Ofori-Atta has lost touch with reality – Minority reacts to presser

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu has taken a swipe at the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, over his address in announcing government’s austerity measures to address the current economic challenges.

The Tamale South Member of Parliament minced no words by saying the government exchequer has lost touch with reality.

He said the current challenges are more about cost of living and doing business than anything else.

For him, Mr Ofori-Atta’s proffered solutions without parliamentary approval will be difficult to implement.

“We do not find his proposed measures adequate enough,” Haruna Iddrisu told journalists a few minutes after the Finance Minister’s address on Thursday, March 24.

“We need certainty and clarity. If you had an expenditure approval of GH¢145 billion, we expect that you tell us that I want to cut GH¢45 billion out of the GH¢145 [billion] and we know that this is your commitment.

“Twenty percent of this, 10% of that, we are still not certain how much expenditure cut he intends to undertake. More importantly, he’s announced a number of revenue measures.”

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP says he is surprised by the seeming review of the 2022 budget statement by the Finance Minister outside the precincts of Parliament.

“It is only proper that whatever measures he intends to take and will take will be brought before the august House for us to help him tighten and implement austerity measures to save an economy which is in dire straits.”