By Nathaniel Nartey.
SEND Ghana, a Governance and Advocacy NGO, has identified inconsistencies in the E-Levy proposals in the 2022 Budget. According to the Deputy Country Director of SEND Ghana, Dr. Emmanuel Ayifah, these inconsistencies border on the proposed date of implementation and rationale behind its introduction bearing in mind the Government’s Digitalisation Agenda.
The Group raised concerns about the budgetary allocation to the Health Sector and for Infrastructural Development. At a forum to discuss the 2022 National Budget, Programmes Officer of SEND Ghana, Richard Anane Adortse lamented the situation of Government’s continuous dependence on Development Partners for infrastructural development. This, he said, puts Agenda 111 in jeopardy.
The 2022 budget review by SEND Ghana focused on areas such as revenue mobilisation, education, health, Children and Social Protection and Agriculture among others. It emerged that Budgetary allocation to the education and health sectors increased slightly from previous years while that of Children and social protection and Agriculture saw a reduction trend. For instance allocation to the education sector increased by 14% with the School Feeding Programme taking a larger chunk of that allocation.
Budgetary allocation to the Agricultural sector reduced by 12.9% in 2021.
As expected, the controversial E-Levy dominated discussions as the Government intends to mobilise revenue to plug its expenditure deficit of GHC 35 Billion.
The Deputy Country Director of SEND Ghana, Dr. Emmanuel Ayifah said his organisation supports a reduction in the 1.75 rate for the E-Levy. He asked the government to come clear on some inconsistencies on the Momo Tax.
Regarding Health Sector Review, the Programmes Officer of SEND Ghana Richard Anane Adortse was not happy about the trend of dependence on development partners for infrastructural development in the Health Sector. According to him, the situation put the government’s Agenda 111 in jeopardy.
The Speakers asked the government to increase allocation to the various sectors to enable the country to wean itself off dependency on development partners and donor agencies.
SEND-Ghana on 2022 Budget.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Country Director of SEND Ghana, Dr. Emmanuel Ayifah, has condemned the actions of Members of Parliament in the last few days which led to chaotic scenes in the Chamber when the House attempted approving the 2022 National Budget.
The Minority clashed with their fellow Majority Members when First Deputy-Speaker, Joe Osei Wusu reversed the decision of the Speaker of Parliament in his absence. Dr Ayifah said such actions are unacceptable.
He asked MPs to use the same spirit of unity and understanding that they always show when discussing their ex- gratia, to approve the Budget. He was Speaking at a forum in Accra to discuss the 2022 National Budget.
SEND Ghana also criticized the continuous low budgetary allocation to the Agricultural Sector. Ahead of the Farmers Day celebrations today the NGO appealed to the Government to increase allocation to the Sector because it is the backbone of the economy.
