Minority joins debate on budget

THE Minority Spokesman on Finance Dr Kofi Apraku took his turn in the debate on this year's budget statement after copies of the estimates have been given to the select committee members.

But as soon as he had the floor, he was greeted with shouts, the same message, the same message from the majority members. Dr Apraku also reacted by saying that 'we'll continue to give you the message until you do the right thing."

Dr Apraku argued that the budget does not have bold initiatives which will lead to set targets in the statement. He indicated that the minority group will continue "to give fair, objective and constructive criticism of government programmes and policies and programmes guided only desires to give of our best for Ghana and inspired by an abiding faith and spirit of nationalism, consensus building, national integration and reconciliation".

He contended that the nation faces crisis not only in the energy sector but in education, health and agriculture and appealed to his colleagues to look at the debate devoid of partisan approach.

He cited copiously from the budget statement figures given by the Finance Minister for last year and this year and said it is most unlikely that the targets set will be achieved. His reason is that the energy crisis will affect the industries, various tax targets for both income and corporate will not be realised.Prices, he said, will shoot up and cited the price of a bag of cement which has gone up to 11,200 to about 16000 to back his claim.

Dr Apraku whose contribution was punctuated with points of order from the majority side and hear, from the minority stated that budget projections on export receipts, Gross Domestic Products growth rate, budget deficit, balance of payments, industrial sector growth, the service sector growth are similarly unlikely to be attained.

Dr Apraku said the tragedy of the budget was not that it was dead on arrival because it did not have the energy factor but it could not have dealt with the problems if the energy crisis had not set in.

He argued that there are no programmes to deal with the large urban youth unemployment, to reduce the spread rate between inflation and the real interest rate to enable businesses to have access to affordable credit.

Dr Apraku who is also the Member for Offinso North described the budget as status quo budget. He called for "a

revolution" in the economic direction to push the country forward. Continuity, he said was not needed if the objectives of Vision 2020 are to be realised. At a stage when Dr Apraku indicated that the IMF and World Bank have resumed their assistance to the country, the Member for Pele Abuga(NDC Chiana /Paga) saw some inconsistency in Dr Apraku's observation. Mr Abuga said it is because the country has credibility that is why the two institutions have resumed its dealing with the country.

He recalled that if the House had accepted the minority's amendment motion last year perhaps things will have been different. He called on the House to listen this time to the various suggestions to the budget. He cautioned that the House cannot sustain its credibility if members become intolerant in others' views. The budget, he said, has no relevance to the problems on the ground.

Dr Apraku praised the late Dr Kwame Nkrumah for the legacy such as the Akosombo Dam, the Tema Motorway and the Harbour and the good educational system and pleaded with President Rawlings to be concerned with the legacy he will also bequeath to Ghanaians.

When Mr Thomas Yeboah(NDC Dormaa West) took his turn, he said he was not surprised at the remarks from the minority members. He contended that the remarks have confirmed the saying that the elephant always looks backwards.

Under the cirumstance, they will certainly not see anything that is good that the progressive NDC Government has done.

He told Dr Apraku that President Rawlings has a legacy and referred to the effort of the government which has left only 14 district capitals which have not been hooked to the national grid. He declared amidst hear, hear from some majority members : "we are going to do that this year" This is a legacy. Some minority members also shouted " where is the power." He cited the Kanda flyover.

Mr Yeboah said the government has a track record of repaying the nations debt unlike the National Liberation Council /Progress Party. But Mr Kwadwo Baah Wiredu (NPP Asante Akyem North) intervened to say that the Progress Party was not NLC. Mr Yeboah did not see the point clearly because minority members have been referring to the NDC as PNDC/NDC.

Mr Yeboah said one great legacy that President Rawlings will leave for Ghanaians will be the West African Gas Pipeline and appealed to the President to intensify his discussions with the Nigerian head of State Gen Sani Abacha to quicken the pace of the project.

The MP invited his colleagues to help their constituents to get ready for the phase of electricity projects. He also noted that consumers should be prepared to pay a little more otherwise the service providers will fold up.

He noted that the government in its wisdom is inviting the private sector involvement in the energy sector. He requested that the Berekum-Dormaa Road and the roads in the Dormaa Ahenkro town should be given the needed attention this year.

Earlier, the Interior Minsiter Nii Okaidja Adamfio, had answered questions about his minsitry in the House. Graphic