Solomon Owusu, a leading member of the Movement for Change (MFC), has urged finance minister Dr. Amin Adam to get to work to turn the economy around rather than just empathizing with Ghanaians amidst the current economic challenges.

During the presentation of the mid-year budget review in Parliament on Tuesday, finance minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam expressed sympathy with Ghanaians in light of the economic difficulties facing the country. He acknowledged that the past two years have been extraordinarily difficult worldwide, affecting businesses and families, particularly the most vulnerable in society.

The Karaga MP voiced concern about these challenges, noting that they have pushed the youth to seek employment opportunities beyond what the State can provide.

“Mr. Speaker, the last two years have been extremely challenging globally, and Ghana has not been an exception. The difficult economic environment has truly affected businesses and families, particularly the vulnerable in our society. These challenges have severely affected households, increased the cost of living, and limited the creation of job opportunities. Our young people continue to seek employment opportunities beyond what the State can provide. It has, indeed, Mr. Speaker, been a difficult time and I empathize with our fellow Ghanaians.”

However, commenting on the issue on Ghana Kasa on Kasapa 102.5FM/Agoo TV Wednesday, Solomon Owusu, a former communicator for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), criticized the finance minister, stating that it is not enough to merely empathize with Ghanaians.

He emphasized that what is important is how the finance minister will prudently manage the taxes paid by Ghanaians.

“The Minister knows that there’s nothing good in the mid-year budget review. While he was presenting the budget review, he expressed sympathies for Ghanaians over the challenging economic situation. If I were him, right after making these comments, I would have resigned. He was not appointed as a Minister for Finance to come and empathize and sympathize with Ghanaians. He’s a PhD holder and he’ll claim to be a good economist, and that is why he has been appointed as a Finance Minister to revive the country’s struggling economy and make life a bit more comfortable for Ghanaians.

“But instead of working hard to put the economy back on track, here he is empathizing and sympathizing with Ghanaians. Who cares about his empathy and sympathy? What solution will his empathizing and sympathizing with Ghanaians bring? What is important is how prudently the government will use our tax revenues. We spent $58 million to dig a pit for the construction of a national cathedral; this obviously cannot be a good use of our taxes.”