The Member of Parliament for Fanteakwa North Kwabena Amankwah Asiamah says there is donor fatigue in Ghana as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to him, donor funds to Ghana have reduced significantly as many donor Countries have been hit with the scourge of the Covid-19 pandemic therefore it is incumbent on Ghana to find ways of increasing revenue to fund its developmental activities.
He stated that the government has projected a rake in Ghc600 million annually through the e-levy to fund infrastructural projects to improve the lives of Ghanaians.
The MP, therefore, condemned the minority for trying all means to reject the budget.
Hon. Amankwah Asiamah called on Ghanaians to accept the budget “because the revenue that will be generated from the E- levy shall be used to build and develop the country”.
On Friday, November 26, Parliament rejected the 2022 Budget following a series of heated exchanges between members of the Minority and Majority Caucuses.
The Majority, led by Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu staged a walkout after alleging ‘bias’ and ‘disrespect’ on the path of the Speaker, Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin.
The majority maintained however that, the budget has not been constitutionally rejected.
The Minority in Parliament has outlined 5 conditions under which it will approve the 2022 Budget presented to Parliament by the Finance Minister on Wednesday, November 17, 2021.
In a statement issued on Sunday, November 28, 2021, the Minority emphasized that until government includes, reviews, and withdraws certain policies and initiatives in the 2022 Budget, it will not approve the financial estimates.
The Minority wants the government to withdraw the Agyapa deal and suspend the proposed 1.75% e-levy. The Minority has also advocated for proper reconstruction of paragraph 829 of the Aker Energy deal relating to GNPC’s acquisition of stake from Aker Energy and AGM Petroleum.
Furthermore, the Minority wants the government to review the benchmark value for imports as well as provide for the Keta tidal waves disaster.
The Minority further noted that “Parliament has duly rejected the 2022 Budget. Until and unless the Government removes the draconian taxes contained in the rejected budget, the NDC Members of Parliament remain unable to support such policies.”
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
