2020 Budget: Minority Claims Finance Minister Will Present 'Cooked Up' Figures

Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has said the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, will cook up figures in the yet to be presented 2020 budget on November 13, 2019 in his bid to paint a good image of the economy.

During a pre-budget press conference on Monday, opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, noted that because many figures have not been accounted under the current government, this will enable the Finance Minister to “massage the numbers”.

“There are many happenings in the country including numbers that are being hidden -- from dollars, from the IMF, from the Ghanaian public -- which will allow him [Finance Minister] to have cooked numbers in order to justify what deficit he wants to sell to the Ghanaian people,” Mr Iddrisu said.

“We know that the Finance Minister is preparing to come to Parliament with some mashed potatoes on Wednesday, of massaged numbers in order to justify that he is doing well,” he added.

Mr Ken Ofori-Atta is to present the 2020 budget and financial policy of the government to Parliament on Wednesday, November 13, 2019.

The Finance Minister has disclosed that the 2020 budget statement will focus on sustaining gains made over the past three years.

The Minister said the 2020 budget will also “make sure that uncompleted roads and ongoing flagship projects are done and improve the country’s export drive as well.”

This budget will be the fourth under the current administration.

The Minority Leader was however hopeful that the people of Ghana will not be deceived but pay keen attention to the Finance Minister and make their own judgments.

—Myjoyonline.com