Parliament passes Budget

Parliament yesterday endorsed this year's budget after two-week of debate, with a voice vote. The two-week debate was characterised by a display of party loyalties with all the Minority members who contributed condemning it while the Majority praised it. The Minority Leader, Mr. J.H. Mensah, alleged that the government has been paying deaf ears to opinions of professional groups and think tanks on the budget." If they do not listen to these professional bodies and plug their ears, they will lead this nation to doom."

He described the budget as having "a pie in the sky " projections that offered no support for the realisation of the Vision 2020. The Minority leader said instead of the government watching its spending habits and cutting on waste, it is rather producing a " trilogy" in the name of gold, cocoa and crude oil to justify the poor showings of the economy.He said, "the Vision 2020 now has a cataract in one eye and glaucoma in the other" because of unsound economy policies.

Mr. Mensah said is was pitiful that President Rawlings did not offer a good budget this year, which is supposed to be a farewell one. The Majority Leader,Dr. Kwabena Adjei, countered that the Minority has so far failed to live above "student cafe political debate".He said their arguments were not backed with " principles of equity and rationality"

The leader of the House said, most opponents of the budget seem to be myopic of the social and physical developments taking place and arguing on preconceived grounds. He said it was unfortunate that people, who are supposed to make objective analysis of national programmes, were making their cases on party lines. He warned that if intellectuals allow themselves to be tempted by irrationality to make arguments, government would not find it fit to accept them.