TIG Post

Tag: Haruna Iddrisu

  • Possible violation of National Constitution – Haruna Iddrisu on DDE

    Possible violation of National Constitution – Haruna Iddrisu on DDE

    Leader of the Minority in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has revealed that his side of the House is working to subject the debt exchange programme to legal scrutiny.

    Speaking to the media, he noted that Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta may have breached Article 181(5) of the Constitution, which requires the government to seek approval from Parliament before announcing any haircut on all
    government bonds, loans, and instruments.

    “We are even beginning to elevate this matter to a legal constitutional matter as to whether or not the Minister of Finance, suo moto, by himself as an individual can undo what the sovereign Parliament of Ghana has done pursuant to Article 181(5) of the constitution,” he said.

    “All those loans, all those bonds, all those instruments whose terms and conditions were approved by Parliament, including the debt of domestic bonds, contractual relationships have been entered into. How can the Finance Minister allocate to himself the mandate to do this even without providing information to Parliament or with its prior approval?” he questioned.

    Article 181(5) of the 1992 Constitution requires that all international business or economic transactions to which
    the government is a party must be laid before Parliament for approval
    before they can come into effect.

    Mr Iddrisu, therefore, urged the government to halt ongoing processes related to its debt exchange program, which is intended to keep the country from defaulting on its debt.

    At a press conference on Monday, Mr Iddrisu noted that there is “total confusion, rejection, and disapproval of the initiative” since it was launched by Finance Minister
    Ken Ofori-Atta in December last year.

    According to him, the opposition is justified since the programme poses a major risk to financial institutions, insurance companies, as well as individual bondholders who have recently been included in the programme.

    “The programme will exacerbate the already perilous financial sector that we have in Ghana,” he added.

    The Tamale South legislator, therefore, said, “We in the NDC, the Minority group, call on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to immediately suspend the ongoing debt exchange programme.”

    In an attempt to secure a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the government has proposed that all bondholders will not receive any interest in 2023.

    As per government estimates, dividends will begin to be paid next year, in 2024, at a discounted rate of 5%. Due to this, bondholders who wish to transfer their bonds will not be able to get back their full principal.

    The proposal, however, has been rejected by many bondholders since its announcement. Their view is that if the proposal is implemented, they will suffer a great deal of loss, and some may even lose money on their investments.

    The Minority’s call seeks to add to the numerous voices urging the government to restrain from implementing the debt exchange programme. Mr Haruna Iddrisu believes that unemployment will heighten and support for the private sector will dwindle if the programme is implemented in its current state.

    In the meantime, the government has extended the deadline for the domestic debt exchange programme to January 31, 2022. This is the fourth time the government has extended its deadline, and according to the Finance Ministry, the programme has been suspended yet again due to “pending further stakeholder engagement with institutional and individual investors.”

  • Parliament failed Ghanaians in 2022 – Minority leader

    The leader of the minority caucus of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has said that the House failed Ghanaians in 2022.

    He explained that the house failed Ghanaians because it did not check the unbridled borrowing of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government.

    Haruna Iddrisu, who said this in a TV3 interview monitored by GhanaWeb, added that the huge debt accumulated by the government is the cause of the economic challenges in the country now.

    “Where the country is today, you will hear everybody talking about unsustainable debt. It means we overborrowed. We borrowed excessively.

    “Parliament, under Article 181 of the Constitution, exercises that mandate (to check the executive) for and on behalf of the people of Ghana. So, it simply means that Parliament has failed the people of Ghana. We didn’t hold the executive to check to say that don’t borrow any longer or borrow at this limit.

    “We all know that when debt exceeds 70 percent of GDP you are debt distressed. So now Ghana is a debt-distressed high-risk country,” he said.

    Haruna Iddrisu, the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, however, indicated that the minority caucus cannot be blamed for failing to hold the executive in check.

    “There are those who have been very critical of the minority including me, saying that why did we pass the budget. It was because we don’t want the country to come to a standstill. A budget means a lot not just for government or the New Patriotic Party (NPP) but for citizens,” he added.

  • Parliament failed Ghanaians in 2022 – Minority leader

    The leader of the minority caucus of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has said that the House failed Ghanaians in 2022.

    He explained that the house failed Ghanaians because it did not check the unbridled borrowing of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government.

    Haruna Iddrisu, who said this in a TV3 interview monitored by GhanaWeb, added that the huge debt accumulated by the government is the cause of the economic challenges in the country now.

    “Where the country is today, you will hear everybody talking about unsustainable debt. It means we overborrowed. We borrowed excessively.

    “Parliament, under Article 181 of the Constitution, exercises that mandate (to check the executive) for and on behalf of the people of Ghana. So, it simply means that Parliament has failed the people of Ghana. We didn’t hold the executive to check to say that don’t borrow any longer or borrow at this limit.

    “We all know that when debt exceeds 70 percent of GDP you are debt distressed. So now Ghana is a debt-distressed high-risk country,” he said.

    Haruna Iddrisu, the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, however, indicated that the minority caucus cannot be blamed for failing to hold the executive in check.

    “There are those who have been very critical of the minority including me, saying that why did we pass the budget. It was because we don’t want the country to come to a standstill. A budget means a lot not just for government or the New Patriotic Party (NPP) but for citizens,” he added.

  • Minority leader blames Parliament for Ghana’s economic crisis

    Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, says Parliament has contributed to the country’s current economic crisis.

    He said Parliament had failed in its oversight responsibility of the government’s excessive borrowing, which had increased the debt stock beyond 100 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product.

    Mr Iddrisu said this when the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (MoPA) engaged the core leadership of Parliament and other key functionaries to deliberate on Parliament and Ghana’s democratic dividend in Accra on Tuesday.

    The meeting was on the theme: “Parliament and the Harnessing of Democratic Dividend: An Assessment,” was part of the Ministry’s capacity-building efforts to support the enhancement of the ability of Parliament in a functioning democracy.

    It had the objectives that core leadership and other functionaries would be engaged to stimulate discussions on Ghana’s democratic dividend and examine the extent to which the Parliament of Ghana had ensured the responsibility of government to the needs and concerns of citizens.

    It was also to identify challenges hampering the effective and efficient performance of Parliament and propose measures to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency in the discharge of its core responsibilities.

    It was expected that a report consolidating the views on Ghana’s Parliament and democratic dividend would be developed at the end of the engagement and subjected to an impact assessment to facilitate future training programmes of the Ministry.

    Mr Iddrisu noted that Parliament’s role in defending the public’s interest had deteriorated.

    “Parliament’s role as the defender of the people’s interest is lost. So how did we get here, how come we didn’t anticipate it? It is only Parliament that approves the terms and conditions of the loan. So, if we have exceeded 100 per cent of GDP, how did it happen?”

    According to him, Parliament had become a clearing house for the executive without proper scrutiny of government policies.

    On his part, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Minister MoPA and Leader of Government Business Parliament, said the appreciation of the cedi had contributed to the reduction of the country’s debt stock by about 40 billion cedis.

    “You know that the appreciation of the cedi now has brought the debt stock down even though nothing has been done. It has climbed down by close to 40 billion and it will still climb down if the cedi continues to appreciate against the dollar,” he said.

    Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu also urged Members of Parliament to strengthen committees in the House to improve their work.

    Dr Maame Adwoa Gyeke-Jandoh, University of Ghana, Department of Political Science, said Ghana must stick to its current democratic system despite the challenges.

    She said despite the bottlenecks, Ghana was enjoying democratic dividends of peace, stability, and political inclusion.

    Dr Gyeke-Jandoh, however, said smaller political parties must be involved in the democratic dispensation of the country, tackle corruption, have transparent governance, strong parliament with professional legislators, and complete separation of power with progressive gender equity.

    Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo, Chairman, National Media Commission, said public thinking and the thinking of parliament were incongruous.

    He expressed dissatisfaction when political leaders were part of the speaker’s advisory body.

    “I am bothered about policies passed by the president but not bothered about who is elected as president. There is no Ghanaian happy about the economic problems the country is facing,” he said.

    Mr James Klutse Avedzi, Deputy Minority Leader, said Parliament had been weakened due to the rubber-stamping work they were performing on behalf of the executive.

    He said that practice had made the public lose confidence in the House.

    Mr Cyril Nsiah, Clerk to Parliament, said Parliament was working towards strengthening the institution of Parliament.

    The engagement had a delegation from the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs led by Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu with support from the Chief Director, management and staff, the core leadership of Parliament, Chair and Ranking Members of the Committees of Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Subsidiary Legislation, Special Budget and Finance, representatives from the Ministry of Finance and Ministerial Advisory Board Members of MoPA.

    Source: GNA  

  • Parliament to probe Akufo-Addo’s Wagner allegation – Minority Leader

    The remarks made by President Akufo-Addo against the Wagner group in neighboring Burkina Faso will be investigated by parliament, according to Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu.

    “I have information that our Ranking Member of Foreign Affairs, and members on the Foreign Affairs Committee will ask for details briefly to parliament on this reckless, irresponsible, unprofessional statement by the President of our Republic. If he cannot provide us with food, he should not let them bring guns on us as a country,” the Minority Leader said in an address at the NDC’s 10th Delegates Congress ongoing at the Accra Sports Stadium.

    He further accused the President of creating foreign policy crisis for Ghana.

    “He’s simply failed momentarily to have impulse control and to ensure balance between foreign policy and the security of our state when he openly condemned Burkina Faso and mentioned the Wagner group of Russia.

    Burkina Faso summoned the Ghanaian ambassador on Friday morning for “explanations” after Ghana’s president alleged that Burkina Faso had hired the Russian mercenary group Wagner, Burkina Faso’s foreign ministry said.

    Speaking to reporters alongside U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday, Akufo-Addo also alleged that Burkina Faso had offered Wagner a mine as payment.

    In a statement issued after the meeting with the ambassador, Burkina Faso’s foreign ministry said it had “expressed disapproval” about the statements made by the Ghanaian president.

    “Ghana could have undertaken exchanges with the Burkinabe authorities on the security issue in order to have the right information,” it said.

    However, it did not confirm or deny the allegations. In a separate message to Reuters, the foreign ministry spokesperson said, without elaborating: “In any case, Burkina has not called on Wagner”.

    Burkina Faso also recalled its ambassador from Ghana for a meeting, the spokesperson said.

    Burkinabe authorities have not commented publicly on whether or not they are working with Wagner, a mercenary group that was hired in neighbouring Mali to help fight Islamist militants.

    Meanwhile, Security Analyst, Adib Saani has questioned the propriety of the comments made by Ghana’s Leader, Akufo-Addo on the Wagner Group.

    Commenting on the fallout from the development, Adib Saani said since independence, Ghana has maintained a non-aligned posture in the global political chess games between the East and the West thus “Our decision not to take sides has helped us gain respect and favor from both sides of the divide.”

    He opined “But it’s absolutely demeaning for the President, flanked by his ministers, to sit infront of a Secretary of State to report on Wagner, a group that has not in any way neither threatened to invade Ghana, nor has it done anything that poses any threat to the security of Ghana.”

