News:
Minister of Finance Ken
December 14, 2022
Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader in Parliament has demanded that the Finance Minister, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta lays a paper before the House for scrutiny on the entire debt Exchange Programme that the government has announced.
Speaking on the floor of the House on Tuesday, 13 December, 2022, before seconding a motion for the adjournment of the House, the Minority Leader said that the Finance Minister cannot just walk away as if everything in this country is determined by him.
“If you are doing haircut, and you are changing contents of agreements, either domestic or external, they are contractual, and those contractual comes with obligations. He must come and lay a paper in this house; how he intends to work on the external debt because when this house approved those loan agreements, we approved them consistent with article 181 (Terms and Agreements and conditions). You can’t vary the terms at your pleasure or as it pleases a certain minister for finance. Those terms and conditions must be brought to this House for scrutiny to satisfy ourselves that we can go forward doing what is the debt exchange.
According to him, the information he has picked is worrying, stating that the debt exchange programme is being boycotted; “let him come and inform this House, how many people have signed on to it to save this country and to save the economy”.
Meanwhile, the Minority has served notice that the House would scrutinize every bill clause by clause and even subject some to voting.
“Mr. Speaker, to serve further notice, when it comes to introduction of the bills, clause by clause, we will ask for vote on some clauses, so be ready that you don’t say that anybody is taking you by surprise. When you come and say E-levy, Road funds you don’t give introduction, you come and say VAT, road funds, it won’t go to them; when you come, we will scrutinize it here and tie your hands; so be ready when you bring your bills”.
Ghanamps.com