Attach modification to 2022 Budget to original proposals – Speaker

Mr Joseph Osei-Owusu, the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, presiding , has directed that modifications made to the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of Government should be attached to the original budget proposals.

He gave the directive when the modifications made by the Minister of Finance to the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government was laid before the House for deliberations.

He recalled that on November 30th when the budget was being approved by the House, the Minister of Finance in moving the motion indicated that the Budget was subjected to modifications.

“Whether you call them concessions or what, he (the Finance Minister) is proposing modifications and that modification is what is being laid before the House. It is not anything that is a surprising act,” Mr Osei-Owusu said.

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader, said the Minority were a very responsible opposition; declaring that “and therefore, we engage and we are engaged with Government, appreciating that social consultation is important to save our country and the economy…”

He said the Minority was calling for transparency from the Government in the management of the nation’s resources.

He noted that they could not reach consensus on the subject of e-levy being introduced by the Government.

“Mr Speaker, we believe that the e-levy is punitive and it will undermine our quest to build a critical economy in seeking to tax (electronic financial) transactions,” Mr Iddrisu said.

He noted that the Minority was guided by the public good and that they thought that monies recovered from the Auditor-General’s report could as well as compensate for the imposition of e-levy.

“So, Mr Speaker, we on this side (of the House), we are unable to support the Government in its quest to impose an e-levy at 1.75 per cent on momo (mobile money) and affiliated transactions including remittances… Therefore, we stand opposed and at every level that e-levy is introduced, we will stand united to oppose it because of the effects on the core poor of the Ghanaian people.”

Mr Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Majority Leader, said the Minister of Finance had incorporated the views of the Minority in the modifications of the budget proposals and that the Majority side respected the views of the Minority on the e-levy.

He assured the Minority that they were ready to work together for the sake of mother Ghana.