    Saani who is also Head of the Jatikay Centre for Human Security and Peace Building maintained that Burkina Faso is a sovereign country and can decide to call on whoever to help it fight any threat to their nation.

    “When Ghana hosted the Americans through the defence cooperation agreement, no country in the sub-region complained. So why does our President make such a mockery of us by going to report on an issue that has nothing to do with us hence, bring us international disrepute,” he questioned.

  • Ministry of Finance to resolve 16-month unpaid salaries of Special Prosecutor

    The Finance Ministry is planning to resolve a 16-Month unpaid wage for the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, according to Kwame Anyimadu Antwi, chairman of the Committee on Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs.

    “But Mr. Speaker, all our reports et al are physically ready for laying. What the minority leader says is good that he has his ears on the ground, because at the committee level, we invited the minister for finance and he was represented by no mean person, by the chief Director and we have resolved the issue. Mr. Speaker, Hon Haruna will agree with me, that once the issue he is talking about is already cooperating in the report, he must not be in a rush to actually talk about it when we have not made the report,” he said.

    The Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu revealed that the Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng had not been paid for 16 months.

    He said he is baffled by this development and demanded answers from the government. This followed concerns over the allocation for the Office of the Special Prosecutor in the 2023 Budget which had been deemed as woefully inadequate.

    The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu raised the concern ahead of the presentation of the Annual Budget estimates report of the Office of Special Prosecutor for the year 2023 by the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament.

    “Office of Special Prosecutor, you put that man there you haven’t determined his condition of service. He hasn’t been paid. Some appointments have been done which raise questions as to whether the board was aware or not. We have to probe further the happenings at the Special Prosecutor. He hasn’t been paid for 16 months, and you are coming to me for a report. Meanwhile, no report has been laid here,” Mr. Iddrisu said.

  • Censure motion: ‘I have done no wrong’ – Ofori-Atta defends himself

    Accusations that the beleaguered Minister of Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, is exclusively to blame for the current economic crisis have been met with vehement denials from him.

    A motion of censure was filed to have him fired as Minister of State as a result of the claims made by several Members of Parliament (MPs), particularly the Minority caucus.

    On Thursday, December 8, 2022, the motion was discussed following the presentation of the report by the eight-member Ad hoc Committee, which had been appointed by Speaker of the House Rt Hon Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin.

    The Committee was set up to give the Finance Minister an opportunity to be heard before the Motion, filed and seconded by Haruna Iddrisu and Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak respectively, is considered.

    After the report was presented, Mr Ofori-Atta had his last take on the grounds for which he is being censured.

    In a calm and soft voice the Finance Minister authored “If I say I am innocent, they won’t believe me and if I ask for the truth and proof, they won’t be able to provide it.”

    “I have committed no crime”, he stressed.

  • ‘Ghana is broke, government needs to increase revenue hence E-levy’ – Joe Jackson

    Joe Jackson, a financial analyst at Dalex Finance, claimed that the government’s financial crisis made the E-Levy crucial.

    Ghana remains insolvent! 50% of our revenue is used to pay interest, and 55% goes toward salaries.
    The government must raise taxes if it wants to continue borrowing money. The suggested E-levy is the result.
    He tweeted, “#TaxTheWealthy #HardDecisions #BrokeGhana.

    Read the full story below

    A Financial Analyst and Chief Operations Officer at Dalex Finance, Mr Joe Jackson, has said the government needs to increase the tax revenue.

    Mr Jackson said the introduction of the E-levy is meant to generate revenue for government expenditure as part of the move to widen the tax net.

    “Ghana is still broke! We spend 50% of revenue on interest payments and 55 % on Salaries. Govt needs to increase tax revenue else we may not be able to even borrow more. Hence the proposed E-levy. #TaxTheWealthy #HardDecisions #BrokeGhana,” he tweeted.

    Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced a new levy to be charged by the government in 2022 on all electronic transactions to widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector.

    “It is becoming clear there exists the enormous potential to increase tax revenues by bringing into the tax bracket, transactions that could be best defined as being undertaken in the ‘informal economy’,” Mr Ofori-Atta observed on Wednesday, November 17 as he presented the 2022 budget statement in Parliament.

    “After considerable deliberations, government has decided to place a levy on all electronic transactions to widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector. This shall be known as the ‘Electronic Transaction Levy or E-Levy’.”

    He explained that the new E-levy will be a 1.75 per cent charge on all electronic transactions covering mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments and inward remittances to be borne by the sender except inward remittances, which will be borne by the recipient.

    This will, however, not affect transactions that add up to GH¢100 pr less per day.

    “A portion of the proceeds from the E-Levy will be used to support entrepreneurship, youth employment, cyber security, digital and road infrastructure among others.”

    This new levy is scheduled to start Saturday, January 1, 2022.

    In 2020, the total value of transactions was estimated to be over GH¢500 million with mobile money subscribers and users growing by 16 percent in 2019.

    According to a Bank of Ghana report, Ghana saw an increase of over 120 percent in the value of digital transactions between February 2020 and February 2021 compared to 44 percent for the period February 2019 to February 2020 due to the convenience they offer.

    This was definitely heightened by the advent of Covid-19, especially during the lockdown.

    But the proposal has met resistance from the Minority in Parliament.

    Their leader, Leader Haruna Iddrisu said the E-levy is a disincentive to the growth of the digital economy. To that end, he said, the Minority will not support it.

    Speaking at a post-budget workshop in Ho on Saturday, November 20, he said “Mr Speaker, understandably, we see that the Minister of Finance seeks to introduce some measures including the now popularly declared e-levy or digital levy as some have quite named it.

    “Mr Speaker, our concern is whether the e-levy itself is not and will not be a disincentive to the growth of the digital economy in our country. We are convinced that the e-levy may as well even be a disincentive to investment and a disincentive to private sector development in our country. We in the minority may not and will not support the government with the introduction of that particular e-levy. We are unable to build a national consensus on that particular matter.”

    Meanwhile, Mr Ofori Atta indicated at a press conference on Monday December 6 said that consultations were still going on regarding the proposal in order to reach a consensus.

    “On the matter of the E-levy, having regard to its serious fiscal implications, we will continue our consultations with the Minority Caucus in Parliament and other relevant stakeholders, with a view to achieving consensus and reverting to the House in the shortest possible time,” he said.

  • Parliament approves 2023 budget and economic policy

    The Ghanaian budget and economic statement for the fiscal year 2023 was passed by parliament on Tuesday, December 6, 2022.

    The budget was adopted by the House following the completion of the Parliamentary debate on it, according to 3news.com.

    Haruna Iddrisu, the leader of the House’s minority caucus, who wrapped up the discussion on behalf of the minority, encouraged the government to significantly reduce spending in order to address the economy’s problems.

    “This group is saying that significant spending reductions are required; otherwise, some of your tax revenues may suffer at our hands.
    For instance, we shouldn’t give him the GH1.4 billion allocation for the contingency vote, he added.

  • 2023 budget: GH¢80m earmarked for national cathedral unacceptable – Minority

    The government’s intentions to set aside GHC80 million for the national cathedral’s construction were rejected by the Minority in Parliament and were included in the 2023 budget statement presented by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

    The Minority claims that an additional GHC80 million will be spent on the national cathedral’s construction, bringing the project’s total cost to GHC420 million.

    The project is expected to cost $400 million.

    The Minority in a press conference addressed by its leader, Haruna Iddrisu questioned if the cathedral was a national priority.

    He said the GHC80 million does not constitute a spending priority at this time of economic crisis where the country is a cup in hand begging the IMF for a $3billion fund to support the economy.

    “For a government that is unable to print textbooks for basic school pupils several years after introducing new curricular, unable to pay NABCO arrears and that is indebted to contractors and suppliers to the tune of over GHC40 billion, this is most imprudent and unacceptable,” Mr Iddrisu stated.

    The national cathedral was President Akufo-Addo’s pledge to God during the 2016 election if he was elected President.

    It has since become a national project.

    The project is expected to provide a sacred space and infrastructure for the formal religious activities of the nation, like state funerals and presidential inaugural services.

    The government promised the cathedral will be funded by the private sector but so far some GHC420 million of the taxpayers’ money has been pumped into the project.

  • Here are the conditions that have to be met before Minority approves debt restructuring, budget estimates

    The minority has threatened to disapprove the 2023 budget estimates, and debt restructuring until some five conditions are met by government.

    According to Haruna Iddrisu, they will not accept the debt restructuring programme announced by the finance minister.

    This comes after Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced that Ghana is embarking on a debt exchange program to ensure that debt levels are brought to sustainable levels.

    At a press conference, the minority leader said, “Let me state, without any fear of contradiction, that the form and structure of the debt restructuring plan announced by Ken Ofori-Atta are unacceptable to us, and we simply will not accept it.”

    He also raised concerns over why the government failed to announce the exchange programme in the budget statement presented to parliament.

    According to Haruna Iddrisu the minority are aware that “the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government have become desperate and is compelled after reckless mismanagement of the economy to achieve fiscal consolidation.”

    Below is a listicle of the conditions the minority has demanded before the budget estimates for 2023 will be approved;

    1. The resignation of the entire Economic Management Team and in particular Alhaji Bawumia from his position as Chair of that obviously moribund body. 2. The immediate resignation or dismissal of the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta 3. Immediate reduction in the number of Ministers and political appointees at the Office of the President by half. 4. Removal of all non-essential expenditure in the 2023 budget including the GHC 80 million allocated to the National Cathedral

    5. Reinstatement of the GHC100 exemption threshold for e-levy payment.

    Following the above, the minority in parliament reiterated that the country’s ailing economy characterized by unsustainable debt, inflation, and unprecedented credit rating downgrades, among others.

    Haruna Iddrisu explained the economic situation is so bad that Ghana is currently ranked side by side with Sri Lanka, which is considered the worst economy in the world and has defaulted on its debt.

    Speaking at the press conference, he said “as it’s now trite knowledge, the Ghanaian economy has been terribly mismanaged in the last five to six years by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration leading to our request for a 17th IMF program to renew confidence and policy credibility on our failing economy despite haughty initial denials.

    “The severely ailing economy has been characterized by unsustainable debt, very high inflation, unprecedented and disastrous depreciation of the cedi, high budget deficits and unprecedented credit rating downgrades.

    “The economic situation is so bad that we are currently ranked side by side with Sri Lanka, which is considered the worst economy in the world and has defaulted on its debt.”

  • We’re shocked Akufo-Addo watched World Cup in Qatar despite economic crisis – Minority

    The Minority in Parliament say they are shocked by the President’s World Cup trip to Qatar despite the country’s economic difficulties.

    Addressing the press on Monday, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu indicated that the move by the President was not prudent.

    According to the NDC lawmaker, the decision by some other government appointees to travel to Qatar while discussions on the 2023 Budget was ongoing was also not ideal.

    “We’re particularly stunned that the President himself joined even as he’s managing a major economic crisis. As if a better performance of the Black Stars contributed to addressing this economic mess”, he remarked.

