General News of Thursday, 30 November 2017

Source: rainbowradioonline.com

Minority 'chases' Finance Minister over GHC721 million IGF cash

Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, Finance Minister

Deputy Minority Leader of Parliament Mr. James Klutse Avedzi, has said as at September 2017, the total IGF collected by MDAs was 2.9 billion cedis and they retained 2.2 billion cedis.

However, the balance of 721 million cedis cannot be traced in the budget. He said the amount should have been paid into government account.

The legislator said the House should summon the Finance Minister to come and explain to the House, the whereabouts of the remaining amount.

The MP for Ketu North constituency, on the projections for 2018, said government is estimating the collection of non-tax revenue IGF of GHc4.8 billion and asking the MDAs to retain GHc3.7 billion and there is a balance of GHc 1.1 billion… [but] there is no indication of where that money will be paid to,’’ and we want the Minister to come and explain to the House.

‘’These are serious issues we want the Minister to come and tell us. Where is the money paid to? The 721 million, where is it pad to? He made the remarks in the ongoing debate on the 2018 budget statement presented some few weeks ago by Ken Ofori-Atta, the Finance Minister.

Majority and Minority members of Parliament have locked horns since the debate on the 22018 budget, started few days ago.

While the Majority touted the budget as the best to reshape the economy, the Minority says it is empty, misleading and devoid of better solutions to alleviate the poverty of suffering masses.