Congrats for approving Akufo-Addo's ‘brilliant’ 2021 budget — PNC lauds Parliament

People's National Congress (PNC) has lauded Parliament for approving the 2021 budget statement and economic policy document.

“PNC congratulates the Parliament of Ghana for approving the budget after an extensive debate and voting where the majority won. We believe democracy won,” the party said in a statement.

The party in the statement said it has taken note of government's intention to “raise funds to finance the budget and to initiate a recovery program to propel growth of the economy.”

It further called on the Minority in Parliament and Ghanaians to continue to collaborate with the government to implement the budget “for the good of all”.

“We assure Ghanaians, that a future PNC government shall prioritise its expenditures to stimulate growth and ensure local productions of our basic needs thereby cutting down on imports and implement pro-poor policies to eradicate poverty.”

“As the PNC welcomes the brilliant budget in totality, because of its positive outlook. We shall monitor keenly on the audacious proposal to put the economy back to sound footing through the Ghana Care program,” the statement added.

The party also advised the government to channel more resources to projects such as the One District One Factory, Planting for Food and Jobs, Microfinance and Small Loan Centers, Digitization to formalize the economy and the Free SHS.

PNC further hailed the government for the interventions it took in the heat of the COVID-19 lock-down.

The party however called on government to come clean on the utilization of funds raised for the fight against the pandemic “especially when questions are raised on misappropriations and corruption by some governance watchers.” Read the full statement below;

PNC congratulates the Parliament of Ghana for approving the budget after an extensive debate and voting where the majority won. We believe democracy won.

In the exercise of our fiduciary duty under Article 55(3) of the 1992 constitution of Ghana, which states in parts as follows;

“Subject to the provisions of this article, a political party is free to participate in shaping the political will of the people, to disseminate information on political ideas, social and economic programmes of a national character,”

The PNC have taken note of how the government intends to raise funds to finance the budget and to initiate a recovery program to propel growth of the economy. As the PNC welcomes the brilliant budget in totality, because of its positive outlook, we shall monitor keenly on the audacious proposal to put the economy back to sound footing through the GHANA CARE program. For purposes of emphasis, it is important to reproduce the relevant section as captured in paragraph 35 of the budget statement as seen below:

35. Mr. Speaker, through GhanaCARES, we will:

i. Expedite Government's digitalization agenda to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness in public service delivery;

ii. Revitalize the housing and construction industry to address the severe housing deficit and create job opportunities; and

iii. Establish Ghana as a regional Hub, leveraging its position within ECOWAS and as host of the Secretariat of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to focus on manufacturing, financial services, education, healthcare, aviation and logistics, digital services, petroleum, automobile, tourism, hospitality and creative arts;

iv. Support the private sector and entrepreneurs to become a powerful engine for job creation;

v. Actively promote both local and international investments including use of PPPs; and

vi. Upgrade the skills of our workers through re-training programmes focusing on technical and vocational skills.

The interventions taken by the government in the heat of the COVID-19 lockdown is commendable. However, the PNC wish to call on the government to come clean on the utilization of funds raised for the fight against the pandemic especially when questions are raised on misappropriations and corruption by some governance watchers.

The PNC acknowledge that a budget is an expression of a wish to spend and how to generate revenue to finance the expenditure, to this end, we encourage the government to take into consideration the criticism expressed regarding which expenditure to prioritize. In order to stimulate growth, the PNC believe we should channel more resources to One District One Factory, Planting for Food and Jobs, Microfinance and Small Loan Centers, Digitization to formalize the economy, Free SHS and so on.

The PNC wish to recommend government for bringing back the teachers and nurses trainee allowance. We equally encourage government to employ these professionals immediately after their completion to solve the human resource challenges encounter in both the educational and health sector.

We wish to call on the minority in parliament and Ghanaians to continue to collaborate with the government to implement this budget for the good of all.

We assure Ghanaians, that a future PNC government shall prioritise its expenditures to stimulate growth and ensure local productions of our basic needs thereby cutting down on imports and implement pro-poor policies to eradicate poverty. PNC: Service with honesty.

---citinewsroom