General News of Sunday, 9 June 2019

Source: mynewsgh.com

NDC has proven to be reckless in opposition and in government - NPP MP

Hon. Daniel Okyem Aboagye Hon. Daniel Okyem Aboagye

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has lent credence to the fact that it is reckless even in opposition as it is in government according to government spokesperson on Finance, Daniel Okyem Aboagye.

He has also rubbished claims that President Akufo-Addo’s government does not have any significant capital investments to show unlike his predecessor John Dramani Mahama who invested borrowed funds into major capital projects across all sectors of the economy.

“NDC is reckless and still reckless in opposition”,the lawmaker for Bantama Constituency stated in an interview monitored by MyNewsGh.com

According to the New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament (MP), there are lot of infrastructural projects the current government can boast of with huge sums of money borrowed contrary to claims the Akufo-Addo led administration is unable to account for what it has used the money for.

“From education, health, housing, roads, energy, communications, aviation and transport, among others. And you can see some road infrastructure in Bantama”, the lawmaker spoke on Kumasi-based Nhyira FM monitored by MyNewsGh.com .

According to the Minority Caucus in Parliament, the latest report of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Ghana places the current national debt at almost GH¢ 200 billion as at the end of the first quarter of 2019.

Mr Cassiel Ato Forson, Ranking Member on Finance, speaking at a press conference stated that, despite this insatiable appetite for borrowing, there is nothing to show for what the current administration has used the cash for.

Mr Forson also said the GH¢ 200 billion national debt represents an increase of about GH¢ 80 billion in the last two and half years alone, raising the debt to GDP ratio from 56 per cent in 2016 to almost 58 percent.

“We drew attention to the change since 2016 for three reasons related to the Mahama era. First, there was the promise not to borrow. Second, the NPP has benefited from a 25 per cent bonus or increase in GDP, due to the rebasing exercise. Third, the NPP inherited two additional oil fields (Sankofa and TEN) that has almost tripled output and at an average 60 per cent price increase” he added.