The Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo says the government has gone broke and had to borrow to pay September salaries of public sector workers.
The situation, he claims, is the result of the government’s incompetent fiscal management, a situation he says shows up daily.
A press statement he issued Monday said “The poor revenue performance reflects the lack of innovation in raising revenues. We still recall like yesterday, Dr Bawumia saying "the money is here. We know how to find it." Where is that magic wand, Dr Bawumia?”
The MP said it is “rather both very shameful, depressing and heavily embarrassing for a Government to borrow not for infrastructural development but to pay salaries. Borrowing for recurrent expenditure is the most unacceptable thing that we should allow a government to do. Ghana is retrogressing with speed.”
He concluded that “Economic Management is not ‘mouth mouth’” and that the reality is even yet to dawn.
Below is the full statement
For immediate release.
STATEMENT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR BOLGATANGA CENTRAL CONSTITUENCY
The incompetence in the fiscal management of the Akufo Addo/Bawumia led Government keeps showing up on a daily basis.
The poor revenue performance reflects the lack of innovation in raising revenues. We still recall like yesterday, Dr Bawumia saying "the money is here. We know how to find it." Where is that magic wand, Dr Bawumia?
On the other hand is a ballooning public expenditure in obligatory payments such as compensation payments and debt payments and debt service obligations.
This has resulted in a situation of acute cash crisis compelling government to resort to measures that have grave unbearable impact on citizens.
Government is essentially broke and is gasping for liquidity breath. After releasing a paltry GHC200m for Free SHS which essentially went in to settle 2 terms of arrears of SHS's being some unpaid bills, Government had to now engage in aggressive borrowing last week in order to pay September salaries.
The Minister of finance desperately stopped the Controller and Accountant General from processing September salaries for workers in the Public Sector under the guise of "additional validation measures and inputs for financial clearance" long after the closure of IPPD for September salaries.
The current phenomenon is that, workers are getting paid much later than they should, because government has to borrow to process the salaries.
The case of September only highlights the effect of government incompetence and insensitivity to the plight of workers.
It must be underscored that, some public sector workers got their salaries sometime last week. But this is because, some of the Banks (State owned Banks), GCB, NIB and ADB were willing to immediately advance an interest-free payment by crediting the accounts of their clients on public sector vouchers on behalf of government.
This is another matter for discussion later because of the risk to banking operations.
Public sector workers receiving their salaries through the purely private banks had to endure with very late payments for September.
September is normally a very difficult month for the average worker because it coincides with schools reopening. This is when parents are struggling to pay the fees of their wards. Late payments of salaries may have compelled parents to go in for loans at huge cost. Their salaries are effectively eroded. Managing an economy shouldn't just depend on the theory and book knowledge alone. We're managing human beings and their plight must at all times reflect the policies we implement.
It is rather both very shameful, depressing and heavily embarrassing for a Government to borrow not for infrastructural development but to pay salaries. Borrowing for recurrent expenditure is the most unacceptable thing that we should allow a government to do. Ghana is retrogressing with speed.
Economic Management is not "mouth mouth". The reality is even yet to come. What we are seeing is just the tip of the iceberg.
Signed:
Hon Isaac Adongo (Member of Parliament, Bolgatanga Central)
Source: Daily Graphic
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WHY ARE YOU TALKING LIKE AN EDUCATED-***barred word***.YOU CANNOT REASON
Did I hear someone allude to somebody eating dogs. Then he should ask the Akyems including Akuffo Addo how many dogs they have eaten. These NPP Arrsholes think they are the only ones who can insult abi? Instead of sticking to issues they decide to run people down.
What is Adongo talking about? These NDC incompetent Parliamentarians have not learn t their lessons well . They are still in the wonder world after losing the elections. Their comments stinkkk and full of greed and dishonesty. You came to mess up and Ghanaians have sacked you not because NPP deceived us but you were incompetent to manage our resources and have opted for the alternative period. Ghanaians are wise enough to differentiate between right and wrong. You guys are making empty noise and by the next 3 years you might have known your level in Ghanaian politics. Characters like Adongo, A B A Fuseini are lucky to be in Parliament. I bet you if these guys were to a 'different' constituency, they would't have been MPs now. Empty barrels with uselessss and excessive talk.
Talking of poor revenue performance, wasn't it the NDC that recorded double digit budget deficits for three years in a row.Which led them to go to IMF for policy credibility? Wasn't it the NDC government that heavily taxed Ghanaians even to the point of taxing even condoms and cutlasses.Hon Adongo talking of debt service payment who created the debt in the first place.Rather than increasing taxes and burdening Ghanaians to raise revenue.The NPP has found creative ways to raise revenue;renegotiation of all contracts,paperless system at ports that has raised revenue by 56% etc.
Ghana is sinking gradually, this clueless government has no direction, they are now running around projects that Mahama commissioned and re-commissioning them. In this short period just imagine the suffering inflicted on Ghanaians. Even to pay workers they have to borrow money and do the payment. These are liars who said borrowing is a taboo, where is Bawumia and his economic magic that he claimed was to turn Ghana into heaven? shame. Ghanaians are crying everywhere including those who voted this clueless so called government to power.
When u eat too much dog meat u fail to think. So are u happy government is broke so this will continue then NDC wins then they make u finance minister? Tofiakwa.
Else, I will lead a crusade to unseat Nana. How can a country like Amerika, accept pleas on behalf of an ex-president, who illegally took funds from public purse for his personal use? It will NEVER happen. But it will happen in Ghana. That is the extent of backwardness Ghana has gone. Yet it thinks it is enlightened!! I dont see the basis for which Ghanaians think they are enlightened. I have a problem with that claim. I expect the citizenry to crusade against all individuals who plead for clemency for any corrupt official,and prosecute such a person with same charge.
Where does this northner Adongo live and what party does this incredible hulk belong to ; the NPP government has only been in government for only 9 months and on a progressive investigative road to find out what the state of the economy of Ghana is ; has this northner donkey forgotton that his leader jon Mahama was distributing cars and houses to Akua Donkor ; has he forgotten how Jon Mahama and Opuni at Coaca board were doling out contracts to Lordina Mahama ; has he forgotten how jugement debts were paid out to kriminals including Woyome ; has this idiotic full forgotten how the NDc allowed the NCA to accumulate huge debts ; where does this northner kriminal liar think the NPp government will get the cash to pay workers ; this NDC ***barred word*** full should understand from a bit of economics that not until next year the deficit will not come down ; the deficit is now 139 billion and likely to rise to 145 billion till it starts falling after all receipts of government outstanding debts including stolen monies from the NDC ministers have been recovered ; the question is 'NO WHO CAUSE AM'-NA NDC CAUSE AM.
i dont blame Adongo because he was not an appointee of the NDC who looted the resources of the country. with broken country under NPP Fertilizer subsidy was reintroduce, Allowances of Students also reintroduced, Free Education rolled out and Health Insurance have paid their arrears up to March 2017. Except that you are talking NDC foo.ls but if its reasonable people like us we will call you a liar.
I am surprised as to why these stealers are still walking about freely and talking loosely!!! Nana please act fast for us to get our peace of mind. Don't just jail them, let them refund every penny the stole, and with interest.