Ghana’s Finance Minister, Ken OforiAtta has asserted that President Akufo Addo’s Government has positively impacted every sector of national life in the past seven years.
Presenting the last major budget of the Akufo Addo-led Presidency for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to Parliament on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, he said, “We have worked hard and invested significant resources. And being sure of this knowledge, I can confidently assert that over the past 7 years: Every sector has been positively impacted.”
According to the Finance Minister who has remained unchanged in his post since January 2017, when the President was sworn into Office, “Our social intervention programmes have positively impacted every household. And Every region has also been positively impacted. Indeed, President Akufo Addo has deepened decentralized development by investing GH¢422.1 million to create and resource six new administrative regions—the most in our history since independence.”
He said the Government has made significant historic investments to enhance social mobility aimed at protecting the poor and vulnerable in the society.
“In this regard, we have since 2017: i. Improved access to quality SHS education for about 5.7 million Ghanaians by investing GH¢8.4 billion in the future of our next generation; ii. Increased enrolment and learning outcomes of 3.8 million pupils by investing GH¢3.6 billion in the School Feeding Programmes;
“iii. Reformed the NHIS to improve and expand health service delivery to 16 million Ghanaians. iv. Supported foundational education of over 6 million pupils by investing GH¢248.5 million as Capitation Grants; and v. Improved the quality of life of about 350,000 Ghanaian households under the LEAP by investing GH¢1.2 billion.”
While the Minister expressed the determination of the Government to use the final lap of the President’s tenure to do more to boost the capacity of the private sector to expand productivity and create jobs, he stressed that the last seven years have been one of grace and positive impact.
“In the past 7 years, we have i. Invested GH¢32.7 billion to keep the lights on and support the growth of businesses; ii. Invested GH¢25.3 billion to facilitate the repositioning of the financial sector and enhance its ability to assist business operations. To date, the Development Bank Ghana has facilitated GH¢1 billion in competitive financing for the private sector, and GIRSAL continues to mitigate risks in the agriculture sector;
“iii. Supported 100,000 young graduates to secure workplace experience and employment by investing GH¢2.4 billion in NABCO; iv. Invested GH¢7.1 billion to build road and transport infrastructure to improve connectivity and productivity; v. Invested GH¢541.5 million in 169 1D1F enterprises to scale-up value addition and provided 140,000 additional jobs; and vi. Created over 2.3 million jobs in the private and public sectors (approximately 900,000 in the private sector and 1.4 million in the public sector).”
He also mentioned that some capital spending was made that led to the mobilization and deployment of resources to Expand the railway network, including connecting Tema to Mpakadan to promote trade on the Eastern Corridor; Constructing 12 fish landing sites and two (2) fishing harbours at GH¢19.5 million to promote the fishery-based livelihoods of coastal folks; Improve community infrastructure by investing GH¢2.2 billion into over 2,000 projects under the IPEP initiative; Promote inner city development by spending GH¢190.3 million under the Zongo Development Fund; and Expanded and improved the road network by investing about GH¢16 billion. Recording the most kilometers of roads and interchanges done in our history.
“Mr. Speaker, we also invested GH¢1.7 billion in the National Identification Scheme to ensure that 17.5 million eligible Ghanaians acquire security-sensitive ID Cards. This has laid the foundation for a prosperous future where digitalization provides more convenience, introduces an added layer of efficiency in delivering public services, and enhances our ability to safeguard our national interests,” Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta, asserted.
However, commenting on the Budget just after the presentation by the Minister on the Floor, the Minority Leader, Dr. Ato Forson referred to the budget as “the true definition of an empty budget”.
The Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, rebutted by attacking the economic records of the erstwhile government of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) led by Former President Mahama, where Dr. Ato Forson served as a Deputy Finance Minister, as shambolic and nothing comparable to the achievement under the current government.
While the Minority Group had placards with the inscription “Bye bye Budget” and sang songs to bid farewell to President Akufo Addo and the NPP, the Majority Group on their part, had the inscription “Nkunim Budget”. To wit, “Budget of Triumph.”
