News:
Minority Leader
July 8, 2022
Member of Parliament for Tamale South Haruna Iddrisu has said the President Nana Akufo-Addo and head of the economic management team and Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia should be blamed for the country heading back to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after exiting similar program just two years ago.
He said the government should take full responsibility for the country’s economic woes, a situation that has forced them to start discussions to seek bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
According to him the quick turn around by government who early indicated that it would not go to seek bail out from the IMF agreement to re-structure its debt points out its reckless and irresponsible borrowing.
Addressing members of the Parliamentary Press Corps on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, he said government’s unjustified profligate expenditure has led Ghana to this journey.
Haruna Iddrisu said on the 1st of July, the President and his chairman of the economic management team, the vice president had to beat a retreat in formally announcing to the Ghanaian people the desire and intention of his government to engage with the IMF to bail out Ghana from its economic challenges and difficulties.
“They are behaving like a class six ( 6 ) pupil who tells the mother and father that last year I got ‘F’, and I have marked the NDC’s John Mahama ‘F’, and after six (6) years they get an ‘F’ and they say, my ‘F’ is better than your ‘F’; that is the childish behaviour they are into. As if they are right, they should stop any attempt to shift blame”.
The Minority further pointed out that the E-Levy remains an unpopular tax instrument and therefore the fact that it passed; it had no support of the Minority. They rejected it because it was not popular and it is much of double tax.
And in many jurisdictions, it would not stand constitutional acceptability; he cannot see why he takes his income, pay tax on income and sending two thousand to her mother on an electronic platform, “I still have to pay tax on it, so our position on it has not changed”.
He urged government to work on expenditure reduction particularly focusing on social interventions, while they reduce their opulent expenditure. “We are concerned as Minority because they arrogantly rejected every reasonable suggestion from us and other respected economist on working together to improve the economy”.
Mr. Iddrisu further noted that the current government should have learnt that once Ghanaians voted for a hang parliament the days of imposition were over.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com