Ken Ofori-Atta
The Finance Minister,
Ken Ofori-Atta, has said the numerous roads the erstwhile Mahama government
claimed it constructed between 2012 and 2016 have miraculously been found in
the party’s propaganda document called the Green Book, but in reality those
roads and other infrastructural projects do not exist.
He said the Akufo-Addo
government would not follow the National Democratic Congress (NDC) example, but
would rather ensure that any road and other infrastructural project budgeted
for is done for the benefit of the country since the money is ready.
“We have looked beyond
the legendary Green Book of bold but many unsubstantiated claims of
infrastructural projects fabricated and built, but in those beautiful pages for
our predecessors’ 2016 campaign. We have
planned for them and have found the money to do far more than what the Green
Book authors (NDC) achieved,” the minister fired in Parliament yesterday during
the mid-year budget review.
He said emphatically,
“Fellow Ghanaians, I wish to plead with you and assure you that the Akufo-Addo
government will fix your roads and we shall fix them; not with words and
pictures.”
The Finance Minister has
confirmed a similar observation made by President Akufo-Addo at Assin Jakai in
the Central Region last week when he said, “The road infrastructure the NDC
boasted about can only be found in the Green Book.”
Luxury Tax
The Finance Minister
said the government is also withdrawing the luxury vehicle levy introduced in 2018 to raise revenue following
suggestions from the public that it was business unfriendly.
“As a listening government,
we are proposing to the House the withdrawal of the levy. We will continue to
improve compliance, expand the tax net and explore other innovative sources of
raising revenue,” he announced.
He said as part of the resolve
to ensure that the 2019 Budget was implemented as planned, additional revenue
measures like the proposal to increase Communication Service Tax to nine per cent
has been done.
He said it would develop
the foundation for the creation of a viable technology ecosystem in the country
when approved.
“This will comprise
amongst others putting in systems to identify and combat cybercrime, protect
users of information technology and combat money laundering and other financial
crimes. The increase will not be earmarked, however, the sharing ratio will be
adjusted in such a manner that the national youth employment programmes will continue
to receive the same proportions as they are currently receiving,” he stated.
Procurement Savings
Mr Ofori-Atta said the Public
Procurement Authority saved GH¢2.7 billion in 31 months for the country when in
the entire four years of the NDC administration, they saved nothing.
He said the savings were
made between January 2017 and July 2019 from sole sourced and restrictive
tendering contracts, explaining, “In a space of 31 months by reviewing
contracts that were either sole sourced or procured through restrictive tendering,
the Akufo-Addo administration has made savings of 2.75 billion, which breaks
down to 800 million in 2017, 1.1 billion in 2018 and 1.085 billion in 2019.”
“Permit me to compare
these savings made by the PPA under this administration to what happened under
the previous one even though more contracts were awarded through sole sourcing
and restricting tender annually than any year under the government.
“In 2013, savings
registered was 0 cedis; in 2014 again, savings amounted to 0 cedis; in 2015
savings made totalled 0 cedis; in 2016 again, the PPMA 0 cedis in savings. When
it comes to how tax payers have been managed, the facts speak loudly,” he
revealed.
Bright Future
The minister said that Ghana’s
future was bright and posterity would be kind to President Akufo-Addo for
introducing the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) initiative.
“Free SHS programme has
changed the cause of this nation forever and posterity will thank the President
of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for
making it possible for our young people to realise their future dreams and
aspirations through free education,” he said during the presentation of the
2019 mid-year budget review in Parliament yesterday.
“Access to secondary
education in this country has never been higher. The innovative temporary
double-track system currently being implemented has helped to accommodate the
numbers, affording each child the possibility of accessing secondary education.
Government has responded to this increased demand with accelerated infrastructure
delivery,” he added.
GH¢6.37
Billion Request
In the final analysis, he said the government is
requesting an additional GH¢6.37 billion to add to the original budget of
GH¢78.7 billion for the 2019 Fiscal Year.
This will bring to GH¢85.1 billion the total amount it needs for its operations this year.
By Samuel Baodi & Thomas Fosu Jnr
