We'll not accept the use of oil cash to finance government policies

Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has served notice that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will not compromise the use of the country’s oil revenue in funding some key policies of the government which have been outlined in the 2017 Budget.

The government has indicated in the 2017 Budget Statement that it intends spending the part of the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) on its major flagship policy – free SHS as well as the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) with the sole aim of alleviating poverty from the country.

However, the Minority Leader contributing to the debate on the budget on the floor of the House, Wednesday, March 15, 2017, said his side does not support and will never support the government in funding the free SHS with proceeds from the country’s oil find.

“Mr. Speaker, we will not accept the use of our oil money for consumption,” he noted.

Commenting further, the Minority Leader also raised serious issues about the government’s intention to abolishing duty on the importation of spare parts, insisting that such move must be regulated.

“We on this side will demand that it is regulated because even new vehicles can be cannibalized to become spare parts and therefore it must be regulated. We put levies on imports to discourage it but you are rather encouraging imports and how can you help improve on balance of payment when you adopt this attitude? he quizzed.

Hon. Iddrisu also slammed the NPP government for presenting a budget which he says was weak on infrastructure.