Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the 2024 mid-year budget, labeling it as uninspiring and hopeless.
The Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam Member of Parliament attributed his sentiments to what he perceives as a consistent pattern of inadequate economic management by the Akufo-Addo administration.
On Tuesday, July 23, Finance Minister Mohammed Amin Adam presented the 2024 mid-year budget review to Parliament.
During his address, Dr. Amin Adam highlighted the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline, assuring that they would stick to budgetary allocations and manage expenditures carefully to avoid overspending.
Despite these assurances, Dr. Ato Forson voiced his concerns to the media in Parliament, urging Ghanaians to prepare for more hardship.
The former Deputy Minister for Finance argued that the government missed an opportunity to provide relief by abolishing certain taxes, which could have eased the burden on Ghanaians and businesses alike.
“This mid-year review leaves many people disappointed and uninspired. It gives no hope to the ordinary Ghanaian that anything will be done to change the unbearable hardships that confront the people of Ghana,” Dr. Ato Forson stated.
He further criticized the government’s track record over the past eight years, highlighting the heavy tax burdens imposed on businesses and individuals.
“In the last eight years, Akufo-Addo and Bawumia have burdened Ghanaian businesses and individuals with a high tax regime,” he added.