The Minister for Local Government, Decentralization, and Rural Development, Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah, has expressed optimism about the upcoming mid-year budget to be presented by Finance Minister Mohammed Amin.

According to him, Ghanaians should expect a tax-free mid-year review budget. He emphasized that this initiative is in line with the government’s efforts to alleviate the economic burden on Ghanaians.

Mensah Korsah further highlighted that there is no likelihood of the introduction of new taxes in the mid-year budget, contrary to earlier speculations.

“I can only infer that we should expect a tax-free mid-year review budget. The government is very sensitive to the situation we find ourselves in, and all efforts being done by the government are to alleviate the plight of Ghanaians, so you have a less burdened situation.

“I don’t expect any more taxes to be introduced, and I also expect that the government will come through with some packages for the business community, ensuring that businesses are relieved of the burden we are currently facing.

“Some people need bailouts for businesses to either revamp them to start and then sustain them, so we should expect this budget to offer support to the business environment and lift them up in their current situation,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, has criticized the upcoming mid-year budget, describing it as visionless, lacking purpose, and unlikely to resolve the challenges created by the ruling government.

Speaking in parliament with Gh One TV ahead of the budget presentation, Murtala Muhammed expressed his view that the upcoming budget does not offer hope to the people of Ghana, who are currently demoralized.

“The demoralizing state of this country under the watch of President Nana Addo and Dr. Bawumia is not only limited to those of us in opposition. Even our colleagues in the NPP themselves are demoralized because they can tell that this mid-year budget is visionless, purposeless, and cannot salvage the mess that we have been subjected to by Dr. Bawumia and President Nana Addo. I guess that is the reason why you don’t find the euphoria that characterizes mid-year budgets.

"Because if you observed, the previous mid-year budgets, except even the last one and this one, the euphoria is not there. People are not enthused, people are not even interested because they know that once again it's going to be the usual propaganda and stories,” he said.

MAG/OGB