We Promised A Better Ghana And We Have Delivered - Finance Minister

The Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, has concluded his presentation of the government's 2012 fiscal statement before the House of Parliament. The conclusion of his presentation attracted equal meassure of applause and outright condemnation. Whiles the Majority responded with thunderous applause and echoed his "we have," the Minority clapped "away, away, away." Using the cry "yes we have," Dr Duffuor catalogued achievements of the government which he said gives "us confidence that Ghanaians can continue to have confidence in the ability of the NDC government to steer the nation's affairs." "Madam Speaker, we promised Ghanaians a better Ghana and we have significantly delivered on this promise; we promised to remove schools under trees and we are very much on course; we promised to remove iniquities in incomes through the single spine and we are very much on course; we promised to move the economy from fragility to robustness, yes we have; we promised to significantly expand the economy and we have; we promised to arrest inflation, yes we have; we promised to arrest rapid depreciation of the cedi, yes we have; we promised to provide free uniforms and exercise books, yes we have; we promised to deliver skills and jobs to our youth, yes we have; we promised to expand the school feeding programme, yes we have; we promised to provide schools with computers and Maths and Science scholarships, yes we have; we promised to establish public private partnership policy, yes we have; we promised to deepen competition in the telecom industry, yes we have. "Madam Speaker, these achievements give us confidence that in the coming years, Ghanaians can continue to trust the NDC government to faithfully steer the affairs of our dear nation. "Madam Speaker, indeed, this is a budget that heralds the march towards a better Ghana and gives hope of a brighter tomorrow and the building of a nation that is truly great and strong," the Minister said to a rapturous applause mainly from the Majority. But Minority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu believes the Finance Minister was simply dabbling in political talk. He said there was nothing new in the 2012 budget, insisting it was simply a replica of the 2011 budget which achieved nothing. Mr Kyei-Mensah Bonsu said the minister ought to be telling Ghanaians whatever happened to President Mills' action year declared in the beginning of the year. In his view, but for the contribution of oil resources, the economy would be in a more distress situation than it is currently.