Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu says it is pointless to begin conversations towards scrutinizing the 2023 Budget presented by the Finance Minister on Thursday amid the woes of Ghana’s economy.
He described the 2023 Budget as ‘Eka mp3 dede’ Budget carved from the expression in President Akufo-Addo’s recent address on the economy.
According to him, the Minister’s declaration of Ghana as a high-risk distressed debt country gives credence to speculations that the economy is on ‘life support’ and rather needs help than criticisms.
“Today, Mr. Speaker we’ve heard the Hon. Minister for Finance, before this August House, declare Ghana a high-risk distressed debt country. So Mr. Speaker, this Budget is ‘Eka mp3 dede’ Budget. And therefore he’s put the country on the path to debt restructuring which he’s announced as Debt-Exchange programme.
“So Mr. Speaker this Budget is Eka Mp3 Dede Budget because he’s announced Debt restructuring in the name of a Debt-Exchange programme.
“Mr. Speaker my greatest expectation of the Minister is to regularize his borrowing under the Amended Bank of Ghana Act, 2016. You have to come back to this House to seek our mandate and authorization for your aesthetic borrowing from the Bank of Ghana. That needs to be regularized. Then Mr. Speaker today, there is no pomp and pageantry, Even them, they’re not happy. That explains why he’s unaccompanied. Where is the Vice President?
“But Mr. Speaker the Minister said Unity Budget, Mr. Speaker the minister has only confirmed that Ghana’s economy is on life support and when you’re on life support two things can happen- The Recovery or the unknown, He has our prayers that we’ll help him to recover the economy.”