MPs expect budget to be develpment oriented

Page 15, Nov 18, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

AS the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, gets ready to present the 2010 Financial Statement and Budget Estimates of the Government to Parliament today, some Members of Parliament (MPs) have stated that they expect the budget to be a development-oriented one.
The MP for Ketu North, Mr James Klutse Avedzi, who is also the Chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament, told the Daily Graphic that he expected the budget to hinge on the four thematic areas of the manifesto of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The areas are Investing in the people, Job creation, Infrastructure development and Open and transparent governance.
“Although I have not seen the document, I expect nothing less than policies that would ensure the achievement of these laudable goals that the NDC set for itself,” he said.
He explained that towards achieving aspects of the four thematic areas, the 2010 budget should also work at lowering inflation and the expansion of the agricultural sector.
The Government should also work towards encouraging both foreign and local investors to invest in the industrial sector to ensure that more jobs are created for the unemployed, he added.
For her part, the MP for Evalue Gwira, Mrs Catherine Ablema Afeku, said she expected the Government to devote more resources in the budget to the development of the rail sector.
She noted that it was not the best for the road sector alone to be used as the country’s transportation.
“If the Government would want to increase productivity, the overhaul of the rail sector should be one of the measures to achieve that,” she stated, explaining that it did not augur well for the country to overemphasise the road sector.
“I will be disappointed if the Government does not increase its allocation to the railway sector, it will not augur well for the better agenda set out by the NDC”.
For his part, the NDC MP for Bia, Mr Michael Coffie Boampong, who is also the Chairman of the Road and Transport Committee of Parliament, has also called for the increase in the threshold of taxes in order to reduce the tax burden of low-income earners.
On the road sector, the MP said he would be happy if more money would be allocated to the sector, so that contractors who had not been paid for work done would receive their due.
He noted that until that was done, it would be impossible to award new contracts for the rehabilitation of unmotorable roads and the construction of new ones.
Mr Boampong said he was convinced that the NDC was aware of the plight of the Ghanaian people and would not introduce any policy that would not be in their interest.
“I expect the budget to be an improvement on the 2009 budget and consolidate the modest achievements of the Government,” he added.