Ofoase-Ayirebi Member of Parliament and former Works and Housing Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has condemned the Mahama administration for failing to cut any expenditure from its budget, as they alleged During an interview on Asempa FM's Ekosii Sen program over the phone, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah stated that the spending of the NDC government had increased from GHC 250 billion to GHC 291 billion.
There has not been any reduction in the budget. If you examine the numbers, you will see that the government is spending more and not less," he testified. He went on to state that during NPP times, the government spent GHC 327 million to compensate 8 agencies but that now the NDC is going to spend GHC 2.7 billion to compensate in its budget. Even this money can be utilized to build Agenda 111 hospitals and banks. But they are utilizing it to spend on something else," he added.
Mr. Oppong Nkrumah also criticized the GHC 50 million spent exclusively on research under the Office of Government Machinery. They claim to have cut expenditure, but they need to show where the cuts are. Saying so will not work. They need to be open," he added. The MP also criticized the reduction in the number of agencies in the government machinery. When they were at the helm, we had 8 agencies. Now they have 4, and they are trying to vindicate this as a cut?" he questioned.
He also made reference to the issue of the government stating that NDC members were still jobless, yet noted the government never intended to hire back but increased pay rates at Jubilee House from GHC 300 million to GHC 2.7 billion. The government, on its part projected 4.4 percent inflation-adjusted GDP growth in 2025.
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson outlined the estimates in announcing the 2025 Budget. He reaffirmed the government's renewed emphasis on fiscal consolidation through spending and structural reforms.
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