    In a related development, a ranking member on the Finance Committee of Parliament, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, had earlier critcised government officials who went to Qatar to watch the ongoing FIFA World Cup tournament.

    The football competition began ten days ago, and so far it has seen many interesting spectacles, including some high profile national officials gracing the stadiums to support their countries.

    But in the case of Ghana, Dr Forson said it is not prudent for Ghanaian MPs and Ministers to be having fun in Qatar amidst the present economic crisis.

    According to him, the act does not augur well for the country, especially when the inputs of such persons are needed in the discussion of the 2023 budget.

    In a tweet last Wednesday, he added a photo of the MP for Ablekuma West, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, who was in a pose at a stadium in Qatar, together with ex-footballer Patrick Kluivert.

    Dr. Forson tweeted, “At a time of serious economic crisis, Cabinet Ministers and MPs should not abandon the important business of budget consideration to go and watch football in Qatar!”.

    “The optics are bad! We need to show we are serious about resolving the crisis!”, he added.

    On Thursday November 24, the embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta presented government’s economic programme to Parliament for the 2023 fiscal year.

    Amongst the highlights of the budget were the revision of the E-levy from the current 1.5% to 1%, plus an increment of the VAT rate from 12.5% to 15%.

    These developments subsequently triggered some resentments from the Minority who are calling on government to revise its notes.

    It is in the light of these concerns that the Minority has expressed disappointment with the President’s trip as well as that of other appointees.

    Meanwhile the Minority in Parliament says it will not accept government’s proposed debt restructuring programme as announced.

    According to the Caucus, the policy is unacceptable and cannot be allowed to proceed.

    The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said this at a press conference on Monday, December 5.

    He said his side will use every legitimate means to oppose the move.

  • Minority demands major expenditure cuts by government to alleviate economic downturn

    The Minority does not appear satisfied with the government’s commitment to cutting back on its expenditure in the current economic turmoil.

    The NDC legislators believe the supposed measures outlined in the 2023 budget are not enough to signify the government’s effort to burden-share in this crucial time.

    Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu made these comments at a press conference on Monday, December 5, 2022.

    “It is the position of this Minority that we are demanding major expenditure cuts from this government to achieve fiscal consolidation,” he said.

    On November 24, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta announced some 13 measures to rationalise public expenditure.

    According to him, these measures are Cabinet directives that are expected to take effect from January 2023.

    This comes on the back of several calls by some sections of the public for the government to cut down its expenditure to salvage the economy.

    Here are the 13 measures to reduce public expenditure in 2023

    But this is not very significant in the eyes of the Minority.

    Currently, Ghana’s economy is under pressure, resulting in higher living costs and galloping inflation.

    Haruna Iddrisu also called for the size of the government to be reduced.

    The Minority Leader noted the lack of convincing proposals from government does not inspire confidence in the Akufo-Addo-led administration.

    Additionally, the 2023 budget, Mr Iddrisu said, is fraught with needless taxation which does not augur well for the citizens.

    On the newly-launched Domestic Debt Exchange programme announced by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, the NDC MPs say this will not be the panacea for the current economic woes.

    The prioritization of the controversial National Cathedral in the budget statement despite the financial downturn is a source of worry to the legislator.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • We will not support 2.5 % increase in VAT rate – Minority

    Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu has bemoaned the introduction of a 2.5 % Value Added Tax (VAT) rate in the 2023 Budget.

    Addressing the press on Monday, he described the hike in VAT rate as punitive.

    “The most punitive amount is the addition of 2.5% VAT which may result in accumulated VAT for Ghana standing at 21.5%,” he said.

    He added that “Instead of cutting down on non-essential expenditure, we have rather seen an increase with additional spending of GHC82billion. Some of the envisaged expenditure items are entirely wasteful and needless and we demand a cut.”

    It would be recalled that during the presentation of the 2023 Budget in Parliament, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta announced government’s decision to increase the VAT by 2.5 percent.

    Mr. Ofori-Atta explained that the review is to directly support road construction projects and the digitization agenda.

    But Mr. Haruna Iddrisu has insisted that the Minority will not accept the 2.5% VAT rate.

    The Tamale South MP questioned the moral right President Akufo-Addo has to increase the VAT rate.

    This, he explained, is because President Akufo-Addo protested the introduction of VAT under the NDC-led administration.

    “In 1995, when the NDC sought to introduce this tax, they [NPP] organised what was referred to as ‘Kume preko’ resulting in loss of lives of five persons. Where is principle in our body politic? And where do they stand when it comes to morality?” he quizzed.

    According to him, whatever revenue that would be accumulated from the 2.5% VAT rate can be achieved by the government cutting its expenditure.

    Source: Myjoyonline

  • What moral right does Akufo-Addo have to increase VAT by 2.5% when he led Kume Preko demo – Minority

    The minority in parliament has said they will resist every effort by government to increase VAT by 2.5 per cent adding that the increment will worsen the cost of living for Ghanaians.

    According to Haruna Iddrisu, the president has no moral right to increase VAT after he led the demo in 1995 for the same tax increment that claimed five lives.

    Speaking at a press conference, he said, “Whilst whittling away the little we have as a country in this intransigent manner, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government has decided to pile more hardships on the people of Ghana through the introduction of more taxes in the 2023 Budget presented to Parliament.”

    He added, “The most punitive among these taxes is the addition of 2.5% to the VAT rate bringing it to a cumulative 21.5% (made up of 2.5% GETFund, 2.5% National Health Insurance, 1% Covid Levy and 15% VAT all levied under the terms of Value Added Act, Act 870) the highest in Africa. What moral right does President Akufo-Addo have to increase VAT by 2.5% when he led the ‘KUMI PREKO’ demonstration in 1995 resulting in the loss of five lives. As sure as night follows day, this will worsen the hardship faced by Ghanaians, as the prices of almost all items will increase instantaneously once this tax comes into effect.”

    Haruna Iddrisu said the minority will no longer allow a government that is “determined to waste Ghana’s resources on extravagant living.”

    Government has announced an increment in Value Added Tax (VAT) by 2.5 percent for consumers of goods and services.

    The move, according to government is expected to improve government’s domestic revenue measures while seeking to reach an IMF deal to restore macroeconomic stability.

    “Mr. Speaker, we will undertake the following actions, initiatives, and interventions under the seven-point agenda. To aggressively mobilize domestic revenue, we will among others: Increase the VAT rate by 2.5 percent to directly support our roads and digitalization agenda; Fast-track the implementation of the Unified Property Rate Platform programme in 2023; and Review the E-Levy Act and more specifically, reduce the headline rate from 1.5% to one percent (1%) of the transaction value as well as the removal of the daily threshold,” he said.

    The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, made this known in parliament when he delivered the 2023 budget before lawmakers on Thursday, November 24, 2022.

    But the minority has vowed to oppose this VAT increment.

  • We’ll not accept Ofori-Atta’s debt restructuring – Minority

    The Minority in Parliament says it will not accept government’s proposed debt restructuring programme as announced.

    According to the Caucus, the policy is unacceptable and cannot be allowed to proceed.

    The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said this at a press conference on Monday, December 5.

    He said his side will use every legitimate means to oppose the move.

    “Let me state without any fear of contradiction that the form and structure of the debt restructuring announced by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta this morning are unacceptable to us and we simply will not accept it.”

    The Tamale South lawmaker also questioned why the 2023 budget was silent on this policy.

    “I want to ask how come this debt restructuring was not included in the 2023 budget,” the outspoken politician added.

    Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta on Sunday, December 4, announced the government’s domestic debt exchange programme.

    These measures include some exemptions and external debt restructuring parameters that will be implemented.

    Per his release, treasury bills and individual bondholders will not be affected by this exercise.

    However, domestic bondholders will be compelled to exchange their instruments for new ones.

    “Existing domestic bonds as of December 1, 2022, will be exchanged for a set of four new bonds maturing in 2017, 2029, 2032 and 2037.

    “The annual coupon on all of these new bonds will be set at 0% in 2023, 5% in 2024 and 10% in 2025 until maturity.

    “Coupon payments will be semi-annual,” the Minister said.

    Meanwhile, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta assured us that there will be no haircuts on the principal of bonds.

    Source: myjoyonline.com

  • Minority to resist approval of budget estimates over sector ministers’ absence

    Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader, says the group will resist the approval of budget estimates for ministers who fail to move the motion of the ongoing debate of the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of their respective ministries in the House.

    He expressed concern about how ministers of the various ministries were not taking the business of the House seriously.

    “Mr Speaker, going forward, we will resist the approval of any estimates coming from ministers who absent themselves from such exercises,” he said.

    Mr Iddirsu said this on the floor of Parliament on Thursday.

    Parliament is expected to conclude a debate on the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy presented by Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister, Tuesday, December 6, 2022.

    The House is thus expected to subsequently approve the Appropriation Bill.

    Mr Iddrisu, the Member of Parliament for Tamale South on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress, further cautioned sector ministers to avail themselves to the House for the approval of their budgets.

    “When we get to the approval of budget estimates and ministers don’t appear in person in Parliament by themselves, we will not support the approval of the budget allocations to those ministries.

    “Ministers must take this House very seriously, and only ministers so appointed by the President to oversee the sectors of those ministries must rise from their seats to move motions to ask for budget allocations and approval by this House. Failure to do so will mean that we will stump down a number of those motions,” Mr Iddrisu said.

    He noted that Parliament and the minority would hold the government accountable, adding that “we intend to strengthen oversight, and it begins with this our decision. If ministers don’t appear in person to move motions for budget allocations, then they should expect the fiercest resistance from this side of the House.”

    Since the debate on the 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy began on Tuesday, November 29, the MPs on the Majority side have silently protested without showing up to contribute to the debate compared to the Minority side of the House.

    The group had also called for the timely debate of the censure motion against Mr Ofori-Atta since it was not captured in the Business Statement for the following week.

    “On the motion of censure against the Finance Minister, the words in Article 82 do not give Parliament perpetuity to discuss the matter, we are within defined time limits to consider the motion and take decisions as appropriate so whatever committee has been set up, we need to bring closure to it,” he said.

  • Ministers who fail to appear before the house will not get their budget estimates approved – Minority warns

    Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has vowed to oppose the approval of budget estimates if the minister of the sector does not appear in the house alone.

    According to him, some ministers have failed to show respect to the house, and there is a need to hold the government accountable.

    “When we get to the approval of budget estimates and ministers don’t appear in person in parliament by themselves, we will not support the approval of the budget allocations to those ministries.

    “Ministers must take this house very seriously, and only ministers appointed by the president to oversee the sectors of those ministries must rise from their seats to move motions to ask for budget allocations and approval by this house. Failure to do so will mean that we will stump down a number of those motions.

    “We will hold this government accountable, and we intend to strengthen oversight. It begins with this our decision. If ministers don’t appear in person to move motions for budget allocations, then they should expect the fiercest resistance from this side of the house,” he explained.

    Meanwhile, parliament has tasked the Ministry of Finance and other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to submit their Heads of Estimates for consideration and approval by parliament on time.

