Hon. Ebenezer Kojo Kum, Member of Parliament for Ahanta -West Constituency, has said the 2020 Budget statement and economic policy of government presented to parliament on Wednesday, November 13, would help to improve the education sector, health as well as road infrastructure, among others to boost the economy..
He commended the President and the Economic Management Team for their commitment to ensuring the economy is put in good shape.
Mr Kum who is Vice Chairman of the Judiciary Committee of parliament was making his preliminary comments ahead of Monday debate, on the 2020 Budget presented by Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.
The Finance Minister in the budget statement outlined economy policies that the government intend to undertake for the year 2020.
This, Mr Kum told THE REPUBLIC, the budget was aimed at consolidating the gains the Akufo Addo administration had made in improving access to education under the free senior high school policy, revamping of rail and road infrastructure.
He said, “the economy is in good hands, the free SHS, planting for food and jobs, Nation Builders Corp (NaBCo, Nursing and Techer training allowance, all will help in the fight against poverty and unemployment..”
He added that, it is a fact, the government has not done all or enough but judging from where the New Patriotic Party (NPP) took over and where Ghana is today, the government merit commendation.
The Ahanta West lawmaker pointed out that the free SHS alone has benefited many citizens, especially parents whose children are in school.
Analysing the Finance Minister’s budget speech, the Majority MP added, “There is a renewed government’s commitment to plugging revenue leakage with the continued strict implementation of the tax waivers and other policies that would inure to the country.
He said the budget would go a long way in ensuring that the country finally began implementing its national budget from the first day of the fiscal year.
He stated that the move was in line with Akufo Addo’s administration’s goal of leaving the country better than it met it.
Mr.Kum said, for far too long, Ghana has had a budget cycle that runs contrary to what is obtainable in developed economies on a growth trajectory, stressing that, it is the first time a government maintained its fiscal deficit at five percent even on an election year.
With the introduction of scholarship policies fir both students of public and private institutions to benefit, the President has proved what his predecessors failed to ensure the normal budget cycle cater for.
These among other interventions, the lawmaker said would further provide a leeway for robust planning in the economy.
He noted that by announcing that emphasis would be on completion of ongoing projects; rather than starting new ones, the President has shown his readiness to depart from previous trends where annual budgets focused on new projects.
He expressed his readiness to support his colleagues lawmakers to ensure that the passage of the 2020 Appropriation Bill in good time to ensure that the Akufo Addo administration’s goal of institutionalising the January to December 31st budget cycle was realised.
Source: therepublicnewsonline.com/Felix Nyaaba