The Minority in Parliament has accused the government of running Ghana’s economy into bankruptcy.
Speaking on the floor of parliament after the presentation of the 2024 budget, the Minority Leader, Cassiel Ato Forson, said the finance minister and his counterparts have left the economy as the worst ever in Ghana’s history.
“Mr Speaker, it is important to note that this government is leaving behind a bankrupt economy. This government is leaving behind a default economy, a debt-riddled economy.
“You are leaving behind a misery index that has never been witnessed in this fourth republic,” the Minority Leader lamented.
Dr Forson said the presentation was the true definition of an “empty budget” that is “insensitive and out of touch”.
The Budget Statement and Economic Policy for the 2024 Financial Year highlighted that the government’s anticipated total expenditure stands at GH¢226.7 billion, representing 21.6 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Presenting the budget, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta projected that the total revenue and grants for the year are estimated at GH¢176.4 billion, representing 16.8 per cent of GDP.
According to him, the country’s economic value is projected to escalate from GH¢219.5 billion in 2016 to the historic milestone of GH¢1 trillion under President Nana Akufo-Addo.
“Mr. Speaker, with such a milestone ahead of us, the government is protecting, at all costs, the foundation for sustained economic expansion. A foundation that has been achieved through the sweat and patience of the Ghanaian people.
“We pledge to protect this for all our people and especially for private sector growth. And we shall do so by ensuring that the enabling factors are in place and accessible to all,” Mr Ofori-Atta said.