NDC Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has listed a 10-point suggestion to government on how to generate revenue amid the fight against the new coronavirus.
The points, according to the legislator suggested in a post, if followed, would give the government the financial muscle instead of the administration falling on the heritage fund.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on March 30, 2020, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta proposed the amendment of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act to allow the government to utilize portions of the Heritage Fund.
However, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu argued that the government’s financial programmes must directly affect the ordinary Ghanaian.
“There is no difficulty in giving him (Finance Minister) approval to use the stabilization Fund but what we are saying is that the Heritage Fund was set out for a purpose and we are not there yet. So make use of the stabilization reserve to support your activities and not the Heritage Fund,” Haruna Iddrisu insisted.
Nonetheless, Okudzeto Ablakwa in his 10-points revenue generation to fight COVID-19, suggested a 50 per cent pay cut for all political officeholders.
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He also suggested a 60 per cent cut in size of government, that is, Ministers and presidential staffers.
If these and others are done, the outspoken MP says “the heritage fund will most likely be left intact for our children.”
“May the generation that will come after us not be disappointed that we bequeathed them with virtually nothing because we refused to sacrifice and consider other patriotic options in this watershed period of history,” he added.