  • Deputy finance minister suggests minority’s role in E-levy reduction

    Deputy Minister of Finance, Abena Osei-Asare, has said that the decision to reduce the E-levy from the initial 1.5 per cent was based on a stakeholder engagement.

    According to her, the Minority proposed a reduction to 1.0 in December 2021 and this was adhered to, therefore minority must approve accepted the new changes.

    While debating the 2023 budget in parliament on November 29, she said, “Mr. Speaker, this one per cent was arrived at by continuous engagement with stakeholders and you (Minority) were in this house in December 2021 when the minority leader said it is better for us to reduce the E-Levy to one per cent. So, if today we are coming today with a measure that will reduce the E-Levy to one per cent, I think the E-Levy debate is closed and should be accepted.”

    In reaction to this comment, the deputy minority leader, James Avedzi refuted Abena Osei’s claim that the minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu proposed a reduction to 1.0 percent in 2021.

    “the deputy finance minister made a statement which was factually incorrect, and I want to correct it. She said that we were all in this house when the minority leader made a proposal for the E-Levy to be brought to one per cent. Never on this floor did the minority leader make that proposal, so for that to go into the records, it should be corrected. He never made such a proposal on this floor,” James Avedzi stated in the chamber.

    Deputy Minister of Finance again insisted that the Minority leader even repeated same comments in Ho over the weekend at the Post Budget workshop, adding that she never indicated that Haruna Iddrisu said anything of the sort in the chamber.

  • Review E-Levy rate to 0.5%, maintain GH¢300 daily threshold – Haruna Iddrisu

    Haruna Iddrisu, the minority leader and MP for Tamale North in the northern region of Ghana, has urged the government to further evaluate the proposed one percent (1%) e-levy at zero rate to 0.5 percent at a threshold of GH300 and above in order to earn support from Ghanaians.

    The Minority Leader claims that during the discussion of the government’s 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) members in the August House will make a solid case for that.

    At the present, two-day post-budget workshop in Ho, the Volta Regional Capital, the Minority Leader announced his decision in an open address.

    , has urged the government to further evaluate the proposed one percent (1%) e-levy at zero rate to 0.5 percent at a threshold of GH300 and above in order to earn support from Ghanaians.

    The Minority Leader claims that during the discussion of the government’s 2023 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) members in the August House will make a solid case for that.

    At the present, two-day post-budget workshop in Ho, the Volta Regional Capital, the Minority Leader announced his decision in an open address.

    The Tamale South lawmaker explained that setting the e-levy at 1% will have a negative impact on individuals and businesses that rely on electronic money transfer services.He thus urged the government to reconsider the newly proposed rate.

    “We will subject this new proposal to further critical and thorough discussions as a caucus, but without going into the scenarios, as you look at your scenarios, consider for say of 0.5% at a threshold of ¢300 as compared to what you have admitted of 1% at zero threshold.”

    The Tamale South MP hinted that his side was yet to take a decision on the proposed increase of the VAT rate by 2.5 percent.

    He, however, warned that the 2.5 percent increase in VAT may have terrible consequences on businesses.

    Government announced last Thursday that it was reducing the rate from 1.5 percent to 1 percent and removing the 100 cedis tax-free daily threshold. That means any amount transferred is taxable.

  • Government’s 1D1F has failed to reduce imports – Minority

    The Minority in Parliament has described the government’s flagship policy, One District One Factory, as a failed programme.

    According to the Minority, the policy has failed to drastically cut down on the country’s imports.

    The comment by the Minority comes on the back of the government’s withdrawal of FX support to importers of some food items such as rice and poultry.

    Speaking to journalists, the Ranking Member on the Trade, Industry and Tourism Committee of Parliament, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah said the government must initiate policies that inure to the benefit of the citizenry.

    “Unfortunately, as we speak, this government’s flagship policy of One District, One Factory…has that been able to really address one problem of the things we import? Can we point to one factory in the last seven years and say because of 1D1F, we are no longer importing rice or poultry?”

    Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has also served notice that it will thoroughly scrutinize the amount of money the government is pumping into the National Cathedral.

    Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said there are so many controversies and lack of openness in the building of the project that needs to be answered and assured that no stone will be left unturned when the 2023 budget is tabled for debate on Tuesday, November 29.

    The project has seen a lot of controversies, as many Ghanaians continue to question the prudence of the state financing an edifice that is said to be President Akufo-Addo’s personal pledge to God.

    While assuring that the Minority Caucus is not against the building of such a monument, Haruna Iddrisu at a post-budget engagement in Ho, observed what he said were needful answers on the budgetary allocation, procurement, and other matters, missing from the conversation.

    “Ghana is a secular state and a Republic which guarantees freedom of faith, freedom of conscience, and freedom of religion but when you make a budgetary allocation for the construction of a national cathedral at GH¢80 million, we must know what is the total cost of that project, how were procurements undertaken to assure value for money, what is the duration of the project, how much will it cost the State and when will the project be completed.”

    “These are needful questions we will ask while we support it,” he added.

     

     

  • The 2023 budget will be discussed in Parliament on Tuesday

    On Tuesday, November 29, 2022, members of Parliament (MPs) will start debating the 2023 budget statement.

    The debate is expected to focus on finance, agriculture, trade, and industry on November 29, communications, energy, roads, works, housing, sanitation, and environment on Wednesday, and health, youth and sports, education, tourism, culture, and chieftaincy on December 1 are other areas of concern, according to deputy majority leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin.

    A two-day workshop was organized over the weekend to empower lawmakers and offer them insights into the 2023 budget as they ready themselves for the debate on the floor.

    Already the minority in parliament is demanding a review of some revenue mobilization measures outlined in the budget such as scrapping of the daily minimum threshold exemption for E-Levy and further reduction in the rate to 0.5%.

    In an address at the post-budget workshop for MPs in Ho over the weekend, Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu warned decision to freeze public sector employment and cutting down of numbers admitted into teaching and nursing schools will further exacerbate the already worst unemployment canker.

    The Tamale South MP warned though his side is willing to support government’s effort in resuscitating the economy, the 2.5% increment in VAT rate will be treated with the NPP’s Kume Preko demonstration against introduction of the tax in 1995 in mind.

    Majority leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu however called on the NDC MPs to support government’s effort in addressing the economic crisis arguing the NDC also in the past opposed things that have ended up benefiting the country such as the discovery of oil in commercial quantities.

    Some aspects of the budget such as the intent to review the 1.5% e-levy downwards and the introduction of a 2.5% VAT have already triggered discussions within the public.

    Businesses have opposed the new tax policy, while mobile money users have criticized the removal of the threshold on transactions.

  • Freeze on public sector employment will worsen un- employment rate – Minority Leader

    Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu is concerned about the government’s decision to freeze public sector employment in 2023.

    He fears this will compound the high youth unemployment situation in the country.

    Expressing his grievances over the decision at a post-budget workshop at Ho in the Volta Region, Mr Iddrisu, charged the government to consider its impact on the youth of this country.

    “Mr. Speaker, Ghana’s economy and as I listened to the Honourable Minister of Finance, the 2023 budget statement is replete with evidence that the government is simply ‘broke’ and the economy in crisis,” he said.

    The concern follows the reading of the 2023 budget, dubbed the “Nkabom budget.”

    Finance Minister, Ken Ofori- Atta, during the budget reading announced various policies aimed at “expenditure rationalisation” which included a freeze on hiring into the public and civil service effective January 2023.

    Addressing the content of the budget, the Minority Leader, who doubles as the Tamale South MP, intimated that the budget was an indication of the highly distressed state of the country.

    It is “an economy under life support that needs some resuscitation,” he stressed.

    He contended that some of the interventions that the government is seeking to embark on, including the capping of enrolment of nursing and teacher trainees and the reduction of the size of convoys, would rather worsen the state of the economy.

    The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu, on the other hand,explained that the shocks and the depreciation of the cedi have been major contributing factors to the current economic hardships, which the 2023 Budget seeks to tackle.

    “These (COVID-19 and Russian-Ukraine war) have created internal and external imbalances in the clearly economic woes; high inflation and unsustainable financing of the current economic deficit and rapid depreciation of the cedi. Suddenly, these variables have brought a lot of hardships to the citizenry, particularly the poor and vulnerable,” he noted.

    He added that the budget intends to alleviate the plight of Ghanaians through increased spending on social protection.

     

  • Minority calls for the review of the e-levy rate to 0.5%

    The minority in parliament has urged the government to seriously consider further lowering the e-levy rate to 0.5 percent and establishing a daily tax-free threshold of 300 cedis in order to gain their support.

    Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, who made this appeal, noted that the minority caucus will vigorously advocate for the reduction in parliament.

    Presenting the 2023 budget on Thursday, November 24, 2022, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced that the government was reducing the e-levy rate
    from 1.5 percent to 1 percent and removing the 100 cedis tax-free daily threshold.

    That means any amount transferred is taxable. The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu during the inaugural ceremony of the post Budget in Ho stated that such a review will worsen the hardship on the average Ghanaian.

    Thus, he urged the government to reconsider the newly proposed rate and reduce it to a 0.5%“We will subject it to a further critical and thorough discussions
    as a caucus but without going into the scenarios, as you look at your scenarios, consider for say of 0.5% at a threshold of ¢300 as compared to what you have admitted of 1%”.

    Mr Haruna noted that his party had not yet made up its mind regarding the suggested increase of the VAT rate by 2.5 percent.

    However, he cautioned that this can have a negative impact on businesses.

    But according to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, the government’s inability to access the global market has made the measures crucial for raising domestic revenue.

    He believes that these taxation policies are essential for saving Ghana’s economy from total collapse.

    The Finance Minister has called on the MPs to rally their support for the measures suggested, so they can be passed on time. “It has become more urgent to
    mobilise some domestic revenue as our access to the international market has been largely closed and our debt levels increased”,

    Finance Minister, Ken Ofori- Atta had said on Thursday, November 24, during the 2023 budget presentation. The electronic transfer levy, popularly known as e-levy, was introduced in May 2022.

    Ghana’s e-levy is a 1.5 per cent tax on the transfer amount of electronic transactions. The objective is to improve tax revenues by tapping into fast-growing digital financial services.

  • Parliament commends Black Stars for their performance despite the loss

    Members of Parliament have commended the Black Stars for their performance in their World Cup match against Portugal.

    Even though Ghana lost 2 goals to 3, the MPs said they put up a good performance during the match.

    Member of Parliament for South Tongu, Kobena Mensah Woyome, in his statement on the floor, congratulated the team for being able to hold their opponent to a 3:2 scoreline.

    Former Sports Minister, Isaac Kwame Asiamah in reference to the referee awarding a penalty against Ghana, said it affected the progress of the team.

    He said the officiating has come to question and he will urge the Black Stars to do more concentration on the field of play.

    “Going forward, next two matches, we urge the Black Stars to know that as Azumah Nelson once said, ‘bring your mother as a referee and I’ll still beat you’ that should be their mindset and we are happy they are doing the needful, they are protesting to FIFA.”

