid-Year Budget Review: You’re on your way to opposition – Ato Forson to NPP

The Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Ajumako Enyan Esiam, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, took a swipe at the Majority Caucus of Parliament and the ruling New Patriotic Party government after the presentation of the 2024 Mid-Year Budget Review statement.

After the Minister for Finance, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, presented the statement on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, members of the Majority Caucus were up singing ‘aba mu awie’, signifying that ‘the Lord has done it’ and the NPP would be retained in government.

Reacting to this during his initial remarks, Dr. Ato Forson was shocked that the members of the Majority Caucus were rejoicing over the statement presented by the Finance Minister.

He indicated that there is nothing for ordinary Ghanaians to rejoice over because they were expecting the Government to announce a number of measures to ameliorate the current hardships they are going through.

He pointed out that Ghanaian households and businesses were, at the very least, expecting that the Government would announce the cancellation of a number of tax measures it introduced.

“Mr. Speaker, I heard my colleagues singing ‘aba mu awie’, and I just want to say that indeed, ‘aba mu awie’, you’re on your way to opposition. You are on your way to opposition.

“Mr. Speaker, at the very least, Ghanaians expected that this mid-year review would have removed or abolished a number of taxes. A number of taxes that have made Ghana a high tax regime. To the extent that businesses are moving out of our country and the ordinary Ghanaian is actually leaving the shores of this country," he said

The Minority Leader added, “For example, COVID Levy, E-Levy, ‘bolla’ tax, tax on domestic electricity, Emission Levy. Mr. Speaker, this is a missed opportunity. Instead, the Minister did not announce one single new policy. The Minister did not introduce new ideas. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, Ghana is on autopilot.”

During the presentation, the Finance Minister noted the decisive policies implemented by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government over the past two years were yielding the expected results.

He pointed out that the 4.7% 2024 1st quarter GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth rate announced by the Ghana Statistical Service against the 3.1% target, as well as the reduction in inflation to 22%, as evidence showing that the economy is rebounding.

As such, he announced a positive revision of most of the country’s economic targets. For instance, the overall real GDP growth rate was revised upwards from 2.8% to 3.1%.

BAI/ ADG

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