Gov't: "Did Minority Not Get Opportunity To Scrutinize Loans?...It Is An Indictment On Their Part!!!

Government has responded to the Minority�s Press Conference held to counter President John Dramani Mahama�s 2014 State of The Nation Address read in February this year accusing the opposition party of dabbling in "unnecessary partisanship" and "throwing of unfounded allegations against government.� The Minority Members of Parliament (MP) led by Hon Osei Kyei Mensa-Bonsu at a press conference to give their own state of the Nation Address, Monday, pointed to the fact that the President got it all wrong when he claimed that the economic fundamentals of the country are sound, because existing economic challenges being experienced indicate that the nation�s economic fundamentals are bleak. The NPP MP further stated that the current economic woes can be put down to the President and his Government incompetence. It said the spiraling public debt stock which is now GHC 55.6 billion must be urgently tackled. �As we speak today, every Ghanaian, including babies who are born as we speak owe GHC 2, 000,� he said. But Deputy Information and Media Relations Minister, Felix Kwakye-Ofosu sharply disagrees. He told Richard Skyy on Citi FM that he was not surprised by what the minority said stressing that submissions made by the NPP was not different from what Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia said a couple of weeks ago. �I would have been surprised if the minority had used any other expression�what they said was not different from what they had said before.� He described as a total deception, the minority's claim that the recent challenges the country faced in terms of depreciation of the cedi is entirely due to the incompetence of government. He accused the Minority of engaging in "unnecessary partisanship". �...if they (minority) were not dabbling in politics, they would know that because of the nature of our economy, and its structures we are bound to have these problems. It is important that even as we engage in politics, we are fair and honest with the people of this country so that we don�t seek to score political points when none is required,� he said. Ghana�s Public Debt Stock The Deputy Information Minister further stated that it as an indictment on the part of the Minority because they were in Parliament when the various loans were approved, adding that, they must take the flak. �For the minority leader to claim that there is no work to show as evidence for all the money that has been borrowed; for me it is an admission of failure on his part as a legislator; because it is not possible for government to borrow without the minority having the opportunity to scrutinize the loans,� he added.