The Member of Parliament for Kwadaso in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Kingley Nyarko has lauded the President Akufo-Addo led Government for its performance on the economy during the COVID era while challenging the Minority NDC Group in Parliament to proffer alternative solutions to the economy if they have any.
While contributing to the debate on the Midyear Budget Review presented to Parliament by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, Dr, Nyarko, countered arguments by the Minority that the less than 1 percent GDP growth is a manifestation of Government’s failure in the management of the economy so far.
“Mr. Speaker, before COVID reared its ugly head, 2019 IMF projected global growth rate of 3.4 percent. When COVID happened, there was a contraction by 3.3 percent. Mr. Speaker, when you are faced with this situation and lives are being lost, what do you have to do? You have to make sure that lives are protected. That is what this Government did.
“In this situation, you need leadership that is decisive, that is smart, that is apt; and this leadership was found in Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP Government. Mr. Speaker, the evidence is there for all to see. Thanks to the visionary leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo and the vis a vis performance of Ken Ofori Atta the Finance Minister, the economy is being brought back on its sound footing,” he stated strongly.
He went on to emphasize the point that in situations like these in a pandemic environment, “pragmatic leaders use innovative means in addressing issues that confront them.”
He therefore challenged the Minority to give the alternative solutions which were required in this era which the President Akufo-Addo led Government has not done already.
“Mr. Speaker, I want to challenge economists here especially those on the other side that what solutions are they proffering to help us navigate ourselves from the rules. Mr. Speaker, in situations where as the results of a devastating pandemic, jobs are being lost; businesses are collapsing; revenues are experiencing shortfalls.
“Mr. Speaker, parents are going through stress as a result of job losses; what interventions can you put in place to bring the economy back on its sound footing if you don’t put in efforts to increase domestic revenue; and also, to seek external support in terms of borrowing? What else can you do; they should tell us?” he argued.
The Kwadaso MP further chastised the NDC for failing to grow the economy better during its administration under the erstwhile President John Dramani Mahama.
“During the era of the NDC when there was not even a pandemic like this, where they benefited from so much tax revenue, the economy couldn’t do well as it is doing right now. Mr. Speaker, I want to challenge the Deputy Minority Chief Whip that, he shouldn’t be comparing apples to oranges…
“It is true that last year, the economy grew at 0.9%; but he also knows that in the sub-region, most of the economies were graded and Ghana was one of the best. He knows and he should know,” he observed.
Source: Clement Akoloh||parliamentnews360.com
