Kennedy Agyapong, a potential presidential contender for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), has pleaded with his fellow lawmakers to support passing the 2023 budget.
After the budget was presented, he said, Ken Ofori-Atta could face calls for his ouster and inquiries about his capacity to run the Finance Ministry.
He claims that the current global economic climate is extremely difficult, with rising energy and food costs driving millions of people in Africa and elsewhere into extreme poverty and endangering the internal security of many countries.
Ghanaians depend on their elected officials to come to work and assist them in surviving the escalating global economic unrest.
He said that now was not the time to indulge egos or play political games.
On November 22, the Assin Central representative made a statement amid simmering discord in Parliament between members of the Majority party who are calling for the resignation of the Finance Minister.
These MPs have made it clear that if Ken Ofori-Atta is in charge of the process, they will boycott the presentation and discussion of the 2023 budget as well as the Appropriation.
The ultimatum, according to Mr. Ken Agyapong, is nothing more than an effort to undermine the President’s authority and agenda for Ghanaians by using blackmail or undue pressure.
That can’t be true, The President, who is our leader, deserves to be given the benefit of the doubt.
Any elected official or group of elected officials using their public offices to try to hold hostage efforts to address the economic problems is acting with the highest level of insensitivity towards the plight of our nation and its people, he said. “Given the crippling economic crisis facing the people of Ghana and their businesses, it is the highest level of insensitivity towards the plight of our nation and her people,” he said.
He made the case that MPs were chosen to represent the interests of both their individual and collective districts.
He added, “We must not and cannot sacrifice that responsibility to our people on the side issue of who presents the 2023 Budget to Parliament.” In his statement, he said that if there is ever a time when Ghanaians expect their representatives to do their duty to Ghana without reservation, it is now.
He challenged his colleagues to take the initiative and express support for the oppressed masses of the populace by showing up in large numbers to supporting the President’s suggested strategy to put Ghana back on the path of economic recovery and success.
He asserted that every NPP MP must protect and ensure the success of the Akufo-Addo government’s program or Ghana’s citizens would have no reason to vote the NPP back into power in 2024.
Source: newsthemegh.com