MPs give impressions about 1999 budget

Accra (Greater Accra) 8 Feb. '99

Mr Mike Allen Hammah, Deputy Minister of Road and Transport, described the budget as "realistic" since it is in line with government's medium-term expenditure framework. Giving his impressions about this year's budget statement after Mr Kwame Peprah, Minister of Finance, had presented it, Mr Hammah said the budget "takes us a step towards the realisation of our goals set in Vision 2020."

Mr Hammah, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Effutu, therefore, urged Ghanaians to co-operate with government to help achieve its set targets. Mr Emmanuel Baah-Danquah, MP for Asutifi North, described the budget as "forward-looking" since it takes care of most of the weaknesses of previous budgets. For instance, he said, the budget has been prepared this time to match expenditure with revenue to provide a healthy macro environment for the smooth development of the country.

In his view, Papa Owusu Ankomah, MP for Sekondi, said if government is able to meet challenges facing individuals, then the budget will achieve its objectives. To this end, he said the government should provide the general policy framework like tax holidays so that a congenial environment can be created for investments.

On Education, Papa Ankomah was of the opinion that what government should do is to resource existing secondary schools, rather than build additional ones as stated in the budget. Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, and MP for Fanteakwa, commended the government for giving positive indications in the country's macro-economic framework such as the drop in inflation, coupled with the stabilisation of the cedi against major currencies. On national security, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said the breakdown of law and order in the last quarter of 1998 was a matter of grave concern. He said it is a sigh of great relief that more recruitment will be made into the Police Service this year in addition to the supply of equipment to the service. On roads, the deputy regional minister said it was heart-warming that the Nsawam-Anyinam road is to be re-located to help reduce the spate of accidents.

Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, MP for Akim Oda, said there were no new initiatives in the budget statement, but added that the inflation rate targeted at five per cent, if achieved, will help in the country's economic growth. Mr Samuel Oppong, MP for Agona West, said the recommendations at the National Economic Forum, which represented the broad spectrum of ideas and opinions of all stakeholders, have been addressed in the budget. To him, the budget seeks to ensure that adequate resources are allocated to district assemblies to ensure the success of the decentralisation policy. Mr David Lamptey, MP for Klottey Korle, said this year's budget statement is one of the best because of its "positive indications on agriculture, the bedrock of the nation, and the private sector, the engine of growth". Mr Lamptey said government's support for non-traditional cash crops is laudable, adding that everything possible is being done to encourage Ghanaians who venture into their cultivation.