2023 budget: It’s a killer one, no wonder Akufo-Addo insisted Ofori-Atta should read it himself — Sulemana Braimah

Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Mr. Sulemana Braimah sees the 2023 budget statement and economic policy as a "killer" one with no assurance for smooth economic growth.

He argued that the President is aware the budget is empty which is why he convinced the NPP MPs to allow Ofori-Atta present it.

According to the vocal media freedom advocate, who asserted in a tweet seen by Modernghana News on Thursday, November 24, the budget is only going to inflict severe hardships on Ghanaians.

“Now I understand why President Akufo-Addo was insistent that MPs should allow Ofori-Atta to at least present the budget before he goes. Certainly, no one else would have agreed to present such a killer budget, which will only increase the suffering of the masses,” he wrote.

Reading the 2023 budget statement and economic policy in Parliament on Thursday, November 24, Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister, announced that there will be a 2.5 percent increment in the Value-Added Tax (VAT) effective 2023.

Meanwhile, according to the minister, the long-held public outcry about the reduction of the 1.5 per cent E-levy to 1 per cent has been answered.

“To aggressively mobilize domestic revenue, we will among others increase the VAT rate by 2.5 per cent to directly support our roads and digitalization agenda.

“...Review the E-Levy Act and more specifically, reduce the headline rate from 1.5% to one per cent (1%) of the transaction value as well as the removal of the daily threshold,” the Minister announced.

The minister noted that there will be no more public sector employment for 2023.