Parliament’s Minority Caucus has criticized the ruling National Democratic Congress government for failing to demonstrate sufficient commitment to carrying out its US$10 billion strategic infrastructure development, or “Big Push.”
The government has failed to make the necessary budget allocations to give its planned infrastructure program meaning, according to Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the former information minister and member of parliament for Ofoase Ayirebi, who spoke to the media in the Accra parliament about its True Budget Statement.
He stated that investments in infrastructure were acknowledged to be essential for creating economic space for expansion and employment development.
“Unfortunately, however, the “Big Push” programme, the government has failed in making the necessary budget allocations to give meaning to its planned infrastructure programme,” he said.
“Out of the expected US$2.5billion to kick start the programme this year, the government has announced that it can only make available $800m (less than 1 billion). In effect, the “Big Push” itself needs a push if anything meaningful will happen in infrastructure,” he added.
The parliamentarian also voiced concern over the Agenda 111 projects, which were anticipated by several districts, stating that it seemed the program was coming to a standstill.
Furthermore, he emphasized, the budget did not clearly identify any alternative funding sources to support the project.
“This is truly worrying. Not only is it contrary to the NDC’s promise to health workers that it will continue the projects, abandoning them or giving them out as franchises will jeorpadise the efforts at universal health coverage.
“The millions of citizens in remote districts who are looking forward to their lives being saved from this healthcare intervention are now at risk,” Mr Oppong Nkrumah observed.
“Mr. President, in the name of God, please do not abandon them for political reasons,” he added.
Source: newsthemegh.com