"Akpatse" Or Kwaku Ananse Budget - Wayo

Barely a few days after the Finance Minister, Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, presented the government's Economic Policy and Financial Budget for 2003 to the people through Parliament, it still faces a series of criticisms not only by the main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who has described it as a killer budget, but also by the members of the incumbent government, the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The latest to diagnose and give the postmortem analysis of the budget is Mr. Charles Kofi 'Chuck' Wayo, mostly regarded as a thorn in the flesh of the NPP.

The NPP firebrand, who spoke to the Chronicle in an interview, described the budget as "Akpatse or Kwaku Ananse," contending that it was an attempt by the government to escape responsibility for what clearly lies at its doorstep.

Mr. Wayo, the unsuccessful NPP parliamentary candidate for Ayawaso East Constituency in the 2002 general election, said the government failed to identify many distortions in the economy, and instead designed a tax scheme to extort monies from the people and use it to pay government officials.

"There are many distortions in the economy for you to quantify. There are many offices in the nation performing the same functions, which can be integrated to allow one to quantify the economy in the country," he said.

When the Chronicle reached Dr. Osei Akoto, the special assistant to the Finance Minister, he said the government has outlined further plans for the development of the nation.

He denied the distortions claimed by Mr. Wayo. He further urged all the critics to carefully read the budget before criticizing to enable them offer an alternative means for the government to consider.

He said the President is ready to accept possible alternatives given by anybody for the benefit of the nation.

According to Dr. Akoto, the Ghana Investment Fund (GIF), which is set up to develop various sectors, should not be confused with the Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF), which is also meant for helping people in the industry, to create an impression that there are distortions.

He added that the government has neither distorted nor squeezed the local industry but, instead, has given more room for the development of the industry. When asked whether Mr. Wayo is really a threat or a thorn in the flesh of the NPP, Dr. Akoto retorted that in a democratic era, everybody has the right to criticize and give alternative measures.

Meanwhile, Mr. Wayo said increase in the utility bills in the country is alarming to the extent that it is squeezing the local industry. "Squeezing the local industry is a threat to the industry to promote Golden Age of Business," he added.

"The threat to the local industry distorts the long-term viability and the stability in the economy. The government has never achieved anything in terms of growth but rather retrogresses each and everyday," he intoned. He added that the only change since time of independence was "the big mansions built by the big men" thus pushing the poor into an unbearable situation.

The Nima boy, who claimed that there was no reform in the country, stated that there is a need for an immediate massive reform, adding that a transition without reform is useless and meaningless. He said all the institutions in the country should be reformed, naming institutions like the banking system, security forces, Civil Service, the financial sector and many others.

According to him, the NPP is ruling the country on the ignorance of the people. "The NPP is killing the people by pen, rubbing them nicely and blow cool air into their wounds so much that you can hardly know their intentions," he said.

Reacting to the proceedings of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC), Mr. Wayo indicated that he was surprised to hear about people committing such atrocities in the country.

"I am totally shocked about the atrocities committed by Ghanaians, murdering people to the extent of killing a woman judge and a nursing mother. If the evidence given by the witnesses are true, these perpetrators should be made to face the full rigours of the law," he noted.

Commenting on the reactions of the NDC, Mr. Wayo said the NDC should be tamed. When asked how the NDC could be tamed, he said they are already in the process of being tamed "based on the circumstances facing them now."