Minority Suspect Weak Economy For Uncertainty On Date Of Mid-Year Budget Presentation

Some NDC MPs say the constant changing of the date for the mid-year budget review presentation is due to Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta’s inability to massage figures to suit a certain narrative. 

The International Monetary Fund (IMF), has assigned a resident supervisor to the Bank of Ghana as part of its deal with the country. 

The mid-year budget review was originally scheduled for Thursday 20th July. 2023, but was shifted forward to Tuesday, July 25, 2023. It has now been moved again to Monday 31st July, 2023. 

Some NDC MPs who spoke to JoyNews on Tuesday, said the continuous change in the date is untenable. 

The NDC MP for Bunkprugu, Abdnego Bandim said the government is attempting to use the delay in the presentation of the budget to deceive Ghanaians. 

“They are giving us reasons that are not tenable. They are giving us different dates because their figures are not right. We believe that the economy is in a bad state and the economy is sick.”

“Things are not right so they have to massage figures and come. So, that is why they keep rescheduling the dates for the mid-year budget review presentation.”

Also, NDC MP for Anlo, Richard Kwame Sefe, said the Finance Minister does not take Ghanaians seriously. 

This according to him, is the reason for the constant rescheduling.

“They are confused.  When they chose the first date which is today, July 27, the Speaker advised that because of other pending equally important engagements he would like that they take today [Tuesday], and we all agreed and we were later told it is going to be done on Thursday, and they brought it back to today [Tuesday], and now they have shifted it to July 31.”

Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has announced that Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta will be meeting with MPs on Friday ahead of his presentation on Monday. He however did not explain what this meeting will entail.