    Member of Parliament for Talensi, Benson Tongo Baba also urged the players, and technical handlers to put the defeat behind them and look forward to the matches ahead of them.

    He also called on Ghanaians to continue to support the team.

    “Let us see that this should be the beginning for things to change in this country that we should work together as one nation with a common destiny.” He said.

    Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu said Portugal did not deserve the win.

    “Mr Speaker, the right thing to do is to congratulate Portugal as winners undeservingly. They don’t deserve the victory because we were robbed of our victory by poor officiating and not just the penalty awarded in favour of Ronaldo even the second goal of Portugal by VAR is kind of offside goal if you observe it but it was not confirmed.”

    He urged the team to concentrate on their match, adding that the coach did not need to make any changes during the match.

    He said they are proud of the Black Stars so far.

    Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said the second half was very explosive and the best so far in the tournament, adding that Ghana lost to the referee and not to Portugal.

    “We lost to the referee and not to Portugal. Mr Speaker, in such instances the VAR will be resorted to. Who were the people manning the VAR system? Such that the referee was not prompted because clearly the two players went for the ball and they touched the two feet of the two players almost at the same time and there was no tangle. So how come did the referee whistle for a penalty against Black Stars and the people manning the VAR system did not prompt the referee? It wasn’t a conspiracy against Africa? Mr Speaker, the temptation to arrive at this conclusion is there for everybody.” He said

    The Black Stars lost their opening Group H game 3-2 to Portugal at Stadium 974 on Thursday, November 25, 2022.

    The first Portuguese goal which was a penalty has reportedly triggered a petition to FIFA to investigate the conduct of the referee.

  • Haruna Iddrisu describes 2023 economic policy as ‘Ɛka mpɛ dede’ budget

    The 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy has been referred to as a “ka mp dede budget” by the minority leader in parliament, Haruna Iddrisu.

    The popular’sika mp dede’ that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo used in his final speech to the nation inspired the Akan expression, which literally translates to ‘debt does not like noise.’

    The Minority Leader criticized the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, for excessive borrowing as he stood up to second the motion on the floor of parliament to adjourn the session.

    He explained that, with the details of the budget as presented by the minister, and with his own admission that the country is highly-indebted, then the phrase Ɛka mpɛ dede best describes the budget.

    “We have heard the honourable Minister of Finance, before this august House, declare Ghana a high-risk, distress debt country. So, Mr. Speaker, this budget is Ɛka mpɛ dede budget and therefore, he’s put the country on the path to debt restructuring, which he has announced as debt exchange program.

    “So, Mr. Speaker, this budget is Ɛka mpɛ dede budget because he has announced debt restructuring in the name of a debt exchange program,” he said.

    Haruna Iddrisu also appealed to the minister to ensure that he regularizes the government’s borrowing spree.

    “Mr. Speaker, my greatest expectation of the minister is to regularize the borrowing under the amended Bank of Ghana act of 2016.

    “You have to come back to this House to seek our mandate and authorization for your excessive borrowing from the Bank of Ghana, that needs to be regularized,” he said.

    The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, presented the ‘Nkabom’ budget to parliament as part of his constitutional mandate on Thursday, November 24, 2022.

  • Haruna Iddrisu describes 2023 budget as ‘Ɛka mpɛ dede’ budget

    The Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has described the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy as a Ɛka mpɛ dede budget.

    The Akan phrase, teased from the popular ‘sika mpɛ dede’ that was used by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his last address to the nation, literally means that ‘debt does not like noise.’

    Getting up to second the motion on the floor of parliament for the adjournment of sitting after the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, presented the budget, the Minority Leader called out the minister for excessive borrowing.

    He explained that, with the details of the budget as presented by the minister, and with his own admission that the country is highly-indebted, then the phrase Ɛka mpɛ dede best describes the budget.

    “We have heard the honourable Minister of Finance, before this august House, declare Ghana a high-risk, distress debt country. So, Mr. Speaker, this budget is Ɛka mpɛ dede budget and therefore, he’s put the country on the path to debt restructuring, which he has announced as debt exchange program.

    “So, Mr. Speaker, this budget is Ɛka mpɛ dede budget because he has announced debt restructuring in the name of a debt exchange program,” he said.

    Haruna Iddrisu also appealed to the minister to ensure that he regularizes the government’s borrowing spree.

    “Mr. Speaker, my greatest expectation of the minister is to regularize the borrowing under the amended Bank of Ghana act of 2016.

    “You have to come back to this House to seek our mandate and authorization for your excessive borrowing from the Bank of Ghana, that needs to be regularized,” he said.

    The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, presented the ‘Nkabom’ budget to parliament as part of his constitutional mandate on Thursday, November 24, 2022.

     

  • Ofori-Atta has indicated he won’t resign but we won’t back down – NPP MP

    Member of Parliament for Bortianor-Ngleshie-Amanfro, Sylvester Tetteh, has urged the general public not to doubt the resolve of the majority caucus to get Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta removed from office.

    According to him, the entire caucus has now decided that the minister will be removed after he has completed the initial stage of negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), presented the 2023 budget, and seen to the completion of the appropriation bill for the budget as the president has requested.

    Speaking on Good Morning Ghana, monitored by GhanaWeb, Sylvester Tetteh added that Ofori-Atta, by his public pronouncements, has shown that he is not willing to step down, but the caucus will ensure that he is removed after he completes these three things.

    “So, people should not be so much worried about the position and integrity of the majority caucus calling for Ken Ofori-Atta (to be sacked). Of course, there are two players in this, the president asking him to leave or he, himself, voluntarily resigning.

    “His public posturing and everything suggests that he will not resign. He has clearly indicated he won’t go anywhere. He has not even heard the cry of the majority Members of Parliament, to say the least.

    “I’m a Member of Parliament here today, and we don’t even have a budget brief to make an input. So, I’m going to sit in the chamber and open the budget for the first time,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has expressed disappointment over the decision of the majority not to support the minority in the impeachment of the finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    According to him, even though the majority failed to support them, the minority will not abandon the censorship motion.

    Speaking to the media in parliament, he said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo also indicated that Akufo-Addo does not respect public opinion.

    “…President Akufo-Addo will go down in history under the fourth republic as the president who most disrespected public opinion because as far as we are concerned public opinion is not supportive and favourable to the continuous stay in office of Ken Ofori-Atta. We feel led down and we feel betrayed by the majority caucus who have shown no wits in supporting us with our impeachment process within the letter and spirit of Article 82 of the 1992 constitution we are not abandoning our censorship motion,” he said.

  • Majority betrayed us by not supporting Ofori-Atta’s impeachment – Minority

    The minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has expressed disappointment over the decision of the majority not to support the minority in the impeachment of the finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    According to him, despite the fact that the majority failed to support them, the minority will not abandon the censorship motion.

    Speaking to the media in parliament, he said President Akufo-Addo also indicated that Akufo-Addo does not respect public opinion.

    “…President Akufo-Addo will go down in history under the fourth republic as the president who most disrespected public opinion because as far as we are concerned public opinion is not supportive and favourable to the continuous stay in office of Ken Ofori-Atta. We feel led down and we feel betrayed by the majority caucus who have shown no wits in supporting us with our impeachment process within the letter and spirit of Article 82 of the 1992 constitution we are not abandoning our censorship motion.”

    The Majority Caucus in Parliament has rescinded their decision to boycott the 2023 Budget Statement by embattled Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    This comes after a meeting between the lawmakers and leaders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) which was held on November 23.

    A statement co-signed by Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh and NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong read in part: “At a meeting this evening, the 22 of November 2022, involving the Majority Caucus, the Leadership of the Party and the Council of Elders, it has been agreed by all to refocus and recline to the earlier position requested by the President.”

  • Ad-hoc committee probing censure motion postpones presentation of report

    According to reports, the eight-member ad hoc committee’s report submission has been delayed.

    The committee was formed to look into a resolution of censure against Ken Ofori-Atta, the finance minister.

    Despite requesting an extension to present the report today, November 2, 2022, Citinewsroom.com reports that the committee will not be able to do so since it has not yet finished preparing its report for presentation to Parliament.

    “We will apply to the Speaker for an extension of time to be able to file our report and the purpose of the report will simply be to continue the debate on the motion for the vote of censure and the report will be laid in Parliament hopefully on Tuesday”, a Co-Chair of the committee, Dr. Dominic Ayine had earlier said on November 18, 2022.

    KT Hammond, another co-chair, announced that the committee would have to present a draft copy of the report to the finance minister to ensure that his responses are properly captured before the full report is tabled before Parliament for debate.

    The minority in parliament proposed a censure motion against the finance minister on seven grounds.

    According to Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu the seven grounds included an allegation of a “despicable conflict of interest” in which Ofori-Atta was directly benefitting from Ghana’s economic woes.

    He also alleged an unconstitutional withdrawal from the Consolidated Fund, in contravention of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution, for the construction of the National Cathedral.

    Haruna Iddrisu also told the ad-hoc committee that the minister had made illegal payments of oil revenues into offshore accounts in violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution as well as misreporting of economic data to Parliament.

    He also alleged that fiscal recklessness led to the crash of the Ghana cedi, which was reported to be the worst-performing currency in the world.

    The second proponent of the motion, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, accused the Minister of deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament.

    The Committee, set up by the Speaker of Parliament, is co-chaired by Dr Dominic Ayine, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolgatanga East for the Minority Caucus, and Kobina Tahir Hammond, MP for Adansi Asokwa, for the Majority Caucus.

    It also included three members each from both the minority and majority sides.

  • FLASHBACK: ‘MoMo tax is a taxation ponzi scheme’ – Sam George

    Sam Nartey George, the representative for Ningo Prampram, called the E-Levy a “ponzi scam.”

    He claims that the tax allows for various taxes on the same amounts.

    The more I digest the e-Levy, the angrier I get, he wrote in a tweet. It is an outright scam.

    It is a ponzi scheme of taxation that levies several taxes on the same amount of money.
    It is obvious government theft, and I will not vote to accept a budget that includes that fee, No!.”

    Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Samuel Nartey George, has said the proposed E-levy in the yet-to-be approved 2022 budget statement is a rip off.

    He described it as a ponzi scheme intended to tax the same value of money multiple times.

    In a tweet, he said “The more I process the e-Levy, the angrier I get. It is a complete rip off. It is a taxation ponzi scheme designed to tax d same value of money multiple times. It is plain government thievery & I cannot vote to approve a budget that has that levy included. No!”

    Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has also said the E-levy is a disincentive to the growth of digital economy.

    To that end, he said, the Minority will not support it.

    Speaking at a post-budget workshop in Ho on Saturday, November 20, he said “Mr Speaker, understandably, we see that the Minister of Finance seeks to introduce some measures including the now popularly declared e-levy or digital levy as some have quite named it.

    “Mr Speaker, our concern is whether the e-levy itself is not and will not be a disincentive to the growth of digital economy in our country. We are convinced that the e-levy may as well even be a disincentive to investment and a disincentive to private sector development in our country. We in the minority may not and will not support government with the introduction of that particular e-levy . We are unable to build a national consensus on that particular matter.”

    Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta announced a new levy to be charged by government in 2022 on all electronic transactions to widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector.

    “It is becoming clear there exists enormous potential to increase tax revenues by bringing into the tax bracket, transactions that could be best defined as being undertaken in the ‘informal economy’,” Mr Ofori-Atta observed on Wednesday, November 17 as he presented the 2022 budget statement in Parliament.

    “After considerable deliberations, government has decided to place a levy on all electronic transactions to widen the tax net and rope in the informal sector. This shall be known as the ‘Electronic Transaction Levy or E-Levy’.”

    He explained that the new E-levy will be a 1.75 per cent charge on all electronic transactions covering mobile money payments, bank transfers, merchant payments and inward remittances to be borne by the sender except inward remittances, which will be borne by the recipient.

    This will, however, not affect transactions that add up to GH¢100 pr less per day.

    “A portion of the proceeds from the E-Levy will be used to support entrepreneurship, youth employment, cyber security, digital and road infrastructure among others.”

    This new levy is scheduled to start Saturday, January 1, 2022.

    In 2020, the total value of transactions was estimated to be over GH¢500 million with mobile money subscribers and users growing by 16 percent in 2019.

    According to a Bank of Ghana report, Ghana saw an increase of over 120 percent in the value of digital transactions between February 2020 and February 2021 compared to 44 percent for the period February 2019 to February 2020 due to the convenience they offer.

    This was definitely heightened by the advent of COVID-19 especially during the lockdown.

  • I feel the pain of Ghanaians personally, professionally and in my soul – Ofori-Atta

    According to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, he is personally, professionally, and spiritually affected by the suffering of Ghanaians.

    The weakening of the Ghana cedi along with skyrocketing inflation rates have severely harmed Ghana’s economy.

    Currently, the cost of living is rising as a result of rising prices for products and services.

    When the Finance Minister went before the ad hoc committee on November 18, 2022, he made the remarks during his opening remarks.

    He said, “as a person, President Akufo-Addo has put in charge of the economy, I feel the pain personally, professionally, and in my soul.”

    “Today I acknowledge the people of Ghana are enduring hardship,” he added.

    The Minority in Parliament filed a censure motion against Ken Ofori-Atta.

    They made seven allegations against the minister including frivolous spending conflict of interest, financial recklessness leading to the free fall of the Ghana Cedi, and gross mismanagement of the economy.

    An eight-member ad-hoc committee from both sides of the house was set up on November 10 by the Speaker of Parliament to probe the motion.

    On Tuesday, November 18, 2022, when the first sitting was had the Minority was represented by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, and, Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, proponents of the motion.

    The Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) took their turns to appear before the committee on November 17, 2022.

  • MPs buy fuel, we’re suffering like every Ghanaian – KT Hammond laments

    Kobina Tahir Hammond, Member of Parliament for the Adansi-Asokwa Constituency has explained that contrary to public perception, MPs pay for their fuel without any subsidy.

    The comment was made as he clarified a recent comment to the effect that he had said he did not buy fuel because he didn’t own a car. The said comment was apparently made in jest on Day One (November 15) of the ad-hoc committee of Parliament probing a vote of censure motion brought against the embattled Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta.

    Hammond is a co-chair of the committee along with Dominic Ayine.

    At the beginning of Day Two of the committee’s sitting (November 17), KT Hammond made clarifications to his earlier statement: “On Tuesday, I did not make any categorical such statement as to whether I buy fuel or I don’t, you should be able to distinguish various segments of what anybody speaks.”

    He tasked the media to do better by reporting comments with context and capturing the full import of what is said.

    “Let me get it on record, Members of Parliament buy fuel, we don’t have any coupons, we don’t have rebates, we don’t have anything, we are suffering the same way every Ghanaian is suffering.

    The fuel price situation is one plank of the general rise in the cost of living bedeviling the Ghanaian economy. Price hikes have affected especially transportation fares which have increased steadily across the year.

    Incidentally, the MP, only weeks ago had shared an experience where he nearly fought a fuel attendant after he thought he had been shortchanged only to be alerted to the new prices of the commodity.

    “We appreciate it, it’s been put on record many times, we all know what is going on, it is not a matter that anybody is running away from, we are all in it together. How we get out of it is also in the hands of all of us, let us get the reportage fairly right,” he stressed.

    In rebutting a point about rising fuel costs raised by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu on day one of the committee sitting, November 15, the Adansi Asokwa MP said, “I don’t buy fuel, I don’t have a car, so I don’t buy fuel.”

  • It is unfair we keep interjecting the flow of the sitting – Zanetor fumes

    Dr. Zanetor Agyemang Rawlings, a member of the ad hoc committee from the Minority side of parliament, has requested that members of the committee adhere to the established procedures for the committee’s meeting.

    The MP claims that KT Hammond and other members’ interruptions are preventing the proceedings from moving further.

    She stated that the custom is unjust and impedes the sitting’s natural flow.

    “Co-Chair, normally when we sit in a committee, you must actually address the chair and have permission from the chair before you speak. I think it’s unfair that we just keep interjecting. We ask questions and we don’t let the witness continue and we keep interjecting without seeking permission to have the opportunity to interrupt. We are creating too much of an issue with that,” she said during the sitting.

    The second sitting of the ad hoc committee probing the allegations in a vote of a censure motion against the embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has commenced today November 17, 2022.

    The 8-member ad hoc committee was made of Members of Parliament elected by the leadership of both sides of the House.

    The Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) have appeared before the committee of Parliament.

    Their main task is to probe the seven allegations contained in the censure motion filed late last month by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, which motion is seeking the removal of Ofori-Atta from office.

    However, the Finance Minister is expected to appear before the committee on November 18, 2022.

  • ‘You can’t teach me how to do my work’ – Ablakwa slams Gabby

    The first day of the public hearing of the committee on the motion of censure against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, was characterized by heated exchanges and clashes between the Minority members and some members of the Majority side.

    The Member of Parliament for the North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, also engaged in heated exchanges with counsel for the Finance Minister, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko.

    Mr Otchere-Darko had sought to advise Mr Ablakwa to reserve some of his comments for a press conference and not the committee sittings, but in a sharp rebuttal, the North Tongu MP asked the seasoned lawyer not to attempt to teach him his job.

    “You can’t come here and teach me how to do my work,” Mr Ablakwa said, adding, “you can’t come here and throw your weight about. This is Parliament, you can’t tell me what to do, you are not the chairman so don’t tell me what to do,” a livid Ablakwa retorted.

    Mr. Otchere-Darko had earlier expressed concern that his client would be caught off guard by the evidence and requested “full particulars of the facts in support of the allegations against the [Finance] Minister.”

    He also said there would not be enough time to scrutinise the evidence outlined by the Minority.

    “It would not be fair for the Minister of Finance to be ambushed right here without any preparation to start answering questions.”

    The Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, also dismissed suggestions that the current economic crisis in Ghana was mainly caused by the war being waged on Ukraine by Russia.

    Addressing the Committee, the Tamale South MP said the “reckless borrowing” and “reckless spending” by the Finance Minister are the cause of Ghana’s woes.

    “Did you borrow to support the war in Ukraine,” Mr Iddrisu asked, arguing that, it was because of Ofori-Atta’s recklessness that caused Ghana’s economic woes.

  • Ofori-Atta must be held responsible for cost of living crisis – Haruna Iddrisu

    Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu says Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta must be blamed for the current high cost of living in the country.

    Prices of goods and services have been on the rise recently while transportation fares have also increased more than four times due to the increase in fuel prices.

    The country’s inflation rate currently stands at 40.4%, a level not witnessed ever in the country.

    According to Mr. Iddrisu the government, amidst all these developments, has failed to take measures to abate the current hardship. Thus, the Finance Minister should be held responsible.

    The Tamale South MP said this when he appeared as a witness before the 8-member Adhoc Committee hearing the censure motion against the Finance Minister on Tuesday.

    “There is a cost of living crisis in Ghana, exacerbated by uncontrolled inflation and we think that the Honourable Minister for Finance must be held responsible for that. We are saying that someone must accept responsibility.

    “Chairman, when we say the cost of living and hardship, we are also concerned about the investments of persons associated with pensions and even the financial viability of Ghana’s banking sector and the attempt to deal with it and we think that Ken Ofori-Atta must be held responsible for that,” he noted.

    Meanwhile, the Legal representative for Ken Ofori-Atta, Gabby Otchere-Darko has demanded evidence to back the Minority’s allegations against the Minister.

    The lawyer wants the Minority legislators to provide particulars to support their specific claims.

    This, he says, will enable his client better assess the allegations based on which his removal is being pushed for.

    For Mr Otchere-Darko, if this is not done, it will give room to the petitioners ambushing the embattled Minister with questions that may be outside the scope of the probe.

    “If we are not careful, there will be surprises at every turn of the proceedings,” he added.

    Source: Complex.com

     

  • I don’t have a car so I don’t buy fuel – KT Hammond

    The Member of Parliament for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir Hammond, has stated that he has no idea of the current fuel prices as he does not have a car to buy fuel.

    This was in response to Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, who sought to inquire from KT Hammond during the committee hearing on the motion of censure against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, whether he was aware of the current fuel prices.

    Mr. K.T. Hammond, who is also a Chairman on the committee, in response said “I don’t buy fuel, I don’t have a car so I don’t buy fuel”.

    Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister, has appeared before the ad hoc committee to probe allegations in a vote of a censure motion against him.

    The eight-member committee is to be co-chaired by Dominic Ayine (MP for Bolgatanga East) and KT Hammond (MP for Adansi-Asokwa). Members from the majority side include; Patrick Boamah, Andrew Agyapa Mercer (MP for Sekondi), and Kwame Anyimadu Antwi. Members from the minority include Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings (MP for Korle Klottey), Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP for North Tongu), and Bernard Ahiafor (MP for Akatsi South).

    The committee is expected to submit a report within seven days.

  • Censorship motion: Ken Ofori-Atta insists on a fair hearing

    Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has asked the Minority caucus in Parliament to furnish him with documents that they will rely upon to execute the motion of censure initiated against him.

    This is according to the Minister’s lawyer, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, who made the request on behalf of Ken Ofori-Atta on Tuesday morning when the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee commenced sitting to hear the motion.

    Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko said the rules of natural justice and fair hearing required that the accused was not only heard but was furnished with the documents that formed the bases of the allegations made against him.

    He, therefore, insisted that the Minority, led by its Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, provide the documents to him and his client.

    The request was met with hesitance from the Minority, who appeared unprepared and insisted that the documents were already in the public domain and did not have to be tendered.

    Following a debate on the matter, co-Chairs of the Committee K.T. Hammond and Dr Dominic Ayine, ruled that the Minority presented the documents to the finance minister and the committee.

    The documents were then subsequently listed.

