Politics

Rejecting a national budget means no money for anything for the year – Gabby

Published

2 years ago

November 27, 2021

Vida Essel-Lamptey

Rejecting a national budget means no money for anything for the year – Gabby

A Member of the New Patriotic Party(NPP), Mr Gabby Otchere-Darko has reacted to the rejection of the “Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2022 Financial Year” by Parliament.

According to him, the rejection means government will have no money to fund its activity for the year.

“Rejecting a national budget means for that budget year there will be no money to spend on anything by Government, including wages; no cash for roads, schools and hospitals. It means no show!,” Gabby said.

Mr Gabby Otchere-Darko made the comment in a twitter post sighted by GhanaPlus.com on Friday, November 26.

Rejecting a national budget means for that budget year there will be no money to spend on anything by Government, including wages; no cash for roads, schools and hospitals. It means no show! https://t.co/lmbrYKAo3O

— Gabby Otchere-Darko (@GabbyDarko) November 26, 2021

Ghana’s Parliament rejects Akufo-Addo’s 2022 budget statement

Parliament of Ghana on Friday, November 26 rejected the “Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the Government of Ghana for the 2022 Financial Year” presented to the house by the Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta for consideration.

Dubbed, the ‘Agyenkwa Budget’, the fiscal policy document announced among other things the abolishment of tolls on all public roads in the country, a 1.75 percent charge on all electronic transactions above ₵100 and ‘YouStart’ a 1million jobs creation initiative with a seed capital of ₵1billion.

It also announced a review of benchmark values, reduction of withholding tax on sale of unprocessed gold, review of the VAT Flat Rate System (VFRS), reduction in power tariff and a two-year tax relief for textile manufacturers among many others.

Since the presentation, a section of the Ghanaian public including members of the Minority Caucus have mounted stiff opposition against it, especially, against a proposed E-Levy which seeks to impose 1.75 % tax on mobile money transactions above ₵100.

It has however, received unwelcoming reactions from the Ghanaian public since it was presented on November 17.

The public maintain the proposed 1.75% e-levy component of the budget will bring untold hardship on Ghanaians.

Others, are of the view, it is a total rip off of the ordinary Ghanaian to finance the government luxurious life style.

Source: GhanaPlus.com