Richard Acheampong, who is a member of the Finance Committee in Parliament, has alleged that the Majority caucus took advantage of the Minority’s absence to approve certain loans. According to the Bia East MP, the Majority waited until the Minority went for election campaigns before recalling Parliament for loan approval.
“I’m stating for the records that the loans that were approved on Tuesday in parliament are loans that have been referred to the finance committee and agreed upon already. But due to some disagreements, the loans were not brought to the floor for a decision to be made. Also because the NPP did not have the numbers they waited for us to go for our campaigns towards the upcoming primaries next week and did the recall,” he said.
Also Read: Taxi to be digitized – Dr Bawumia
“The committee report states that it was a majority decision meaning that the minority caucus does not support government’s decision to take such loans in these hard economic times and Ghana’s huge debt.
“There are 13 members of the Majority caucus and 12 members from the minority on the finance committee. The 13 gave government the green light to go for the loans and the 12 disagreed. That’s why the committee reported to the House that it’s a majority decision and not a consensus. If we all agreed the report would have informed that by consensus the committee has recommended for the approval of its report,” he added on Accra-based Neat FM.
Mr Acheampong stated that, in addition to Ghana’s massive debt, his side opposed the loans due to unsolved issues connected to the government’s misuse of Covid-19 monies and financial diversions in the Auditor General’s findings.
“We have not resolved the issues regarding the Covid-19 expenditure and the diffractions in the Auditor-Generals report. If you could not give a proper account of the money you were given, what is the guarantee that you will use the money for its intended purpose?”
“Covid is no longer as serious as it was locally and globally, so how do you go for a loan in the name of Covid when indirectly you want forex for your forex reserves because you have depleted it all? Government is not being honest with Ghanaians knowing very well that there is no emergency Covid situation for us to handle.”
Also Read: I had to take good care of my kids that’s why I rejected ambassadorial appointment – Otiko Djaba
On Tuesday, May 2, 2023, Parliament authorized seven separate loan agreements totaling $780 million for several interventions.
Ghana’s debt stock is estimated to be approximately 600 billion cedis, and has been cited as a crucial factor in the country’s present economic crisis.
However, Minority Leader Dr Cassiel Ato Forson believes that the number of loan agreements that continue to come before the House is simply unworthy of approval and should be avoided. Former Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu also proposed that a debt ceiling be implemented immediately to limit the government’s excessive borrowing.