    Below are the seven-points for which the Minority want Ofori-Atta censured:

    a. Despicable conflict of interest ensuring that he directly benefits from Ghana’s economic woes as his companies receive commissions and other unethical contractual advantages particularly from Ghana’s debt overhang

    b. Unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund in blatant contravention of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution, supposedly for the construction of the President’s Cathedral.

    c. Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, in flagrant violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution.

    d. Deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament.

    e. Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana Cedi which is currently the worst-performing currency in the world

    f. Alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude, resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and an excruciating cost of living crisis.

    g. Gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy which has occasioned untold and unprecedented hardship.

     

  • Ken Ofori-Atta sleeps away his impeachment hearing 

    Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been sighted dozing off at the maiden hearing of the eight-member Committee set up to probe the censure motion brought against him by the Minority in Parliament.

    Barely two hours into the hearing which began today November 15, the visibly tired Finance Minister was captured on national television sleeping away an all-important hearing that could otherwise revise his fate as the manager of Ghana’s economy.

    The hearing which is still underway, Ranking Member on the Finance Committee of Parliament, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson is making submissions as the star witness to the no confidence motion against Ken Ofori-Atta.

    As part of his argument, Dr Ato Forson asserted that the huge debt overhang is the principal precipitator of the current economic crisis culminating into untold hardship Ghanaians endure daily.

    Some Twitter users have shared their opinions on Mr Ofori-Atta being unable to give his full attention during the sitting.

    Minority leader Haruna Iddrisu and Gabby Otchere Darko, the lawyer of the Finance Minister, also appeared before the Committee.

    Today’s sitting comes after the Minority moved a censure motion against the Finance Minister. They argue that Ghana’s economic woes should be pinned on Mr Ofori-Atta.

    Following a heated debate in Parliament last week, Speaker Alban Bagbin instituted an ad hoc committee to be co-chaired by MP for Bolga East, Dominic Ayine and Adansi-Asokwa legislator, Kobina Tahir Hammond to look into the matter.

    Other members of the committee include North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Klottey-Korle, the Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, and Okaikoi North MP, Emmanuel Ahiaku, from the Minority side.

    Representatives from the majority side are Okaikwei Central MP, Yaw Boamah, Asante-Akim Central legislator, Kwame Anyimadu- Antwi, and Sekondi MP, Egyapa Mercer. The clerk to the committee is Mr Boamah Camilo, the Speaker added.

     

     

     

  • LIVESTREAMING: Censure committee sittings to probe Ofori-Atta

    Alban Bagbin, on Thursday, November 10 constituted an ad hoc committee to probe allegations in a vote of a censure motion against the embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    The 8-member ad hoc committee was made of Members of Parliament elected by the leadership of both sides of the House.

    Their main task is to probe the seven allegations contained in the censure motion filed late last month by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, which motion is seeking the removal of Ofori-Atta from office.

    The committee is expected to submit a report within 7 days.

    It will be chaired by Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir (K.T.) Hammond and the MP for Bolgatanga Dominic Akuritinga Ayine.

    The three members from the Minority side are:

    MP for North Tongu; Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa;

    MP for Korle Klottey, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings; and

    MP for Akatsi South, Bernard Ahiafor.

    From the Majority caucus, the members include:

    MP for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah;

    MP for Asante-Akim Central, Michael Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi; and

    MP for Sekondi, Andrew Kofi Agyapa Mercer.

    Proceedings will be televised live.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Haruna Iddrisu, Muntaka, Ato Forson to testify against Ofori-Atta before censure committee

    Three minority MPs including the minority leader Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak and the Ranking member on the finance committee Dr. Casiel Ato Forson are expected to appear before the ad-hoc committee set to probe the Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta in the vote of censure motion.

    The three MPs who are pushing for the dismissal of Ken Ofori Atta are convinced the sector has breached the law and is also responsible for the worse economic conditions in the country.

    Co-chair of the committee KT Hammond in an interview hinted that the hearing of the committee will be made public to the media.

    “We held a meeting [14th November, 2022] to discuss the modalities. We agreed at the meeting that the hearing will be public for all to see what transpires. We are confident we will do a thorough job so tomorrow(15th November 2022) bring your cameras and carry the hearing live,” Hammond told Kumasi-based Oyerepa TV.

    A member of the committee also disclosed that the three minority MPs will appear before the committee with their testimony when they are called upon.

    The formation of the Ad-hoc committee is to give the Finance Minister, an opportunity to respond to the allegations levelled against him in a vote of censure motion.

    The Speaker, Alban Bagbin ruled for the formation of the ad hoc committee to allow the minister to appear before it possibly with his lawyer to defend himself.

    According to the speaker, a lawyer/counsel for the minister is not allowed to perform his duty on the floor of the house unless at the committee level.

    It is based on the outcome of the committee’s report that a decision would be taken.

    This was after the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu earlier moved the motion on a vote of censure against the Minister.

  • ‘Did you borrow to support Ukraine?’ – Haruna Iddrisu asks Ofori-Atta

    The leader of the Minority Caucus of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has refuted assertions that the Russia-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic are the cause of the hardships in the country.

    According to Haruna Iddrisu, the only cause of Ghana’s economic challenges is Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta whose unbridled borrowing has led the country to this economic crisis.

    “We are told that he did well and that we are told that we should blame COVID and Ukraine. Did we borrow to support Ukraine? You didn’t borrow to support Ukraine.

    “And you want us to accept your reckless and irresponsible borrowing which has led us to where we are,” he said on the floor of Parliament while moving a vote of censure motion for the removal of Ofori-Atta.

    Haruna Iddrisu, who is the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, said that the finance minister has borrowed so much that the country must restructure its debts in order to survive.

    He intimated that Ghanaians should ignore the assurance given to them by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that they will not lose parts of their investment in government bonds and other investment portfolios because of the ongoing economic crisis.

    “You are in a ditch. Mr. Speaker the Ghanaian economy is a ditch. Accept it or not, we may have to restructure our debt in order to sustain this economy in the next two, three years.

    “I heard the president, Mr. Speaker, in the address to the nation say that there will be no haircut. There will be and there will be a barber of a sort, that barber may be ‘sika mpɛ dede’,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has referred a vote of censure motion filed by the Minority for the removal of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to an 8-member ad hoc committee

    The committee is expected to make a determination on the removal of Ofori-Atta within 7 days.

    The speaker announced that the committee will be chaired by Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir (K.T.) Hammond and the MP for Bolgatanga Dominic Akuritinga Ayine.

    Alban Bagbin added that the determination of Ofori-Atta’s removal will be made in consultation with the leadership of the House.

    The other Members of the committee from the minority caucus include the MP for North Tongu; Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; MP for Korle Klottey, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings; and MP for Akatsi South, Bernard Ahiafor.

    The committee members from the majority caucus are MP for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah; MP for Asante-Akim Central, Michael Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi; and MP for Sekondi, Andrew Kofi Agyapa Mercer.

  • ‘Did you borrow to support Ukraine?’ – Haruna Iddrisu asks Ofori-Atta

    The leader of the Minority Caucus of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has refuted assertions that the Russia-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic are the cause of the hardships in the country.

    According to Haruna Iddrisu, the only cause of Ghana’s economic challenges is Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta whose unbridled borrowing has led the country to this economic crisis.

    “We are told that he did well and that we are told that we should blame COVID and Ukraine. Did we borrow to support Ukraine? You didn’t borrow to support Ukraine.

    “And you want us to accept your reckless and irresponsible borrowing which has led us to where we are,” he said on the floor of Parliament while moving a vote of censure motion for the removal of Ofori-Atta.

    Haruna Iddrisu, who is the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, said that the finance minister has borrowed so much that the country must restructure its debts in order to survive.

    He intimated that Ghanaians should ignore the assurance given to them by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that they will not lose parts of their investment in government bonds and other investment portfolios because of the ongoing economic crisis.

    “You are in a ditch. Mr. Speaker the Ghanaian economy is a ditch. Accept it or not, we may have to restructure our debt in order to sustain this economy in the next two, three years.

    “I heard the president, Mr. Speaker, in the address to the nation say that there will be no haircut. There will be and there will be a barber of a sort, that barber may be ‘sika mpɛ dede’,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has referred a vote of censure motion filed by the Minority for the removal of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to an 8-member ad hoc committee

    The committee is expected to make a determination on the removal of Ofori-Atta within 7 days.

    The speaker announced that the committee will be chaired by Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir (K.T.) Hammond and the MP for Bolgatanga Dominic Akuritinga Ayine.

    Alban Bagbin added that the determination of Ofori-Atta’s removal will be made in consultation with the leadership of the House.

    The other Members of the committee from the minority caucus include the MP for North Tongu; Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; MP for Korle Klottey, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings; and MP for Akatsi South, Bernard Ahiafor.

    The committee members from the majority caucus are MP for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah; MP for Asante-Akim Central, Michael Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi; and MP for Sekondi, Andrew Kofi Agyapa Mercer.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • ‘Did you borrow to support Ukraine?’ – Haruna Iddrisu asks Ofori-Atta

    The leader of the Minority Caucus of Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu, has refuted assertions that the Russia-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic are the cause of the hardships in the country.

    According to Haruna Iddrisu, the only cause of Ghana’s economic challenges is Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta whose unbridled borrowing has led the country to this economic crisis.

    “We are told that he did well and that we are told that we should blame COVID and Ukraine. Did we borrow to support Ukraine? You didn’t borrow to support Ukraine.

    “And you want us to accept your reckless and irresponsible borrowing which has led us to where we are,” he said on the floor of Parliament while moving a vote of censure motion for the removal of Ofori-Atta.

    Haruna Iddrisu, who is the Member of Parliament for Tamale South, said that the finance minister has borrowed so much that the country must restructure its debts in order to survive.

    He intimated that Ghanaians should ignore the assurance given to them by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that they will not lose parts of their investment in government bonds and other investment portfolios because of the ongoing economic crisis.

    “You are in a ditch. Mr. Speaker the Ghanaian economy is a ditch. Accept it or not, we may have to restructure our debt in order to sustain this economy in the next two, three years.

    “I heard the president, Mr. Speaker, in the address to the nation say that there will be no haircut. There will be and there will be a barber of a sort, that barber may be ‘sika mpɛ dede’,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has referred a vote of censure motion filed by the Minority for the removal of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to an 8-member ad hoc committee

    The committee is expected to make a determination on the removal of Ofori-Atta within 7 days.

    The speaker announced that the committee will be chaired by Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir (K.T.) Hammond and the MP for Bolgatanga Dominic Akuritinga Ayine.

    Alban Bagbin added that the determination of Ofori-Atta’s removal will be made in consultation with the leadership of the House.

    The other Members of the committee from the minority caucus include the MP for North Tongu; Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa; MP for Korle Klottey, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings; and MP for Akatsi South, Bernard Ahiafor.

    The committee members from the majority caucus are MP for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah; MP for Asante-Akim Central, Michael Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi; and MP for Sekondi, Andrew Kofi Agyapa Mercer.

  • Meet the 8-member ad hoc committee set to probe Ofori-Atta censure allegations

    The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on Thursday, November 10 announced an ad hoc committee to probe allegations in a vote of censure motion against the embattled Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    The 8-member ad hoc committee was constituted with Members of Parliament elected by the leadership of both sides of the House.

