MPs engage in decorous debate

Page 14, Nov 28, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE chaos, confusion and acrimony that characterized the first day of the debate of the 2010 Financial Statement and Budget in Parliament gave way to a decorous debate today with Members of Parliament (MPs) from both sides of the House paying attention to their opponents as they make their submissions.
The Speaker of Parliament, Mrs Joyce Bamford-Addo had no difficulty in controlling affair of the House as the MPs minimized their hecklings and only came in with their points of order when it became necessary.
Making his contribution, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wenchi and former Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Professor George Yaw Gyang-Bafffuor noted that the growth target of 6.5 for the 2010 budget would not be attained.
He described some targets in the 2010 budget as outrageous and urged the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning to tread cautiously.
Professor Gyang-Baffour noted that it was unfortunate that an economy which was buoyant was now at the doldrums with only 4.7 growth for t2009.
He said the Ghanaian economy recorded less than five per cent growth for 10 years continuously until the NPP administration took over before measure were put in place to record above five per cent growth rate.
Professor Gyang-Baffour said it is unfortunate that the NDC had reverted the country’s growth rate back to the days when the growth rate was below five per cent for a long time.
He noted that the re-imposition of taxes on some imported items such as rice was not the best simply imposing taxes on such commodities would not deter consumers from patronizing such commodities.
“What have Ghanaians done to deserve such hardships being visited on them by the government”, he said adding that the economic theories underlying the 2010 budget was outmoded.
He accused the government for allowing the economy to be ran through a remote control system by the IMF and the World Bank.
When he took his turn, the MP for Mion, Dr Alhassan Yakubu said “my assessment of the budget is that it is a good one” explaining that it was a departure from the economic public relations that had been the lot of many budgets in recent times.
“The budget set into motion the basic building blocks for real economic growth. It does so by putting resources into areas that will sustain economic goals to achieve poverty reduction, sustainable economic growth, employment and technology transfer”, noted.
Dr Alhassan said it was good that the government included the oil and gas industry and further development of the information, communication technology industry as a tool for the modernization of the economy and employment generation.
He said the budget recognized agriculture as the base of the economic and more sustainable way of growing the economy, adding that it was, therefore not surprising that key elements of the budget delivered proposals meant to support the sector.
Dr Alhassan buttressed his point by explaining that in the 2009 season some significant increases in rice, maize, sorghum, millet, groundnut, soya bean and cowpea production were made, while in the poultry sector, 25,000 improved chicks were distributed to farmers at subsidized prices to boost local poultry production.
That programme, he said, would be continued in 2010 and would include the provision of incubators to hatch keets in the Northern regions.
He called for an independent agency to handle the sheanut the industry which he described a s gold and a potential foreign exchange earners for the nation adding that the industry must be taken away from the COCOBOD and given the opportunity to grow.
On the policy of restori8ng taxes on imported rice and poultry, Dr Alhassan stated that the growth of local agriculture had always thrived on technology, investment and market adding that any weak link in that chain would undermine growth of the sector.
He noted that there was the need to protect local producers and make them competitive and called for measures to discourage dumping while advising Ghanaians to eat what was produced in the country.
Other contributors of the debate included, the Minister of Communications and MP for Tamale South, Mr Haruna Iddrisu.
He assured Ghanaians that a lot of infrastructure would be build to boost the communication industry and encourage the establishment of FM stations in districts capitals and communities to boost information flow in the country.
The NPP MP for Kwabre West, Mr Emmanuel A. Owusu-Ansah accused the President of violating the provisions of the Constitution by slashing the budget of the Judiciary.
The Speaker, Mrs Bamford-Addo, however said that during the consideration of fiscal budget estimates, the proper thing would be done.