    Their main task is to probe the seven allegations contained in the censure motion filed late last month by Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu, which motion is seeking the removal of Ofori-Atta from office.

    The committee is expected to submit a report within 7 days.

    The composition of the committee is as follows:

    It will be chaired by Member of Parliament (MP) for Adansi Asokwa, Kobina Tahir (K.T.) Hammond and the MP for Bolgatanga Dominic Akuritinga Ayine.

    The three members from the Minority side are:

    MP for North Tongu; Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa;

    MP for Korle Klottey, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings; and

    MP for Akatsi South, Bernard Ahiafor.

    From the Majority caucus, the members include:

    MP for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah;

    MP for Asante-Akim Central, Michael Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi; and

    MP for Sekondi, Andrew Kofi Agyapa Mercer.

    How motion of censure against Ofori-Atta was argued

    The Minority Leader filed a motion of censure late last month against Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta.

    The motion was duly admitted by Speaker Alban Bagbin and on November 10, the motion was moved by Haruna Iddrisu to trigger debate and a vote on the same.

    Speaker Bagbin, however, in his interpretation of the rules the Minority relied on referred the issue to an 8-member ad hoc committee formed to probe the Minority’s claims against the Finance Minister.

    The committee co-chaired by Dominic Ayine (NDC) and KT Hammond (NPP) is expected to present their report in seven days, following which the House will proceed with the censure process or otherwise.

    Below are the seven points for which the Minority want Ofori-Atta censured:

    a. Despicable conflict of interest ensuring that he directly benefits from Ghana’s economic woes as his companies receive commissions and other unethical contractual advantages, particularly from Ghana’s debt overhang

    b. Unconstitutional withdrawals from the Consolidated Fund in blatant contravention of Article 178 of the 1992 Constitution, supposedly for the construction of the President’s Cathedral.

    c. Illegal payment of oil revenues into offshore accounts, in flagrant violation of Article 176 of the 1992 Constitution.

    d. Deliberate and dishonest misreporting of economic data to Parliament

    e. Fiscal recklessness leading to the crash of the Ghana Cedi which is currently the worst-performing currency in the world

    f. Alarming incompetence and frightening ineptitude, resulting in the collapse of the Ghanaian economy and an excruciating cost of living crisis

    g. Gross mismanagement of the Ghanaian economy which has occasioned untold and unprecedented hardship

  • Speaker stops attempt by majority to block censure motion against Ofori-Atta

    An attempt by the majority in parliament to raise a preliminary objection against the motion for a vote of censure brought by the minority against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been rejected.

    The minority, led by Haruna Iddrisu, moved the motion on Thursday, November 10, 2022, seeking to pass a vote of censure against the under-fire minister for finance.

    Arguing against the motion after it was moved by the minority leader, Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said admitting the motion in the house would amount to injustice being dealt against the minister for finance.

    “As it stands now, if this motion is allowed to proceed, it would amount to injustice in a sense that the minister wouldn’t be given enough time to prepare a defence,” the deputy majority leader said.

    The majority, among other things, argued that the minister would be denied a fair trial and that the house would be overstepping its remit if it decided to go ahead and admit the motion.

    However, ruling on the objection by the majority, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin said the minister will duly be granted an opportunity to defend himself as part of the process in dealing with the motion.

    The speaker further hinted that the motion will be referred to a committee of the house, upon whose recommendation the house will act.

    The minority is asking, among other things, for the removal of the minister of finance over what they say is his mismanagement of the economy, leading to high cost of living, and inflation.

    Source: Ghanaweb 

  • Speaker refers censure motion against Ofori-Atta to ad hoc committee

    Speaker Alban Bagbin has instituted an eight-member committee to look into the censure motion filed by the Minority in Parliament to facilitate
    the dismissal of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    On Thursday, the Minority, led by Tamale South MP, Haruna Iddrisu, moved a censure motion against Mr Ofori-Atta despite calls by the Majority to have the Minister present to defend himself.

    Following a heated debate, Speaker Bagbin decided on establishing an ad hoc committee spearheaded by two co-chairmen, MP for Bolga East, Dominic Ayine and Adansi-Asokwa legislator, Kobina Tahir Hammond, to look into the matter.

    The Speaker came to the decision in accordance with Order 106 of the Standing Order, which states, “The House may pass a resolution to remove the President, the Vice President, Mr. Speaker, and Deputy Speakers, and a vote of censure on a Minister of State.”

    “The House may consider such motion and come to a decision or refer it to a committee on a motion made by any member,” it continues.

    In his submission, Speaker Bagbin directed the committee to report to the House in the next seven days.

    Other members of the committee include North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Klottey-Korle, the Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings,
    and Okaikoi North MP, Emmanuel Ahiaku, from the Minority side.

    Representatives from the majority side are Okaikwei Central MP, Yaw Boamah, Asante-Akim Central legislator, Kwame Anyimadu-
    Antwi, and Sekondi MP, Egyapa Mercer. The clerk to the committee is Mr Boamah Camilo, the Speaker added.

    On October 25, 2022, the Minority in Parliament filed a censure motion against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.

    This occurred at the same time that the majority MPs, numbering around 80, held a press conference to demand the removal of the
    Finance Minister and Minister of State in charge of Finance at the Ministry of Finance, Charles Adu Boahen, for their inability to manage the economy.

    However, the NPP MPs have failed to support the NDC MPs in their quest. The Majority explained that their justification for the Minister’s
    removal does not tally with that of the Minority’s.

    “Over a few days, we have had the Finance Minister speaking, and his Ghana to receive $50m for carbon emission
    reduction speaking has informed the Majority not only to state that we are back to the original position that we took and that original position is to say that the Minister of Finance will not be the one to read the budget and its appropriation.”

    “However, we are not going to support the cause of the NDC in the chamber this morning. The cause of the NDC is premised on falsehood,
    propaganda and reasons that are not justifiable. Their position might look like ours but it is not the same,” the Majority said.

    Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has asked that the Finance Minister be allowed to complete Ghana’s negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and present the 2023 budget and economic statement.

     

     

     

  • Speaker stops attempt by majority to block censure motion against Ofori-Atta

    An attempt by the majority in parliament to raise a preliminary objection against the motion for a vote of censure brought by the minority against Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has been rejected.

    The minority, led by Haruna Iddrisu, moved the motion on Thursday, November 10, 2022, seeking to pass a vote of censure against the under-fire minister for finance.

    Arguing against the motion after it was moved by the minority leader, Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin said admitting the motion in the house would amount to injustice being dealt against the minister for finance.

    “As it stands now, if this motion is allowed to proceed, it would amount to injustice in a sense that the minister wouldn’t be given enough time to prepare a defence,” the deputy majority leader said.

    The majority, among other things, argued that the minister would be denied a fair trial and that the house would be overstepping its remit if it decided to go ahead and admit the motion.

    However, ruling on the objection by the majority, Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin said the minister will duly be granted an opportunity to defend himself as part of the process in dealing with the motion.

    The speaker further hinted that the motion will be referred to a committee of the house, upon whose recommendation the house will act.

    The minority is asking, among other things, for the removal of the minister of finance over what they say is his mismanagement of the economy, leading to high cost of living, and inflation.

     

     

  • I’m determined to move motion to vote out Ofori-Atta on Thursday – Minority Leader

    Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has said he is determined to move the motion of vote of censure to get the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta removed from Office, on Thursday November 10.

    He explained that the Minority will need the support of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament to achieve their desire to remove the Minister.

    The Tamale South lawmaker said any move by the NPP lawmakers to rescind their quest to get Mr Ofori-Atta removed will hurt Ghana’s democracy by weakening the oversight role of Parliament.

    Admittedly, he said, the National Democratic Congress Lawmakers do not have the required number, two thirds, to push their motion through hence, will need the support of the NPP MPs who earlier called for the sacking of Mr Ofori-Atta, to achieve that.

    “I’m determined to move the motion of censure,” he said while speaking at the political dialogue series organized by Media General on Wednesday November 8.

    He added “Admittedly, the Minority MPs, standing alone, may not achieve the two thirds number and so when the Majority said they will support us, it was comforting. If they chicken out, it will weaken Parliament, it will weaken oversight role of Parliament and the minister will run riot.”

    He added “Anywhere in the world, Mr Ofori-Atta should have been gone by now, taking full responsibility for what has happened.”

    The Speaker admitted the motion which was filed by Asawase Member of Parliament Muntaka Mubarak and dated October 24, 2022.

    The opposition lawmakers believe the Finance Minister has failed in managing the economy.

    In tweet, North Tongu Member of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said ” In compliance with Article 82 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, the NDC Caucus in Parliament has successfully filed a motion for his immediate removal.

    Mr Haruna Iddrisu earlier said in Parliament after the Speaker’s ruling was challenged by Deputy Majority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin that “The Speaker has ruled, and we must show respect to the Speaker. If there are any disagreements with the ruling, they know what to do.

    “Ordinarily, any civilized democracy in the world, you don’t even need a motion for the Minister of Finance to go home.

    “He, upon self-appraisal of where he has led the country and economy to, in all conscience, will bow out and save the nation. So, we have brought a competent motion.”

     

  • Government will certainly announce haircuts soon – Minority insists

    The Minority in Parliament says government will announce a haircut on some investments within the next 14 days as part of its debt restructuring measures.

    President Akufo-Addo in his economic recovery speech on Sunday, October 30, 2022, assured that government does not intend to slash the returns made on investments in its negotiations with the International Monetary Fund(IMF).

    But addressing the media on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu insisted that there will be some form of cuts in investments in the coming days.

    Mr. Iddrisu accused the president of creating the current economic mess the country currently finds itself in.

    “As a Minority group, we believe the president failed to accept responsibility [during his address] that he is responsible for the sorry state of the Ghanaian economy, and he is responsible for the wrench economy which has consequences on livelihoods. Poverty has exacerbated, cost of living has gone high, cost of doing business has gone high, many businesses are folding up, and some industries are now re-routing their investments into neighbouring Ivory Coast and other countries because Ghana is no longer the investment haven as it should be.”

    He also alleged that considering the happenings and conditions that come with seeking an IMF facility, haircuts on investments are inevitable.

    “We are giving you only 14 days from today, and you will hear from them publicly efforts to restructure our unsustainable debt, and those efforts will necessarily include a sika mpɛ dede baba [mallam] for many persons who have investments and savings in some instruments.”

    “Those of you who listen to [Kristalina] Georgieva of the IMF, you will recall a few months ago when the World Bank and the IMF, particularly led by its Managing Director, were again categorical that they didn’t see anything wrong with Government policy. We now state that there is everything wrong with Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government and his economic management team’s policy on borrowing. Borrowing is a policy. You decide to borrow and how much to borrow and where to direct the borrowing. So if you now borrow to the level of debt distress, to the level of unsustainable debt, to the level that you are now talking about ratio of 105% of GDP as your debt level and then he Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the president of the Republic added that he hopes that Ghana’s debt to GDP will improve to 55% by 2028, we ask the question, where will he be?”

    Source: Citi News